Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

VA Secretary Defends Workforce Cuts and Faces Senate Scrutiny Over Crisis Line Oversight

Doug Collins testifies on job reduction plans, legislative proposals, and labor rights as lawmakers raise concerns about service impacts and transparency.

Stethoscope lies on the uniform of a US soldier.
U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins testifies before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee in Washington, D.C., on May 6, 2025.
Image
Image

Overview

  • VA Secretary Doug Collins described the goal of reducing up to 80,000 positions, or 15% of the workforce, as part of a restructuring effort, but emphasized no specific positions have been targeted beyond the 2,400 already dismissed earlier this year.
  • Collins assured senators that front-line health workers, including doctors and nurses, would be spared, while non-essential roles, such as DEI positions, would be phased out to redirect resources toward veteran care.
  • Senators, including Richard Blumenthal, raised concerns that staffing cuts are already delaying critical services like mammograms, prosthetic fittings, and operating room care, warning of broader disruptions to veteran services.
  • Sen. Tammy Duckworth announced plans to introduce legislation to expand oversight of the Veterans Crisis Line, requiring termination notices and detailed staffing reports, as discrepancies over rehiring claims persist.
  • Collins faced criticism for removing collective bargaining rights for certain VA workers in April, while lawmakers push the VA Employee Fairness Act to restore these rights and address workplace safety concerns.