Overview

• VA Secretary Doug Collins testified before the Senate, describing the 80,000-job reduction as a restructuring goal, not a finalized target.
• Collins stated that mission-critical roles like doctors, nurses, and claims processors would be spared, while non-essential positions, such as DEI staff, would be cut.
• Senators from both parties expressed concerns that workforce reductions could delay treatments and disrupt services like prosthetic fittings and crisis line operations.
• Sen. Tammy Duckworth announced plans to introduce legislation increasing oversight of the Veterans Crisis Line and restoring collective bargaining rights for VA clinical staff.
• A federal judge has paused some February firings, and Collins reiterated that savings from cuts, including $14 million from ending DEI initiatives, would be redirected to veteran care.