WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration goals to chop greater than 70,000 jobs from the Division of Veterans Affairs (VA), which oversees veterans’ well being care and different advantages, Secretary Doug Collins mentioned Wednesday (Mar 5).
The transfer to downsize the VA brings Trump’s unprecedented cost-cutting efforts, led by billionaire adviser Elon Musk, into one other delicate space, with Democrats fast to voice their displeasure with the plan.
“For a few years, veterans have been asking for a extra environment friendly, accountable and clear VA. This administration is lastly going to present the veterans what they need,” Collins mentioned in a video posted on X.
“Our purpose is to scale back VA employment ranges (to) 2019 end-strength numbers – roughly 398,000 staff – from our present degree of roughly 470,000 staff,” he mentioned, giving a decrease present variety of employees than a division assertion from final month, which put the whole at greater than 479,000.
“We will accomplish this with out making cuts to well being care or advantages to veterans and VA beneficiaries,” Collins added.
AFP had earlier obtained a VA memo saying the division would work in live performance with Musk’s Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) to “determine and eradicate waste, scale back administration and paperwork, scale back footprint, and improve workforce effectivity,” with an preliminary purpose of returning to 2019 staffing ranges.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Authorities Workers union, slammed the plan, saying: “These soon-to-be fired staff are patriotic People who selected to work on the VA as a result of they genuinely look after the welfare of veterans and their households.”
