According to an internal memo obtained by the Associated Press, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA ) is contemplating a significant restructuring that will involve the elimination of more than 80, 000 jobs.
The organization’s labor will return to its 2019 levels as outlined in the plan, which is scheduled to go into effect in August.
The organization’s chief of staff, Christopher Syrek, said the reorganization will “resize and tailor the labor to the vision and revised framework.”
The program is a part of a larger state downsizing effort spearheaded by businessman Elon Musk and led by the White House’s Department of Government Performance.
The walk was defended by Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins, who added,” This presidency is eventually going to give soldiers what they want.” At the VA, President Trump is under the impression that there must be millennial shift in Washington. He assured that the medical and benefits would not be impacted by the cuts, but some veterans still remain wary.
The VA, which provides care to over 9 million soldiers, has grown in recent years as a result of expansions under the Biden presidency and the 2022 PACT Act, which provide care for those impacted by dangerous fire pits.
The proposal has sparked robust opposition in Congress. Senator Lindsey Graham characterized it as “political fraud not to discuss Congress,” while Republican politicians have voiced their concerns about the VA’s lack of communication. Senator Richard Blumenthal and other Democratic leaders have criticized the move as a betrayal of soldiers, arguing that it prioritizes cost-savings over vital services.
