Congressional Democrats Condemn VA's Ruthless Plan to Cut 83,000 Jobs - Abandoning Veterans

WASHINGTON- Today, Ranking Member Mark Takano, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and members of the House and Senate sent a joint letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins denouncing VA's unconscionable Reduction in Force (RIF) memorandum that circulated on March 4th. Members are outraged by VA's reckless plan to gut its workforce by an estimated 83,000 employees through its Agency Reductions in Force (RIF) and Reorganization Plan (ARRP) by the end of the fiscal year. 

The letter addresses the March 4, 2025, memorandum from VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek announcing the Department's brazen objective to slash VA's workforce to end of fiscal year 2019 levels. This will deliberately dismantle critical staffing increases made since the 2022 passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act. 

The PACT Act, which authorized the largest expansion of veterans' benefits in decades, explicitly included provisions allowing VA to expand its workforce to meet increased demand for services. These vital staffing increases have ensured that 400,000 additional veterans can access VA healthcare and demonstrably improved efficiency in claims processing and directly benefited veterans. 

This planned mass firing, coupled with the ongoing hiring freeze and illegal terminations of probationary employees, will be catastrophic for the agency; its workforce; and for the veterans, caregivers, and survivors it serves. 

"It defies logic and reason that the agency could cut an additional 83,000 employees, beyond the 2,400 or more they have already terminated, without healthcare and benefits being interrupted. Veterans are being let go, veterans services are under attack, and this Administration needs to provide the American people with real answers. 30% of VA's employees are veterans—they chose to continue to serve this nation by helping their fellow veterans. Now this administration is choosing to show thanks by firing them. This is not how we honor someone's service," said Ranking Member Takano. 

The full letter.

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