Latest news with #SenateVeterans'AffairsCommittee
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Health
- Boston Globe
Every VA medical center has severe staffing shortages, audit finds
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A. Collins has argued the department, the second largest in government, is bloated and inefficient and needs further staffing cuts. He initially pushed to slash the workforce by 15 percent, though he later backtracked on those plans. At the same time, he has acknowledged the department needs more medical staff members and blamed a nationwide shortage of health care workers. Advertisement 'We are the same as every other health care system,' Collins said in a May hearing for the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. 'We are struggling to recruit doctors, nurses, and others just as anybody else.' In response to the report, VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz said the findings aren't a reliable indicator of staffing shortages because the 'report simply lists occupations facilities feel are difficult for which to recruit and retain, so the results are completely subjective, not standardized and unreliable.' Advertisement Kasperowicz said the department-wide vacancy rates for doctors and nurses are 14 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Reacting to the report, Democrats warned the staffing situation probably was worse than the inspector general found. 'This report confirms what we've warned for months - this Administration is driving dedicated VA employees to the private sector at untenable rates,' Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, said in a statement. 'Staffing shortages at the Department are getting significantly worse, including critical veterans' health care positions and essential jobs that keep VA facilities running.' Representative Mark Takano of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, said in a statement that the report 'confirms our fears' and criticized Collins. 'Instead of making VA an employer of choice, Secretary Collins continues to vilify the VA workforce and strip them of their rights,' Takano said in the statement, referring to the news last week that VA is no longer recognizing most workers' collective bargaining rights. 'Now, VA is facing critical staffing shortages across the country, leading to decreased access and choice for veterans. Veterans deserve and have earned better.' The department, which had about 467,000 employees as of June, is in charge of providing health care to more than 9 million veterans through its medical centers and 1,193 outpatient clinics. In recent years, VA's budget and workforce have grown significantly - in part to accommodate the Pact Act, which was enacted in 2022 and caused disability claims and enrollment in the health care system to surge. Advertisement The increase in new patients has further strained the existing staff. Another inspector general report from earlier this year found one Virginia facility's primary care staff described 'burnout and fatigue' due to the workload last year. Department leaders announced plans in March to slash the department's workforce by up to 83,000 workers, leading to tanking morale within the workforce and backlash from veterans' groups and lawmakers. Critics of the cuts said it would be impossible to slash that many employees without straining medical services. The department reversed its plans for mass firings in July, announcing instead that it would reduce staffing by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of this fiscal year through retirements, attrition, and deferred resignations. Collins has repeatedly assured lawmakers and VA employees that he will not cull the department's medical staff. Mission-critical positions were exempt from voluntary buyouts, the department said. But Veterans Affairs was not immune to staffing reductions earlier this year by the cost-cutting US DOGE Service: The department lost more than 1,600 probationary workers, including Veterans Crisis Line operators who were later brought back. The inspector general's office has been surveying staffing in the department for over a decade, and it has repeatedly concluded that medical centers are understaffed in key medical jobs. For instance, last year the watchdog said that 86 percent of campuses reported severe shortages of medical officers, which includes primary care doctors, psychiatrists, and other positions, and 82 percent reported severe shortages of nurses. Shortages are self-reported by local VA health care systems across the country and can be caused by several factors. The report doesn't specify how many of these jobs are open for hiring or the degree to which staffing cuts or influxes of patients contribute to reported shortages. Advertisement This year's report showed a slight improvement in some categories. For instance, while jobs in psychology remained the most frequently reported clinical severe staffing shortage at VA medical center campuses, six fewer facilities reported such shortages. Custodial workers, which campuses most frequently reported that they were lacking last year, were no longer the nonclinical job with the biggest scarcity, replaced by police officers.
The Hill
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
VA reverses on major workforce cuts
The Big Story The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has abandoned plans to cut more than 80,000 employees after a massive public outcry and an exodus of individuals from the agency. © Greg Nash In a Monday news release, the VA said it was on pace to reduce its total staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of this fiscal year due to 'the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, retirements and normal attrition.' That reduction eliminates 'the need for a large-scale reduction-in-force' of up to 15 percent of employees, or some 83,000 individuals, according to the release. The announcement marks a sharp turn for the Trump administration, which for months has sought to eliminate 83,000 roles — reducing the VA's workforce to its 2019 size of fewer than 400,000 staffers — as outlined in an internal memo sent to employees in March. VA Secretary Doug Collins said at the time that the cuts were following President Trump's executive order, signed in February, directing all federal agencies to prepare for a reduction in force, meaning large-scale layoffs. He also insisted that the move was tough but necessary and that the cuts would not affect health care or benefits to veterans and VA beneficiaries. The White House, meanwhile, stated that the VA had become 'bloated' and claimed that the reduced jobs would make the agency more efficient. But Democratic lawmakers were quick to push back on the plans, with Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) calling the development 'a gut punch' and 'breathtaking in its potential significance and its malevolence and cruelty' to former U.S. service members. Veterans and their advocate groups also warned that the administration's aggressive approach to shrink the VA will have long-term and devastating effects for veterans, who can already face long wait times for VA care. In its Monday statement, the VA said it had recorded roughly 484,000 employees in January, a number that was down to 467,000 by June — a loss of nearly 17,000 staffers. The agency projects that between July and Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, nearly 12,000 additional workers will exit through normal attrition, voluntary early retirement or the deferred resignation program. The VA claims it has 'multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact Veteran care or benefits.' But Blumenthal, in a statement released Monday, warned that even as the VA abandons 'its disastrous plan,' its announcement makes clear it 'is bleeding employees across the board at an unsustainable rate because of the toxic work environment created by this Administration and DOGE's slash and trash policies,' referring to the Department of Government Efficiency. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: GOP lawmaker: Trump's 'patience' with Putin 'wearing thin' Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) said Sunday that President Trump's 'patience' with Russian President Vladimir Putin is 'wearing thin' after the president had a call with the Russian leader late last week. Crawford made the comment in response to a question during an appearance on Fox News. 'People keep falling out of buildings in Russia, Ukraine is still under attack. Will this war ever end? And will the president, our president, … Scott on accusations that Trump is 'too easy' on Putin: 'Hogwash' Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) rejected concerns that President Trump is going 'too easy' on Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the White House works to broker a ceasefire between the Kremlin and Ukraine. In an interview on 'Fox News Sunday,' anchor Shannon Bream asked the senator, who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, about criticism from a French news outlet over the Pentagon's pause on some deliveries of air defense missiles … Israel sends delegation to Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks with Hamas Israel has said it is sending a delegation to Qatar for ceasefire talks with Hamas about the war in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Saturday. 'In light of an assessment of the situation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the invitation to proximity talks be accepted and that the contacts for the return of our hostages – on the basis of the Qatari proposal that Israel has agreed … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Karen Bass confronts federal agents at Los Angeles park Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Monday she confronted federal agents at a city park amid tensions between her city and the federal government over immigration. 'When I got to MacArthur Park, by the way, and my purpose was one, to witness what was going on, but then when I got there, to do what … On Tap Tomorrow Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: When will key aspects of Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' take effect? President Trump signed his sweeping tax cut and spending package known as the 'big, beautiful bill' into law during a Fourth of July celebration … Read more Musk tweaks Trump with Jeffrey Epstein post Tech billionaire Elon Musk trolled President Trump early Monday with a post knocking the administration for making no arrests related to the Jeffrey … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
The Hill
07-07-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Veterans Affairs dramatically scales back layoffs to less than half of initial plan
The Department of Veterans Affairs has abandoned plans to cut more than 80,000 employees, scaling back that number to just under 30,000 after a massive outcry from veterans, advocate groups and lawmakers and an exodus of individuals from the agency. In a Monday news release, the VA said that it was on pace to reduce its total staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of this fiscal year due to 'the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, retirements and normal attrition.' That reduction eliminates 'the need for a large-scale reduction-in-force,' up to 15 percent of employees, or some 83,000 individuals, according to the release. The announcement is a sharp turn for the Trump administration, which for months has sought to eliminate 83,000 roles – reducing the VA's workforce to its 2019 size of less than 400,000 staffers – as laid out in an internal memo sent to employees in March. VA Secretary Douglas Collins said at the time that the cuts were following President Trump's executive order, signed in February, directing all federal agencies to prepare for a reduction in force, meaning large-scale layoffs. He also insisted that the move was tough but necessary and insisted that the cuts would not affect health care or benefits to veterans and VA beneficiaries. The White House, meanwhile, said the VA had grown 'bloated' and claimed the slashed jobs would make the agency more efficient. But Democrat lawmakers were quick to push back on the plans, with Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) calling the development 'a gut punch' and 'breathtaking in its potential significance and its malevolence and cruelty' to former U.S. service members. His counterpart in the lower chamber, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs ranking member Mark Takano (D-Calif.), said the Trump's administration's goals were 'incomprehensible.' 'Any significant reduction in personnel could create devastating backlogs, delay critical care and ultimately fail our veterans at a time when they need our support the most,' Takano said in March. Veterans and their advocate groups also warned that the administration's aggressive approach to shrink the VA will have long-term and devastating effects for veterans, who can already face long wait times for VA care. In addition, former service members were likely to get swept up in the steep workforce reductions as more than 25 percent of VA employees are veterans. In its Monday statement, the VA said it had recorded roughly 484,000 employees in January, a number that was down to 467,000 by June – a loss of nearly 17,000 staffers. The agency projects that between July and Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, nearly 12,000 additional workers will exit through normal attrition, voluntary early retirement or the deferred resignation program. The VA claims that it has 'multiple safeguards in place to ensure these staff reductions do not impact Veteran care or benefits,' that all VA mission-critical positions are exempt from deferred resignations and voluntary early retirement, and more than 350,000 positions are exempt from the federal hiring freeze. But Blumenthal, in a statement released Monday, warned that even as the VA abandons 'its disastrous plan to fire 83,000 more employees,' its announcement makes clear it 'is bleeding employees across the board at an unsustainable rate because of the toxic work environment created by this Administration and DOGE's slash and trash policies.' He stressed that the staffers that have left 'is not 'natural' attrition, it is not strategic, and it will inevitably impact veterans' care and benefits—no matter what blanket assurances the VA Secretary hides behind.' The VA is one of the largest employers of federal workers, with the current 467,000 staffers delivering more than 127 million health care appointments across more than 9 million enrollees. The agency has already experienced cuts early in Trump's second term, losing 2,400 staffers to layoffs in February.
UPI
29-06-2025
- Politics
- UPI
GOP Senator Thom Tillis announces he will not seek re-election
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, pictured during a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing in February, announced Sunday that he will not seek re-election in 2026. File photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 29 (UPI) -- Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C, said Sunday that he would not seek re-election, opening up a seat in a state that was already considered a battleground in the 2026 midterm elections. Tillis made the announcement after voting against a procedural measure Saturday night to clear the way for debate on the Senate version of the Trump administration's budget reconciliation bill. "As many of my colleagues have noticed over the last year, and at times even joked about, I haven't exactly been excited about running for another term." Tillis said in a statement sent to media outlets. "That is true since the choice is between spending another six years in Washington or spending that time with the love of my life Susan, our two children, three beautiful grandchildren, and the rest of our extended family back home. It's not a hard choice and I will not be seeking re-election." President Donald Trump threatened Tillis with a primary challenge in N.C. in the 2026 midterms following the GOP Senator's vote against moving the budget bill to the Senate floor for debate. Trump took to social media to criticize Tillis. "Thom Tillis is making a BIG MISTAKE for America, and the Wonderful People of North Carolina!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account Saturday night. In a statement following the vote Saturday night, Tillis said he was putting the interests of his constituents above party politics. "I did my homework on behalf of North Carolinians, and I cannot support this bill in its current form," Tillis wrote. "It would result in tens of billions of dollars in funding for North Carolina, including our hospitals and rural communities." Tillis also noted that proposed cuts would impact rural hospitals and fall squarely on Medicaid recipients who rely on the program as their only source of medical insurance.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump picks senior VA advisor to serve as top department watchdog
President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated senior Veterans Affairs advisor Cheryl Mason to serve as the top VA watchdog, a move that drew criticism from congressional Democrats because of her ties to the administration. Mason was one of four inspector general nominations submitted by the White House this week. All of those posts — and about a dozen more — have been vacant since late January, when Trump dismissed the independent investigators from their roles without explanation. Mike Missal, who had served in the VA Inspector General role since April 2016, has joined seven other former officials in a lawsuit challenging those firings. That case is still unresolved. Mason was part of the Board of Veterans Appeals from 2017 to 2022, becoming the first woman ever to serve as chair of the judicial panel. The board provides a second chance for veterans seeking disability benefits to challenge Department of Veterans Affairs decisions. She is the wife and daughter of military veterans and has been a public advocate for military spouse employment opportunities in the past. VA, DOD oversight questioned after Trump inspector general firings Earlier this year, Trump appointed Mason as a senior advisor to the VA secretary. Her shift from administration insider to department watchdog elicited concerns about her ability to serve as an independent voice on department operations and decisions. 'A Trump political acolyte like Cheryl Mason is exactly the wrong choice to be the VA Inspector General, a role requiring nonpartisan, independent oversight,' Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee ranking member Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement responding to Tuesday's nomination. 'Veterans deserve an inspector general who will conduct investigations free of interference and collusion from [VA Secretary Doug] Collins and the Trump administration. Otherwise, we will be putting veterans at even greater risk of corruption and abuse of power.' Critics noted that Mason has been involved in department efforts to trim the size of the VA workforce, which has prompted objections from Democratic lawmakers and veterans advocates. Hours before the nomination, in testimony before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Collins hinted that Trump would be moving soon to fill the vacant watchdog post. 'From our perspective, we welcome the oversight to make sure that we're meeting the metrics that we need to do to take care of veterans,' he said. Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said filling the post is 'a high priority' for the panel. No timeline has been announced for a confirmation hearing for Mason.
