In the last week, department leaders have revised plans to cancel hundreds of contracts in a cost-saving move. About 2,500 VA workers have been forced out of their jobs in the last few weeks. In his first public address to a veterans group, Doug Collins outlined plans to broaden VA benefits and cut back bureaucracy. Hegseth promised to reinvest budget savings in other military programs and jettison civilian workers who are not living up to expectations. Department leaders have declined to provide more information on recent layoffs amid rumors of looming additional staff cuts. President Donald Trump nominated Paul Lawrence to serve as the second-highest leader in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Several dozen union members and VA employees rallied outside the department headquarters amid fears of staff cuts and funding reductions for the agency. VA Secretary Doug Collins will lead the Office of Government Ethics and the Office of Special Counsel until new directors are named. An employee from the controversial new department will review VA contracts and IT system operations, VA officials confirmed. The move to end telework at VA follows instructions from the White House to return most federal employees to their pre-pandemic duty stations. Load More
