Larson Demands Answers on the Impact of ‘DOGE’ Cuts at the Newington VA
East Hartford, CT - Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) sent a letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Doug Collins demanding detailed data on the impact of workforce cuts on veteran access to care and benefits at the Newington VA Clinic.
“I write with extreme concern regarding the high volume of departures of employees, including those who serve in veteran-facing and mission critical roles, across the Department of Veterans Affairs,” Larson wrote. “It is clear that your actions as Secretary are negatively impacting the VA workforce. VA is attritting employees that are critical to VA’s ability to meet its mission to serve veterans at an alarming rate.
“Your recent decision to terminate collective bargaining agreements for the vast majority of VA workers will most certainly lead to more employees choosing to leave the Department and fewer prospective workers choosing VA as an employer,” Larson continued. “Veterans’ access to their earned care and benefits will be affected. As the representative from Connecticut, which is home to the Newington VA Healthcare System, I am requesting a more detailed understanding of the current workforce situation in my district so that I can assess the impact to the veterans I represent.”
Since President Trump took office, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has seen a record high volume of staff departures. At the direction of Elon Musk’s ‘DOGE,’ the VA is on pace to cut 30,000 workers by the end of this year. Earlier this week, Secretary Collins illegally terminated collective bargaining agreements for 400,000 VA workers, including AFGE and SEIU members.
Rep. Larson’s full letter to Secretary Collins is available HERE and below:
Dear Secretary Collins,
I write with extreme concern regarding the high volume of departures of employees, including those who serve in veteran-facing and mission critical roles, across the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). To that end, I request detailed data regarding the VA workforce to assess the impact of attrition on veteran access to care and benefits in Connecticut’s First Congressional District.
You have repeatedly stated in congressional hearings and other public appearances that changes you are making at VA would not impact the delivery of care and benefits to veterans. However, the July issue of VA’s Workforce Dashboard shows that, for this fiscal year, the net losses for veteran-facing employees across VA are estimated at over 8,700. This is a stark number compared to the Biden Administration, which added a net 8,700 employees during the same period in FY 2024. The current number of employee losses under your leadership includes mission-essential jobs. Specifically, you have lost over: 2,129 registered nurses, 1,283 medical support assistants, 751 physicians, and 1,294 veteran claim examiners.
It is clear that your actions as Secretary are negatively impacting the VA workforce. VA is attritting employees that are critical to VA’s ability to meet its mission to serve veterans at an alarming rate. Your recent decision to terminate collective bargaining agreements for the vast majority of VA workers will most certainly lead to more employees choosing to leave the Department and fewer prospective workers choosing VA as an employer. Veterans’ access to their earned care and benefits will be affected.
As the representative from Connecticut, which is home to the Newington VA Healthcare System, I am requesting a more detailed understanding of the current workforce situation in my district so that I can assess the impact to the veterans I represent. Specifically, I ask for data on all employee departures from January 1, 2025, through August 8, 2025, within the Newington VA Healthcare System. The data should include:
Occupation
Job title
Grade and step level
Veteran status
Disability status
Military spouse status
Years in service at VA
Facility/location
Reason for departure
Whether the employee was retirement-eligible
Whether the employee participated in the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP)
Whether the employee was terminated
Whether the employee resigned
I also request detailed data on the number and type of veteran appointments cancelled or rescheduled due to staffing shortages at the Newington VA Healthcare System since January 1, 2025.
This information is critical to understanding workforce trends and ensuring the needs of veterans in Connecticut continue to be met.
I urge your prompt attention to this request and look forward to your detailed response by August 29th, 2025.