Veterans Affairs Secretary Addresses Concerns Over Job Cuts

Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins on Monday dismissed worries that federal job cuts would weaken health care for veterans, saying the sprawling agency will actually improve service for its patients.

Speaking at the Dallas VA Medical Center in Oak Cliff, Collins said the cuts are targeting duplicate services and some contracts and that improving care is his top priority.

“I always promised we would never take out of patient care, and we have kept that promise,” said Collins, marking his first visit to Texas since taking the helm of the organization this year.

Job Cuts and Their Impact

Collins’ visit came the same day Veterans Affairs announced it is on track to cut 30,000 employees from the agency by the end of September.

The cuts are a result of the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations and normal attrition. Because of those moves, the agency said it will no longer be forced to conduct a larger reduction in workforce, as it initially planned.

The number of job vacancies in North Texas, which has roughly 7,000 employees, was not immediately clear Monday.

Exemptions and Priorities

More than 350,000 positions deemed critical are exempt from the federal hiring freeze, Collins said Monday, ensuring that veteran care will not be affected. At the start of this year, the agency had about 484,000 employees, about a quarter of whom are veterans themselves.

The cuts are part of efforts by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, formerly spearheaded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, to dramatically trim the federal workforce.

Reactions to the Cuts

Some veterans pushed back against the cuts at the agency.

“Cutting jobs won’t necessarily make the VA more efficient. If they’re making cuts, what are they doing to make it better?” said Albert Zapanta, a retired major general in the U.S. Army who lives in Irving. “I don’t think they have an answer for that yet.”

Veterans groups say health care should be a bipartisan issue and not subject to sweeping federal cuts.

Improvements in Healthcare

In 2024, the VA experienced its busiest year, reaching more than 9 million enrollees and delivering more than 127.5 million health care appointments.

Lengthy waits at the VA have long been a critical issue for patients. In April of last year, the agency said it had cut wait times by 11% for primary care and 7% for mental health care, compared with the same times the previous year.

Ken Watterson, president of the Veterans Resource Center in Dallas who served in the Marines, said he would welcome reforms if they improve service.

“We need better health care, period,” he said.

Conclusion

The Veterans Affairs Secretary’s visit and announcement have sparked a mix of reactions from veterans and healthcare professionals. While some are concerned about the impact of job cuts, others see it as an opportunity to improve services and make the agency more efficient.

Collins said the cuts are making the agency more nimble. The VA says its disability claims backlog is down nearly 30% since Trump took office, and the agency is processing a record number of disability claims, reaching 2 million claims by June, more than a month faster than the previous year.

“We only have one constituency, and we’re going to serve that constituency well, and that is the veterans,” Collins said.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the reason behind the job cuts at the VA?

A: The job cuts are a result of the federal hiring freeze, deferred resignations, and normal attrition.

Q: How many employees will be cut from the VA?

A: The VA announced it is on track to cut 30,000 employees from the agency by the end of September.

Q: Will the job cuts affect veteran care?

A: According to Collins, more than 350,000 positions deemed critical are exempt from the federal hiring freeze, ensuring that veteran care will not be affected.

Q: What are the reactions to the job cuts from veterans and healthcare professionals?

A: Some veterans and healthcare professionals are concerned about the impact of job cuts, while others see it as an opportunity to improve services and make the agency more efficient.

Q: What improvements has the VA made in healthcare?

A: The VA has cut wait times by 11% for primary care and 7% for mental health care, and is processing a record number of disability claims.