Arizona Senator Mark Kelly says he will continue to push the Department of Veteran's Affairs to reverse course on staff reductions ar the agency.
President Donald Trump's administration announced July 7th that the VA will reduce staff by nearly 30,000 by the end of fiscal year 2025.
The agency says it is taking steps to ensure the cuts do not impact veteran care or benefits, claiming more than 350,000 positions in the agency are exempt from a federal hiring freeze.
VA says there were about 484,000 VA employees at the beginning of the year. By June that number was down more than 17,000. The agency says it expects another 12,000 to be gone by the end of September through attrition, voluntary early retirement and deferred resignations.
But Arizona's Sr. Senator, Mark Kelly, says the cuts are indiscriminate and threaten to delay care and burden providers.
In a statement Monday, Kelly said:
“These cuts will mean longer wait times for veterans in crisis, fewer health care providers, and delays for veterans accessing the benefits they’ve earned. And without a clear plan to protect the quality of care, the risks to veterans only grow. I’ve been pushing back against these cuts from the start, and I’ll keep fighting for Arizona veterans until the VA reverses course.”
Kelly says cuts will lead to longer wait times as clinics will lose providers and administrative staff. He says there will be fewer crisis responders and mental health resources, delays in processing disability and benefits claims, and a loss of resources for veterans facing housing or business help.
Kelly worries the changes accelerate a push to privatize veteran care, thus "weakening the VA from within."
