Summary of Content
Title: Trump admin plans to cut more than 70,000 jobs at Department of Veterans Affairs, memo says | CNN Politics
- Key Points:
- The Trump administration intends to cut over 70,000 jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) based on an internal memo.
- The memo, dated March 4, outlines plans to restructure the VA in coordination with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), aiming to return staffing levels to those of 2019 (approximately 399,957 employees).
- As of October 2024, the VA’s workforce was over 470,000.
- Employees are required to report their findings to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) by April 14.
- This reduction is part of broader workforce cutbacks across federal agencies, aligning with OPM’s recent guidance changes regarding employee terminations.
- The significant increase in VA staffing during the Biden administration was largely to support the PACT Act, improving veterans’ care related to environmental hazards.
References:
- Internal memo from Christopher Syrek, chief of staff at the VA.
- Reporting by CNN and Government Executive.
Executive Summary
The Trump administration is planning to implement significant staffing cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, potentially terminating over 70,000 employees to revert to 2019 staffing levels. This move is part of a broader effort to restructure federal agencies as directed by the OPM, following an extensive increase in VA personnel during the Biden administration to enhance services for veterans exposed to environmental hazards. The memo indicating these changes was issued to key VA officials, with a requirement to report back by mid-April.
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User Message: VA aiming to revert to 2019-era staffing levels
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