Some Republican leaders in Congress are voicing their irritation over the way massive layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs are being handled. with Senator Lindsey Graham calling it "political malpractice."
"Maybe you've got a good reason to do it. I like Doug Collins — he's a great guy. But we don't need to be reading memos in the paper about 20 percent cut at the VA," Graham said after leaving a lunch with Elon Musk where the layoffs were discussed.
The outlet reported that massive firings at the VA have already begun, with a new memo detailing the possibility that figures will end up clocking in at 80,000.
Sen. Jerry Moran, the Upper House's Veterans' Affairs Committee chair, said that the department is in "need of reform," but such actions must be conducted in a "more responsible manner." He added that figures need to be "justifiable."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune hinted at conversations on the matter, telling reporters that he is "hoping there will be clarification on that issue soon." Other lawmakers reportedly told Musk, spearheading the crusade to slash government spending, that VA Secretary Doug Collins needs to be involved in final decisions.
The statements mark a departure from some previously made by Republicans on the matter. Rep. Brandon Gill was asked during a CNN interview on Thursday whether he can assure veterans that their services will not be interrupted by the cuts.
Gill, a member of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), answered that he would "like to remind people that nobody in the United States has a right by God to have a job at taxpayer expense in the federal government, myself included."
Moreover, top counselor Alina Habba stated that military veterans who have found themselves unemployed as a result of the Trump administration's employment cuts in federal departments may not be "fit to have a job at this moment."
The VA workforce expanded significantly under the Biden administration, particularly to implement the 2022 PACT Act, which extended benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances in service.
VA offices have been directed to assess staffing and report back to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) by April 14.
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