Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins demanding he provide answers on the mass terminations of personnel across the VA, specifically those in Nevada. The Senators expressed concern that these staff reductions would have detrimental impacts for veterans in Nevada and across the United States.
“We are writing to express our concerns with recent terminations of employment at Nevada’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, including all affected employees and the proportion of those employees who are veterans,” wrote the Senators. “The VA plays a critical role in ensuring that our nation’s veterans receive the care, benefits, and support they have earned through sacrifice. A significant reduction in staff could have serious consequences for both VA operations and our veterans in Nevada.”
Nevada is home to nearly 220,000 veterans who depend on VA facilities in Las Vegas, Reno, and rural communities. The terminations at the VA could lead to increased wait times for medical care, delays in processing disability claims, and disruptions in the delivery of essential support services our veterans need.
“The VA has long served as an important source of employment for those who have sacrificed for this country, offering them a structured and mission-driven career path,” the Senators continue. “Many of these employees have service-connected disabilities or other conditions that make VA employment particularly vital to their financial and personal stability. Any significant reduction in the number of veterans employed by the VA risks worsening unemployment rates among former service members and may contribute to broader issues such as homelessness and economic instability within the veteran community.”
Specifically, the Senators requested the following information about the terminated employees:
- The total number of Veterans Affairs employees, located in Nevada, who have been terminated.
- The number of these employees who were veterans.
- The number of these employees who are veterans with service-connected disabilities.
- The number of employees who were terminated as probationary employees, but who had many years at VA in a different position.
- A description of the position and responsibilities of each terminated employee.
- A detailed explanation of the rationale behind these terminations, including any financial, policy, or strategic considerations.
- Any assessments or analyses conducted to evaluate the potential impact of these terminations on VA services.
- Any measures being taken to mitigate the consequences of these terminations, particularly concerning veteran employees and the delivery of essential services.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen are champions for our service members and their families, as well as America’s veterans. In a previous letter to VA Secretary Collins, they demanded the Secretary take immediate action to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Last year, the Senators passed legislation to officially authorize construction of a new VA hospital in Reno.
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