VA may lay off 80,000 employees, NOAA and other agencies brace for cuts

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Ryan Robertson Anchor/Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor/Reporter), Diane Duenez (Weekend Managing Editor), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to begin mass layoffs in June, with 80,000 jobs expected to be cut due to what officials describe as “inefficiencies.”
NOAA has already cut 1,300 employees and may reduce its workforce by another 1,000, sparking concerns about the agency’s critical services.
The Department of Health and Human Services is also offering buyouts as part of efforts to reduce staff, joining other federal agencies in workforce cuts.

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The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is set to begin mass layoffs as early as June 2025, according to a memo obtained by Reuters. The memo, dated March 6, instructed VA human resources teams to begin reviewing operations for a department-wide reduction in force.

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In a video posted on X, VA Secretary Doug Collins confirmed the agency’s plans to cut 80,000 employees, saying that a number of issues are hindering service to veterans.

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“Right now, VA’s biggest problem is that its bureaucracy and inefficiencies are getting in the way of customer convenience and service to veterans,” Collins stated.

Opposition to cuts

The planned cuts have sparked opposition. Ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., joined 19 other lawmakers to send a joint letter to Collins, denouncing the reduction in force.

What other agencies have announced cuts?

The VA is not alone in facing workforce reductions. In February, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) cut 1,300 employees. Protestors expressed concerns about the impact on services critical to public safety.

Reports now suggest that NOAA could lose an additional 1,000 employees. The Department of Health and Human Services is also reportedly offering buyouts as part of its own staff reduction efforts.

Tags: DOGE, Donald Trump, Doug Collins, federal employees, House of Representatives, Layoffs, NOAA, Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Senate, Veterans Affairs

[Ryan Robertson]

THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WILL REPORTEDLY BEGIN MASS LAYOFFS AS EARLY AS JUNE. IN A MARCH SIXTH MEMO ACQUIRED BY REUTERS, THE DEPARTMENT’S HUMAN RESOURCE TEAMS WERE TOLD TO BEGIN REVIEWING OPERATIONS FOR A DEPARTMENT WIDE REDUCTION IN FORCE.

[VA Secretary Doug Collins]

“Right now, VA’s biggest problem is that its bureaucracy and inefficiencies are getting in the way of customer convenience and service to veterans,”

IN THE POST, COLLINS CONFIRMS THE AGENCY PLANS TO CUT 80-THOUSAND PEOPLE FROM ITS WORKFORCE.

SENATE VETERANS’ AFFAIRS COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER RICHARD BLUMENTHAL ALONG WITH 19 OTHER HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS ALSO SENT A JOINT LETTER TO COLLINS DENOUNCING THE PLANNED CUTS.

THE V-A ISN’T ALONE. MANY FEDERAL AGENCIES WERE TOLD TO PREPARE FOR PLANNED REDUCTIONS IN FORCE. BACK IN FEBRUARY, FOR INSTANCE… THE NATIONAL OCEANING AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CUT 13-HUNDRED EMPLOYEES.

FOLLOWING THE FIRST ROUND OF CUTS… PROTESTORS SHARED THEIR CONCERNS.

[Mike Tidwell/Demonstrator]

(NOAA is critical to safe seafood that we eat, to weather forecasts involving dangerous hurricanes. A million different ways NOAA is a critical part of our lives and we need to keep this agency strong.”

[Ryan Robertson]

MULTIPLE REPORTS NOW SUGGEST NOAA COULD LOSE ANOTHER THOUSAND EMPLOYEES.

WHICH FOLLOWS ANOTHER REPORT THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IS ALSO OFFERING BUYOUTS AS A WAY TO CUT IT STAFF.

THIS STORY ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE, SO WE WILL KEEP FOLLOWING IT FOR YOU. FOR ALL THE LATEST, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.