1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

The proposed cuts to 80,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are deeply concerning and risk compromising the quality of care and services provided to our nation's veterans. The VA is already overburdened, having recently experienced its highest-ever service levels while serving over 9 million enrollees. Slashing the workforce to pre-pandemic levels will further strain operations and delay critical healthcare for those who have sacrificed so much for our country. We urge you to reject these misguided plans that put budgetary goals ahead of veterans' well-being. Instead of cutting staff, the VA should be bolstering its workforce and resources to meet the growing needs of our veteran population, including those suffering from toxic exposure. Balancing the budget at the expense of veterans is unacceptable. The administration must prioritize improving efficiency through oversight and accountability measures, not indiscriminate layoffs that erode the VA's capacity to deliver timely, quality care. Our veterans deserve better than to have their hard-earned benefits jeopardized by ill-conceived policies that undermine their health and welfare. We call on you to stand with veterans and protect the VA from these damaging cuts.