Connecticut’s congressional delegation and veterans advocates are criticizing a leaked internal memo revealing the federal government's plans to cut more than 80,000 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) workers.
The job cuts could impact the estimated 150,000 veterans living in the state.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, along with other federal officials, are calling for more details about potential cost cutting at the department. In a statement, Blumenthal said the cuts will only end up hurting veterans, who make up more than 25% of the VA’s workforce.
“Their plan prioritizes private sector profits over veterans’ care, balancing the budget on the backs of those who served,” Blumenthal said. “It’s a shameful betrayal and veterans will pay the price for their unforgivable corruption, incompetence and immorality.”
Blumenthal said President Donald Trump’s administration also tried implementing widespread job cuts at the VA during his first term, but withdrew because of widespread opposition.
Blumenthal referenced an attempt by the Trump administration to move the VA’s pharmacy operations to the Department of Defense (DOD).
“They think using DOD will make it cheaper, but it won't work that way, because top prescriptions are going to be very different among these two agencies,” Blumenthal said.
According to Retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, the federal government doesn’t appear to be reconsidering the move to dismiss workers.
“The pleas to include veterans in the conversation has fallen on deaf ears,” Eaton said. “This deliberate dismantling of the VA is not only dangerous, it's not only callous, it's an outright betrayal of the commitment made to veterans.”
There’s no word from the federal government regarding how many Connecticut-based VA workers may be impacted by potential staff cuts.
A VA press secretary, Peter Kasperowicz, acknowledges that there are people complaining about the changes underway. In a statement to Connecticut Public, he said that “many are using rumor, innuendo and disinformation to spread fear in the hopes that the department will just keep doing the same thing it has always done.”
"VA will always provide Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors the health care and benefits they have earned,” Kasperowicz said. “But we’re also making major improvements to strengthen the department,” noting that funding is being redirected from efforts that aren’t mission-critical to health care, benefits and services that support beneficiaries.
He added that the agency has “an obligation to make VA work better for the Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors we are charged with serving, and that is what we will do."
Connecticut, according to the latest publicly available VA expenditures report from fiscal year 2023, showed total expenditures at nearly $2 billion for the year. That includes compensation, pension payments and educational and vocational programs. Medical care for VA patients in Connecticut made up nearly half of the costs.
Some veterans regularly go to the VA medical center in West Haven for treatment. It is the only VA hospital in the state that performs in-patient care. Recently, veterans and their advocates rallied outside the facility in protest of the job cuts.
Renee Luneau-Sheckfee, a registered nurse at the center, said talk of cost-cutting has impacted morale among workers.
Luneau-Sheckfee says cutting staff would reduce medical care for veterans. She also said the recent communication is a way for the federal government to pressure workers to quit voluntarily, but she said she will stay.
Luneau-Sheckfee is among federal employees who received emails from the government, asking them to accept a resignation offer and/or justify their position with five accomplishments during their work week.
“I could tell you what I didn't do last week. I didn't take lunch a single day, and I didn't take a 15-minute break a single day, because we're trying to do a lot with what little we have,” she said.
This story has been updated to include comments from a VA spokesperson.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the amount of money spent for veterans' services in Connecticut in 2023. It was $2 billion, not $2 million.
