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Senators Press VA Secretary on 15% 'Goal' to Reshape Workforce
Summary
At a Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing, Secretary Collins defended a department review that sets a 15% workforce-reduction goal while senators demanded data showing how cuts would avoid harming veteran care, citing thousands of recent hires tied to expanded benefits.
Secretary Collins testified before the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs on workforce changes at the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying the department has a "goal" of a 15% reduction in staff as part of a broad review of VA operations.
The goal, Collins said, is intended to "increase productivity, eliminate waste, [and] improve health care" while preserving mission-essential roles. "Our goal as we look at it as everything goes forward, is a 15% decrease. It is a goal," Collins told the committee. He also said the figure could change: "If it's as the chairman said, it could be less, could be more. It is a goal that you have to look at."
Why it matters: Senators pressed Collins for specifics because VA employment and recent hiring have been directly tied to expanded…
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