Lawmakers press VA on staffing cuts, RIF rubrics, privacy and outreach limits

Members of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations pressed Department of Veterans Affairs officials about staffing plans, a supervisor rubric used for proposed reductions in force (RIF), workspace privacy for telehealth, and reports that field staff were prevented from conducting outreach.

Ranking Member Veronica Ramirez showed the committee a rubric supervisors were required to fill out to justify why employees should not be subject to a RIF; she described that requirement as “absurd” and said some supervisors reported filling it out for more than 300 employees. Ramirez said the rubric asked supervisors to provide “1 to 2 sentences” explaining clinicians’ special skills, and questioned whether that adequately captured a provider’s value to veteran care.

VA officials defended protections for frontline mental health staff and said exempted positions include clinicians. “There are 30,000 frontline provider, and staff positions that are exempt from the hiring freeze and other actions,” said Dr. Ilsa Weekers, Deputy Executive Director of the VHA Office of Mental Health. Later in the hearing, Dr. Anthony Stazoni, Chief Medical Officer for VISN 9, told members “300,000 positions were exempted from the hiring freeze,” and said his VISN maintains a workforce dashboard and ongoing recruitments. Members asked the VA to supply the committee with detailed hiring and onboarding data; VA witnesses said they would take that request back.

Members also raised privacy concerns tied to return‑to‑office directives. Ranking Member Ramirez recounted reports that clinicians were conducting telehealth in “open spaces to closets to even showers,” and said providers had told her they were worried about veteran privacy. Dr. Weekers said facilities “are held to the highest legal and ethical standards related to privacy” and that processes exist for staff to report unsuitable space so accommodations can be made.

Outreach and fieldwork: Ramirez told the committee she had received reports that VA staff in Chicago were told “to no longer go out to the ward offices to do veteran outreach.” Weekers said she was not personally aware of that directive and said she would “take that back and look into it and get you an answer.”

Discussion versus facts: The committee did not approve workforce reductions or create new policy at the hearing. Lawmakers repeatedly asked for documentary evidence and data on exemptions, hiring and onboarding. Witnesses committed to follow up with additional information and to report back on specific allegations (for example, the outreach reports and timing of responses to congressional letters).

Ending: The subcommittee closed the hearing requesting documentation on hiring, onboarding and RIF‑rubric practices. Members signaled they will use those materials to scrutinize any workforce changes that could affect veterans’ access to mental health care.