On February 24th, the Veterans Administration announced the elimination of over 1,400 probationary employees in “non-mission critical positions”, following a cut of more than 1,000 workers earlier in the month. These employees, primarily bargaining-unit staff with less than one year in competitive service or two years in excepted service, were targeted to save over $83 million annually in the latest round alone, with total savings from both cuts exceeding $98 million per year.
VA Secretary Doug Collins has stated that these funds will be redirected toward “ health care, benefits, and services ” for veterans, emphasizing a focus on frontline support over administrative overhead. Collins has firmly denied any plans to reduce veterans’ benefits, asserting in a February 13, 2025, video that “ Veterans benefits aren’t getting cut. ”
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has also highlighted over $500 billion in annual federal expenditures on programs with expired congressional authorizations, including roughly $120 billion tied to the VA’s medical services under the Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996, which lapsed in 1998 but continues to receive appropriations.