(The Center Square) – Democratic members of the Arizona congressional delegation sent a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins asking him to reconsider staff and budget cuts.
Collins said this week the goal is to cut 80,000 jobs from the VA. This would return the department’s workforce to its 2019 staffing level.
In their Tuesday letter, the Democrats expressed concerns about reports that the VA Phoenix Health Care System was laying off around 800 employees, which accounts for 15% of its staff.
The letter cites a 2024 Office of Inspector General report showing that the Phoenix facility already faced staffing shortages in “primary care, mental health, radiology, nursing and health technician professions.”
Due to this staffing shortage, the letter claims new patients at most Phoenix area VA facilities wait more than 20 days for primary care and mental health appointments. The VA considers the average wait time for these two services to be 20 days.
The Democrats said these potential staff cuts are “an egregious affront to the trust that VA Phoenix Health Care System has been building since 2014.”
Citing the goal of wanting to get back to 2019 staffing levels, the Democrats stated that this fails to consider the more than 400,000 veterans getting VA health care, which includes over 9,000 Arizonans. In addition, the lawmakers mentioned the 6.1 million veterans whom the VA has screened for toxic exposure as not being considered either.
“Our veterans and their families, caregivers, and survivors deserve the highest standard of care. VA routinely provides that — but only if there are providers and support staff to see them. We urge you to reevaluate your reduction in force plans,” they wrote Collins.
This letter was signed by Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Tempe; Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Phoenix; Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona; and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona.
