Congressional Delegation Calls for Release of Information on Status of VA Workforce in Rhode Island

Washington, D.C. - TODAY, Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo called on Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Douglas Collins, to explain the loss of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees across the United States and provide an update on the status of Rhode Island's federal VA workforce.

The Members write:

"We are alarmed that your actions as Secretary to drastically reduce the VA workforce have negative repercussions for employee morale and future recruitment. Your recent decision to terminate collective bargaining agreements for VA employees will almost certainly make the problem worse, as approximately 80% of VA employees belonged to a union. VA employees are essential to serving our Veterans. The alarming rate at which employees are leaving VA jeopardizes Veterans' ability to timely access services and benefits they have earned and will undermine the VA's ability to meet its mission for many years."

"According to the July issue of VA's Workforce Dashboard, the net losses of Veteran-facing VA employees for this fiscal year are estimated at over 8,700. These losses include over 2,129 registered nurses, 1,283 medical support assistants, 751 physicians, and 1,294 Veteran claim examiners. This is a significant loss compared to the Biden administration, which added over 8,700 employees during the same period in Fiscal Year 2024."

"In order to assess the impact on our constituents, we request a more detailed understanding of the current VA workforce in Rhode Island. Specifically, we request data on all employee departures from January 1, 2025, through September 16, 2025, within the State of Rhode Island, including at the Eagle Square VA Clinic, Eagle Street VA Clinic, Providence VA Medical Center, Middletown VA Clinic, Providence VA Regional Benefit Office, and Providence Vet Center."

The full letter can be found here.

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