Congressman Krishnamoorthi Raises Alarm Over Planned VA Health Care Staffing Cuts, Presses for Answers on Impact to Veterans

WASHINGTON - Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) today sent a letterto Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins expressing serious concern over reports that the VA plans to eliminate as many as 35,000 health care positions across the Veterans Health Administration, including clinical and support roles. In the letter, Congressman Krishnamoorthi warns that eliminating currently vacant positions risks worsening wait times, disrupting continuity of care, and limiting access to critical services for veterans nationwide - particularly in systems that are already under strain.

"Veterans across the country rely on the VA for timely, high-quality medical care, mental health services, and benefits processing," Congressman Krishnamoorthi wrote. "In Illinois alone, hundreds of thousands of veterans depend on VA health care and services, including veterans affected by toxic exposures recognized under the PACT Act."

Congressman Krishnamoorthi highlights the potential impact on Illinois veterans, noting that hundreds of vacancies at major VA facilities in the Chicago area - including the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and the Lovell Federal Health Care Center - are reportedly slated for elimination.

"The fact that a position is vacant does not mean it is unnecessary. In many VA facilities, vacancies reflect persistent hiring challenges in a tight health-care labor market - not a lack of need. From the perspective of veterans awaiting appointments, delayed procedures, or mental health services, an unfilled position often represents care that has not yet arrived, not care that is no longer required."

The letter also cites warnings from health care staff already working in VA facilities, including reports that existing vacancies have pushed staff to a breaking point and made staffing shortages the new norm. Absent a clear, facility-by-facility explanation of how eliminating these positions would improve care delivery, Congressman Krishnamoorthi expresses concern that the decision could lock in staffing shortages, limit future capacity, and prolong wait times - particularly as more veterans seek care under expanded eligibility through the PACT Act.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi requests detailed responses from the Department by January 3, 2026, including how VA is assessing the impact of these job eliminations on veterans' wait times, how it plans to ensure sufficient staffing capacity if veteran enrollment increases, and whether preserving and filling high-need clinical and mental health roles could improve care delivery. Emphasizing the stakes of these decisions, he concludes: "Veterans kept their promise to our country. We must keep ours to them. Decisions that affect staffing levels at the VA should be guided first and foremost by their impact on veterans' health, safety, and dignity."

The letter is available here.