VA to scale back on planned layoffs by less than half

(KYMA, KECY) - The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) announced Monday it is scaling back on plans to lay off more than 83,000 employee.

This comes after intense pushback from political figures, such as Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who has issued a statement on the announcement saying:

"From the very beginning, I've said gutting the VA is a betrayal of the men and women who served this country and would erode Veterans' trust for years to come. That's why I placed a hold on all nominees to the Department until they reverse course. Monday's announcement is a positive step in the right direction for Veterans and the services they rely on, and it shows that our pressure is working. But the fight is far from over. We still don't know how the remaining 30,000 cuts will impact critical services like the Veterans Crisis Line and healthcare and disability benefits for our Veterans. We have to keep up the pressure and continue demanding accountability and transparency."

According to a press release obtained by KYMA, the VA will now reduce the workforce by around 30,000 employees, "without the accountability and transparency required during an official reduction in force."