CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The Department of Veterans Affairs is eliminating about 25,000 unfilled positions nationwide, according to a VA spokesperson who confirmed the move to News 3 following weekend reports.
The positions being eliminated have been open and unfilled for more than a year in most cases, the spokesperson said.
VA Secretary Doug Collins defended the decision on social media, stating that no current VA employees are being removed and veteran care will not be impacted.
"All we are doing is taking unfilled and unnecessary positions off the books," Collins said.
The move has drawn criticism from Democrats, including Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who called the decision "dangerous and reckless - but not surprising" in a statement.
Rep. Bobby Scott also weighed-in saying, "If these reports are true, it is going to only exacerbate and worsen the problem and further hinder veterans’ ability to access the health care they were promised."
The controversy comes months after a back-and-forth between Collins and Virginia lawmakers over staffing levels at the new VA clinic in Chesapeake.
When the facility opened in the spring, Kaine and Congressman Bobby Scott criticized the clinic for opening with what they were told was about 25 to 30% staffing levels.
Collins had said at the time that the facility was opening in phases and would be fully functional in January 2026. A VA spokesperson did not respond Monday to questions about whether that timeline remains on track.
The Washington Post first reported the position eliminations over the weekend, prompting the VA's response and Collins' social media defense of the policy.
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