The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has revised its workforce reduction plan for fiscal year 2025, announcing it will cut approximately 30,000 jobs by the end of September, down from an earlier proposal to eliminate up to 83,000 positions. The reductions will primarily occur through resignations, retirements, attrition, and hiring freezes rather than a formal reduction in force. VA Secretary Doug Collins initially floated the larger cuts as part of efforts to trim department bureaucracy under pressure from the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The agency maintains that safeguards are in place to prevent these staffing cuts from impacting veteran care or benefits. However, veterans groups, lawmakers, and critics argue that the layoffs will exacerbate existing challenges such as increased wait times, understaffing, and reduced access to healthcare and benefits for veterans. Approximately one-third of the affected employees are veterans themselves, including doctors, nurses, and other essential personnel. The cuts have drawn bipartisan concern, with some legislators introducing measures to halt the reductions and urging the administration to prioritize recruitment and retention to better serve veterans. The VA's decision to scale back the layoffs reflects a partial retreat from the more extensive cuts initially planned under DOGE's directive.