Rosen, Cortez Masto Demand Answers about Firings at the VA, Slam Lack of Response to Previous Request for Information

LAS VEGA, NV –Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D_NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) followed up on their Februaryletterto Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins, demanding he provide answers about the mass terminations of personnel across the VA, specifically those in Nevada.
“We are writing to follow up on our earlier correspondence regarding employee terminations at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities across Nevada,”the senators began.“The concerns we raised about the impact of these workforce reductions, particularly on veteran-facing roles, remain unresolved, and recent developments have only heightened the urgency for answers.”
“The most recent VA Workforce Dashboard reveals a significant decline in critical personnel, including nurses, physicians, medical support assistants, and claims examiners,”they continued.“These losses represent the growing burden placed on remaining staff and the increasing difficulty veterans face in accessing timely care, navigating the benefits system, and receiving support.”
“Adding to these concerns is the VA’s recent decision to end collective bargaining agreements that have long helped define workplace protections for most of its employees,”they concluded.“[…] Eliminating these contracts may lead to even more staff departures and make it increasingly difficult to attract and retain qualified professionals, which poses a direct threat to the quality of care and benefits veterans depend on.”
Specifically, the senators requested the following information:
The full text of the letter can be foundhere.
Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are consistent champions for Nevada’s service members and veterans. They haveworked tosupportveterans exposed to toxins while in service, including at theNevada Test and Training Range.
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