Democrats introduce bill to reverse thousands of VA layoffs

BY Harri Leigh Washington, D.C.

PUBLISHED 5:15 PM ET Mar. 10, 2025

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — An Ohio lawmaker is cosponsoring legislation to reverse thousands of layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

What You Need To Know

• The VA laid of 2,400 probationary workers in February as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to cut the federal workforce

• Democratic lawmakers are pushing back with a bill to reinstate veterans affected by the layoffs

• Trump administration officials are proposing to further cut the VA workforce by about 83,000 people

The VA laid off 2,400 probationary workers in two waves in February as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to cut the federal workforce.

One of those workers was Debbie Burries, a physician and provider recruiter at the VA Cincinnati Medical Center since April 2024. Burries worked to reduce wait times for patients, which has long been a problem for the VA health care system. She hired 11 physicians in less than a year, each of whom opened at least 800 appointment slots for patients.

Burries is not a veteran, but said she was inspired to work for the VA by her veteran son’s difficult experience navigating the VA healthcare system for an infected, torn ACL.

“That's why I applied for this position,” said Burries. “I have a son who's a veteran, and, that was my biggest drive to get this job because I know what I went through with the VA in Fort Auburn, California, with my son.

At 9:30 p.m. on a Thursday in February, she received an email informing her that she would be laid off. Burries said the email indicated she was terminated because her job wasn’t a critical part of the VA’s mission, and for poor performance, though she recently received a “superior” review, the highest rating possible.

Burries said she did not receive any severance. In addition, because of being let go for cause, she said she was denied unemployment benefits, a decision she is appealing. She is also appealing her layoff through the Merit Systems Protection Board.

“If physicians aren't considered a critical part of their mission, what is their mission? I thought it was to help veterans,” she said.

Burries’ story and others like it are behind a Democratic push against President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut the federal workforce.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, is an original co-sponsor for the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, which would reinstate all veterans affected by layoffs.

“The veterans who were impacted by these firings were not poor performers. They were public servants,” Kaptur said at a press conference for the bill in February. “They're doing these haphazard firings across the government for no cause. They are creating a great deal of confusion. And in the end, what will happen is the American people will be hurt, not just those who are being terminated.”

A companion bill was introduced Monday in the Senate.

Without Republican support, neither bill is likely to pass. But Democrats hope bringing it up will put Republicans on the hot seat by forcing them to publicly choose between veteran jobs and the President’s wishes.

Ohio Republican lawmakers have not spoken publicly about veteran layoffs, and several declined to comment.

Debbie Burries would not qualify under the bill to get her job back because she is not a veteran, but she said she still supports reforming the VA.

“Do cuts need to happen? Yes. And do cuts need to happen at VA? Probably,” she said. “But do it the right way.”

The pace of VA layoffs is likely to increase rather than reverse. Trump administration officials are proposing to slash the VA workforce by about 83,000 people. That would bring the agency to its 2019 staffing level of 399,000 workers, which was in place before millions of veterans became newly eligible for VA health care under the PACT Act.

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