Blumenthal Statement on VA Watchdog Report Revealing Urgent Staffing Shortage

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today released a statement raising the alarm on a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report detailing severe occupational staffing shortages at VA health care facilities, including for critical positions such as physicians and VA police.

“This report confirms what we’ve warned for months — this Administration is driving dedicated VA employees to the private sector at untenable rates. Staffing shortages at the Department are getting significantly worse, including critical veterans’ health care positions and essential jobs that keep VA facilities running. This report makes clear the Trump VA’s self-manufactured attrition crisis is neither strategic or ‘natural.’ In fact, these numbers – recorded in March and April – do not even capture the seismic effect recent attacks by Trump and Collins will have on VA’s workforce, including the stripping of collective bargaining rights from employees and labor representatives who have spoken out against this Administration’s disastrous policies. Secretary Collins and President Trump would have you believe there’s ‘nothing to see here.’ Yet this report by an independent body with expertise in VA health care suggests otherwise about this Administration’s unforgivable efforts to privatize and cut VA health care.”

Each fiscal year, VA OIG reports on Veterans Health Administration (VHA) occupations with the largest staffing shortages. Today’s report for fiscal year 2025 found VHA facilities reported a total of 4,434 severe occupational staffing shortages – a 50 percent increase from fiscal year 2024, and the highest number of VHA staffing shortages reported in years. Among the occupations with increases in shortages were Medical Officers (VA physicians) – reported as a severe shortage occupation by 94 percent of VHA facilities, an 8 percent increase from fiscal year 2024 – and VA Police Officers – reported as a severe shortage occupation by 58 percent of VHA facilities, a 15 percent increase from fiscal year 2024.

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