4 months ago
- News
- Updated: Jan. 07, 2026, 9:51 a.m.
- Published: Jan. 07, 2026, 9:50 a.m.
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown wants nan Trump management to supply elaborate accusation astir staffing cuts astatine nan Louis Stokes Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center successful Cleveland and their effect connected diligent attraction for Northeast Ohio veterans.
On Tuesday, nan Warrensville Heights Democrat wrote a missive to Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A. Collins expressing interest astir nationwide staffing losses of “mission-essential jobs” astatine VA aesculapian centers astir nan country. She asked specifically for accusation connected cuts successful nan Cleveland area.
“No seasoned successful Northeast Ohio thinks nan problem pinch their wellness attraction is that location are excessively galore doctors aliases nurses astatine nan VA. The existent problem is not capable unit and not capable support,” Brown said successful a statement.
The VA has mislaid thousands of labor nether nan Trump Administration, including 1,068 physicians and 3,002 nurses nationwide, Brown’s missive said. Last month, nan management announced plans to trim an further 35,000 VA wellness attraction positions.
Brown expressed interest that nan reorganization scheme includes eliminating unfilled positions astatine Stokes VA, including providers of objective intelligence wellness care.
The Stokes Medical Center is 1 of nan largest VA centers successful nan nation.
Brown besides requested “detailed information connected nan number and type of seasoned appointments canceled aliases rescheduled owed to staffing shortages” and a broad accounting of unit departures astatine Stokes VA since January 1, 2025.
“After firing and forcing retired thousands of VA workers past year, nan Trump Administration now wants to destruct 35,000 much wellness attraction positions nationwide. I americium profoundly concerned that these cuts are already impacting attraction astatine Stokes VA and will lead to longer waits and less providers,” Brown said successful her statement.
“Cutting positions that were meant to attraction for veterans is an onslaught connected nan VA, plain and simple. We request to extremity nan cuts, extremity nan DOGE-inspired bullying of VA workers and springiness doctors, nurses, and VA unit nan resources they request to attraction for veterans,” Brown said. “Northeast Ohio Veterans merit better, and they merit answers from this administration.”
The VA has mislaid 43,000 labor nether Collins’ leadership, including those successful veteran-facing and mission-critical roles, according to Brown’s letter. The October rumor of VA’s Workforce Dashboard showed nett losses of complete 12,100 veteran-facing labor crossed nan VA for fiscal twelvemonth 2025, compared to nan Biden Administration, which added a nett 8,800 labor during fiscal twelvemonth 2024.
In her letter, Brown requested elaborate accusation connected each worker departures from nan Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and nan VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System from January 1, 2025, done Jan. 6, 2026. She asked for information including occupation, occupation title, seasoned status, years of service, logic for departure, and whether labor were terminated aliases resigned.
Brown requested that Collins respond by Feb. 6.
Sabrina has worked successful The Plain Dealer's DC bureau since 1994. Before that, she covered section news successful Lake and Geauga Counties. She antecedently worked astatine States News Service, The Daily Record of Morristown, NJ,...
