During a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee meeting, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) urged President Trump’s VA Secretary Doug Collins to make cuts to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
While making his argument for the cuts, Van Orden revealed a notepad with a line drawing illustrating the increase of “bureaucrats and veterans” and a flat line of doctors. Van Orden pointed to the line of bureaucrats and said: “When we are going to cut the VA, and I hope you do sir, this is where you need to make the cut.”
Van Orden added: “If you cut this (the bureaucrats), then this line with the doctors and stuff — with people who are actually touching our veterans and providing care — can go like this” — he added a rising line to the doctors section — “to match the increase of vets.”
During a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee meeting, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) urges the VA Secretary Doug Collins to make cuts to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
“When we are going to cut the VA, and I hope you do sir, this is where you need to make the cut.” pic.twitter.com/3AF7ZVTBOt
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) May 19, 2025
Van Orden is receiving a lot of backlash on X for making his pronouncement with “glee.” (“He’s almost giddy about it,” writes one commenter.)
Others are responding not to Van Orden’s enthusiasm but to the content of his message. “Not one person would disagree with him about getting rid of bureaucracy. But that’s not what is on the table,” wrote a commenter.
Another chimed in: “It’s really going to blow his mind when he finds out ‘bureaucrats’ is just MAGA-speak for ‘assistants, administrators, IT, purchasing, HR, payroll, etc.’ You know, the ‘non-doctors’ who do the other s— so doctors can do MEDICINE. You cut them & nothing works.”
Another took exception to the oversimplification of Van Orden’s comments and visual aid by emphasizing a different aspect — pay scale: “Does this guy think bureaucrats make the same amount as doctors? He’s going to be sorely disappointed. Doing what he said isn’t going to cut any VA spending.”
A retired Registered Nurse who says she was fired by DOGE replied: “Cutting ‘bureaucrats’ at the VA isn’t going to magically produce Doctors & other healthcare professionals who want to work there. Given the actions since January, their jobs are much more secure in a private hospital system where being <2 years in a role isn’t grounds for firing.”
Cutting “bureaucrats” at the VA isn’t going to magically produce Docors & other healthcare professionals who want to work there. Given the actions since January, their jobs are much more secure in a private hospital system where being <2 years in a role isn’t grounds for firing
— Retired RN,#NoProject2025,CatRescuer
(@gnwayland) May 19, 2025
