VA ends DEI, stops millions in spending on DEI

[Lori Dee]

VA ends DEI, stops millions in spending on DEI
Link to Full Article
Veterans Administration Press Release
January 27, 2025, 10:42 am

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that it has completed its initial implementation of President Trump's executive order to end DEI within the federal government.

To date, VA has placed nearly 60 employees who had been solely focused on diversity, equity and inclusion activities on paid administrative leave. The combined annual salary (base pay, locality pay and additional earnings) of these employees totals more than $8 million, an average of more than $136,000/year per employee. One such employee is making more than $220,000 per year.

Additionally, VA has identified several contracts for DEI-related trainings, materials and other consulting services, which the department is currently working to cancel. The combined value of these contracts totals more than $6.1 million.

"Under President Trump, VA is laser-focused on providing the best possible care and benefits to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors. We are proud to have abandoned the divisive DEI policies of the past and pivot back to VA's core mission. We look forward to reallocating the millions of dollars the department was spending on DEI programs and personnel to better serve the men and women who have bravely served our nation," said VA Director of Media Affairs Morgan Ackley.

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"The VA's mission is to provide the world-class health care our Veterans have earned and deserve."

But apparently, not all veterans are deserving and not all health care is deserved.

[Lori Dee]

To date, VA has placed nearly 60 employees who had been solely focused on diversity, equity and inclusion activities on paid administrative leave. The combined annual salary (base pay, locality pay and additional earnings) of these employees totals more than $8 million, an average of more than $136,000/year per employee. One such employee is making more than $220,000 per year.

Also notice that this is worded to appear as though the government has saved all this money now. But three words reveal the lie: paid administrative leave. These people are still being paid, but not working at their jobs.

Some will be reassigned into other positions, some will be offered "early retirement" settlements, and some will become unemployed.