About 100 people gathered outside the San Luis Obispo Veterans Memorial Building Monday morning, waving American flags and holding signs to protest federal cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The demonstration was sparked by a plan tied to President Trump’s executive order to reorganize federal agencies. The proposal included eliminating more than 80,000 VA jobs in the upcoming fiscal year, with the goal of rolling back staffing levels to what they were in 2019.
Organizers say the cuts would be devastating to veterans across the country and especially in California, which could lose more than 6,500 positions, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
“We already have a shortage of medical professionals and mental health counselors for veterans,” said Susan Finson, one of the protest organizers. “Now there’s a freeze on hiring. Our older veterans have to travel all the way to Los Angeles for hospital care. It’s not fair.”
A VA memo released earlier this year noted that over 1,000 employees were dismissed in February alone, prompting concerns that the total number of job losses could reach into the tens of thousands.
Advocates at the protest urged lawmakers to block the proposal, warning that cuts to staffing could jeopardize access to critical services like mental health care and case management—services many veterans depend on.
The federal government has defended the plan, saying it will eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy, and increase efficiency across departments.
