Editor\u2019s note: This story has been updated to reflect a change in position by Veterans Affairs leadership.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Veterans Affairs leaders <\/a>this week touted $2 billion in savings for department efforts from canceled government contracts they insist were not providing real benefits to veterans, but critics are warning the efforts could seriously jeopardize some health and benefits services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By Wednesday afternoon, however, VA leaders had paused those actions, saying they were going through the contracts \u201cline-by-line\u201d to ensure that veterans would not be harmed by the cost-cutting moves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The confusion over department contracts began with a video message<\/a> posted to social media Tuesday from VA Secretary Doug Collins<\/a>, who said the contract cuts were just the first step in broader efficiency efforts at the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese are things that we\u2019re saving now that we can put back into health care, benefits, making sure that we\u2019re doing what the VA is supposed to do,\u201d Collins said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He described the contracts as costing millions \u201cto create things like PowerPoint slides and meeting minutes\u201d as well as \u201ccoaching and training.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n VA officials declined a request to release the full list of contracts canceled, which Collins appeared to be holding in his video message. If accurate, the $2 billion in savings would represent about 0.5% of the entire VA budget for fiscal 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\t