Secretary of Affraires of Veterans Doug Collins posted a video On social media this week, claiming they have reduced $ 2 billion in contracts he considered as futile expenses that veterans did not help.
One of the business owners who was announced to have canceled their contracts on the same day, is centered on Jeffersontown, and he says Collins is completely ill -character of the services they are now ending.
“(Collins) said specifically that it would not affect veterans’ health care or benefits,” said Neil Riley, an army veteran and owner of Riley McGuire Partners. “And this is specifically a lie.”
Riley McGuire Partners is a federal certified Small business owned by veterans with service skills This had all her contracts with canceled on Tuesday in the rear post -identical emails.
Riley said these contracts mainly offer supervision for VA programs This leases the unused properties that can be used to serve veterans. Its biggest contract is under Remedy Program, where private developers create low -income housing, especially aiming at veterans who are homeless or pass through care.
Its company manages safety and risk inspections – such as lead paint testing – in more than 50 properties that house thousands of veterans across the country, including in in Lexington.
“Our supervision for this was to ensure that these private tenants continue to operate and store properties in a safe way for these veterans,” Riley said. “So it is directly contrary to what Secretary Collins said. That was a lie.”
Riley said he may have to rest the staff soon unless VA returns the cuts. Moreover, veterans would lose company services and the administration would lose proven savings of costs of programs that are unable to be submitted by their own VA – which has already been Sitting with 2,400 on the last holiday.
“I have done this job for 8 years, and I can say with absolute confidence that, unfortunately, veterans will be less secure and see a degradation of the services they receive, and taxpayers investing in these properties will suffer,” Riley said.
Washington Post reported Tuesday That 875 concluded contracts included them to help cover medical services, cancer funds, doctors recruitment and burial services to veterans.
The cuts are part of a massive attempt by President Donald Trump’s administration – and led by the government efficiency department led by his billionaire Elon Musk – to reduce the federal spending and the bureaucracy they characterize as futile and corrupt. Some cuts for federal agencies, labor force and grants later have been or overturned or stopped by order of administration or court, while administration data indicate 40% of canceled contracts The government is not expected to save any money.
In his video, Collins said contracts were being spent on creating “PowerPoint slides”, as well as executive support, training and training, with va instead of turning money into veterans ‘health, again into veterans’ benefits. ” Musk responded to the postWriting “More tax frugal dollars!”
After the conclusions of the VA contract produced a riot, the agency signaled Wednesday May the course turn. An email for VA staff stated that leadership “is reviewing the previous instructions” and ordered a pause, as “further reviews of contracts will be made to reach a new final decision.”
Despite her email, Riley says VA has not informed his company that he will return the cancellation of the contract, nor will he submit any apology to Collins’ video.
Riley says the cancellation video and Collins are particularly offensive to him as a veteran and a certified small business owner. it Reporting quoted That 89% of canceled contracts highlighted on the DOGE website were small businesses owned by veterans with disabilities, such as it.
“He deceived all businesses owned by veterans, first of all, and then second, all we do is about the care of veterans, sheltering, making their lives better,” Riley said. “He made it look like these contracts, they are grafted or something else. But it is simply not.”
He noted that the Rental Program of Improved VAO use, in which he was contracted through saving the agency’s money after producing a $ 232 million positive For VA budget last year and more than $ 1 billion since the beginning of the program. He added that his company had already received $ 30,000 for a contract to facilitate a state -owned transfer to expand a veterans cemetery to Oregon, which is now likely to be removed.
Riley said VA has spent years trying to gain veterans’ trust, but these actions “have restored VA’s credibility for decades of veterans”.
“I don’t know if it’s reversible,” Riley said. “I don’t know how it is sustainable for (Collins) to be secretary longer. I really don’t.”
Riley said he is afraid of revenge to speak against Collins and conclusions of the contract, but believes it is necessary to emphasize what is happening to veterans.
“I think it’s only life in Trump’s America now, but this is not normal behavior from the secretary of veterans’ affairs or any administration, and I love this place to keep silent,” Riley said. “We have to expect a much better treatment for country veterans.”
Va did not immediately return a commentary request on this story.
The state government and policy reporting are partially supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.