Democrats raise alarm over AI-driven contract cuts at VA

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal speaks at the rally to Say NO to Tax Breaks for Billionaires & Corporations at US Capitol on April 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Fair Share America

The Department of Government Efficiency overly relied on artificial intelligence to terminate contracts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, top Democrats on the House and Senate VA panels said on Tuesday. 

During a “spotlight forum” led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. — the ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee — lawmakers pressed their concerns that VA has arbitrarily cancelled hundreds of contracts in recent months without the necessary oversight needed to determine their importance to the agency. The forum did not include any Republican lawmakers.

The DOGE cost-cutting unit has been tasked by President Donald Trump with slashing spending across the federal government, which has included mass layoffs across some agencies and widespread ...