Representative Gerald Connolly, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, expressed concerns regarding the current actions of the Department of Governmental Efficiencies (DOGE) at the Veterans Affairs (VA), stating that these actions are jeopardizing the lives of veterans. He highlighted the risk veterans face of losing necessary care, attributing this situation to significant changes made by figures such as former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who have allegedly placed unqualified individuals in charge of the VA.
Employees within the VA have voiced apprehensions about the modifications being implemented by DOGE staff. One employee remarked that the staff members appear to lack understanding of their tasks.
Attempts to obtain a comment from the VA, as well as from individuals named Volpert, Roussos, Fulcher, Rehling, and Koval, were unsuccessful.
The influence of Lavingia’s previous work experiences is apparent in his current approach at the VA, particularly concerning artificial intelligence (AI). In a blog post from October 2024, Lavingia detailed how Gumroad, a company that faced extensive layoffs in 2015, managed to stabilize financially by automating processes and minimizing the workforce. He suggested that AI could soon take over roles currently fulfilled by humans, such as customer service and compliance tasks.
Insiders familiar with Lavingia’s activities at the VA indicated that he seems intent on introducing an AI tool named OpenHands for coding tasks. Lavingia requested on GitHub to incorporate OpenHands into the VA’s suite of software, noting its importance to the chief of staff and Secretary. OpenHands is publicly available on GitHub for download.
A VA employee revealed that they were being urged to consider AI for development contracts, questioning the necessity for human involvement. The suggestion was reportedly to use AI to address gaps created by canceled contracts.
However, there is concern among VA tech workers about the security implications of deploying AI, given the sensitive information handled by the agency, such as veterans’ social security numbers and medical histories. One tech worker noted the absence of authorization to use AI due to the potential risk of extracting sensitive data via GitHub repositories.
New technology introduces new security challenges. A source raised concerns about the security of OpenHands, noting that any software used in federal systems must comply with stringent security standards. They expressed apprehensions that these standards may not be met, potentially leaving VA systems and data vulnerable.
The same source criticized the lack of adherence to standard procedures, emphasizing that this negligence poses a risk to veterans’ access to benefits. They stressed that veterans deserve more respect and consideration, given their sacrifices for the country.
