The leaked Department of Veterans Affairs memo comes as President Donald Trump ordered a second, larger wave of federal layoffs.

He was hurt to lose those relationships when he was let go from his job in February amid widespread federal layoffs. The Army veteran said he ran a short-staffed regional office out of Seattle that processes Army disability benefits claims.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray is speaking out against the Trump administration's reported plan to fire 80,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Department of Veterans Affairs refuted a warning by Democratic lawmakers that the agency is eliminating research grants, halting clinical studies and firing scientists as part of a workforce reduction across the federal government.

Researchers focused on veteran health and medical care have been let go and thousands more might be on the chopping block.

A memo from the Department of Veterans Affairs' chief of staff said the agency aims to return its workforce to just under 400,000 employees.

Murray said Wednesday she was frightened about what could come next in the new administration's attempts to slash the federal workforce.

The Trump administration's federal workforce purge may be jeopardizing VA research into suicide prevention, opioid addiction, prosthetics, cancer and other matters.The big picture: The administration is refusing to extend VA researchers' three-year "Not to Exceed" term limits as is customary,

U.S. Senator Patty Murray will not attend Trump’s joint Congressional address, citing significant concerns over the administration's actions.

Murray said she would instead meet with constituents she said had been harmed by Trump's mass firings of federal workers.