Representative Gerald Connolly, a ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, has raised concerns that recent actions by the Department of Government Efficiencies (DOGE) at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are jeopardizing veterans’ well-being. He stated that the involvement of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk has led to the VA being managed by individuals who lack understanding of military service, potentially depriving veterans of necessary care.
Employees within the VA have expressed unease regarding the modifications being implemented by DOGE personnel, with one employee remarking that these staff members seem uninformed about their assignments.
The VA, along with individuals Volpert, Roussos, Fulcher, Rehling, and Koval, did not promptly respond to requests for comment.
Lavingia, one of the individuals involved, appears to be leveraging his previous experiences at the VA, particularly concerning the use of artificial intelligence (AI). In a blog post from October 2024, Lavingia reflected on how the company Gumroad achieved financial stability by automating processes, indicating a future where AI could handle many tasks currently managed by humans.
Two sources acquainted with Lavingia’s initiatives at the VA have mentioned that he seems to be advocating for the introduction of an AI tool named OpenHands to assist with coding at the agency. Lavingia has suggested on GitHub the incorporation of OpenHands into the array of applications available to VA tech workers, highlighting its importance as a priority for the chief of staff and the Secretary. OpenHands is accessible for download on GitHub.
One VA employee indicated that there is consideration of using AI for all development contracts, requiring justification for instances where AI is deemed unsuitable, potentially as a response to filling gaps left by canceled contracts.
However, there is currently no approval for AI use due to the presence of sensitive information in some GitHub repositories, according to a second VA tech worker. The data in question includes personal details such as social security numbers, banking information, and medical histories, accessed through various application programming interfaces.
Introduction of new tools carries potential security risks. A source highlighted that any programming tools used within federal systems must adhere to strict security classifications. Concerns were raised that the proposed use of OpenHands may not have been sufficiently evaluated for government security purposes, potentially exposing the VA’s systems and data to vulnerabilities.
The same source is worried that the typical procedures are not being followed, thereby placing individuals at risk. They emphasized that a system failure could prevent veterans from accessing benefits, arguing that those who have served their country deserve greater respect.