Patty Murray from Washington said that these layoffs included researchers who were working on cancer treatment, opioid addiction, prosthetics and burn pit exposure. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth said Wednesday she is seeking answers about how the layoffs may have affected efforts to prevent suicide through the confidential Veterans Crisis Line.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of the federal agencies trimming its workforce in the new administration. The agency, which provides benefits to veterans across the country, employs more than 470,