News & Opinion

Lawmakers frustrated at years of limited collaboration between defense and Veterans Affairs officials pressed the secretaries of those departments Wednesday to ensure that servicemembers’ lives aren’t lost to paperwork mistakes and red tape. Read more »

A joint congressional committee focused Wednesday on missed deadlines and delayed improvements that prevent the Veterans Affairs and Defense departments from providing a promised smooth transition to civilian life for separating service members. Read more »

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says he "sure as hell" hopes that automatic, across-the-board cuts in military spending don't happen. Read more »

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki are scheduled to testify before a joint hearing of two House committees Wednesday morning about collaboration between the departments in assisting servicemembers returning to civilian life. Read more »

On Monday, President Obama told the VFW: Let’s keep taking care of our extraordinary military families. For the first time ever, we’ve made military families and veterans a top priority not just at DOD, not just at the VA, but across the government. As Richard mentioned, this has been a mission for my wife, Michelle, and Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden. Today, more people across America in every segment of society are Joining Forces to give our military families the respect and the support that they deserve. . . . Read more »

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki are set to testify on Capitol Hill on Wednesday about the steps they’re taking to work better together.Instead, they’ll likely be peppered with questions from members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee on whether the VA is completely exempt from sequestration spending cuts. Read more »

Federal agencies need to do a better job of meeting the needs of as many as 1 million troops who will leave the military by 2017, U.S. lawmakers said today. Read more »

Despite assurances the Veterans Affairs Department would be exempt from sequestration spending cuts, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki acknowledged on Wednesday the department is facing some sequestration trimming. Read more »

It is not just U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and Buchanan venting about the growing backlog of veterans waiting for disability benefits from the government. Read more »

A House VA subcommittee hears testimony that victims' claims are often ignored and many who report sexual abuse are diagnosed with personality disorders and discharged. Read more »