News & Opinion

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 »

Mark Lilly retired from the Navy SEALs with a Purple Heart, a Silver Star and five Bronze Stars after 23 years of service that included combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read more »

A growing backlog of military veterans waiting for service disability benefits dominated a meeting of former soldiers in Manatee County on Monday. More than 800,000 veterans nationwide are stuck in the Department of Veterans Affairs backlog with as many as 60 percent on the list living in Florida, according to some estimates. Read more »

Within five to seven years, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that more than one million new veterans will enter their system, in need of disability claims processing, health care, and more. Read more »

Three bills aimed at helping America's veterans have moved to the full House of Representatives. House Resolutions 4057, 5747 and 5948 all unanimously passed the House Committee on Veteran's Affairs July 11. HR 4079, The Safe Housing for Homeless Veterans Act, introduced by Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., was included in HR 4057. That bill is known ad the Military Family Home Protection Act. Read more »