Veterans
VA secretary says agency will cooperate with investigation into veterans crisis line
WASHINGTON — Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough sought to defend the veterans crisis line Wednesday in a letter to the Kansas senator who has raised concerns with how some veterans are treated after calling it. McDonough wrote in the three-page letter to Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran that the VA “takes any allegations […]
What the veteran hears in the bugler’s song
Promptly at 5 p.m., every day, rain or shine, blizzard or heat, a volunteer bugler wearing a period World War I U.S. Army uniform stands at attention near the flagpole at the National World War One Memorial not far from the White House in Washington D.C. On a brilliant autumn day, I watched as a […]
VA reports major uptick in veterans’ care after passage of toxic exposure law
Veterans experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts should dial 988 or chat at https://988lifeline.org/. WASHINGTON — Veterans’ care in the United States set all-time records in fiscal year 2023, “shattering” the agency’s performance in previous years, in large part because of an expansion of benefits under the Biden administration, U.S. Secretary of Veterans […]
Veterans exposed to burn pits, toxins urged to apply for retroactive benefits
WASHINGTON — A deadline for a year’s worth of backdated benefits is fast approaching for U.S. veterans suffering illnesses after exposure to open burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxins. Nearly a year ago, President Joe Biden signed the PACT Act, a law supporters describe as the largest expansion of veteran benefits in U.S. history. […]
U.S. House spending bill for the VA renews fight over abortion access, transgender care
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans approved their first government spending bill Thursday, following tense debate about whether the Department of Veterans Affairs should provide abortions in limited circumstances and the GOP’s decision to cut military construction funding. The 219-211 mostly party-line vote on the Military Construction-VA appropriations bill sends the measure to the Senate, where […]
D.C. spending standoff ahead as U.S. House Republicans demand $130 billion in cuts
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans outlined Wednesday how they would cut $130 billion from the dozen annual government funding bills — producing a plan with significantly lower spending than the level both parties agreed to in the debt limit deal just two weeks ago. The spending levels likely set up a stalemate later this year […]
Memorial Day: Over 324,000 Alabamians have served in the military
For some people, Memorial Day means the start of summer, a long weekend to kick back, relax and enjoy the lake or a steak. For others, it is a time to remember veterans who gave their lives for our country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 324,000 Alabamians (6.4% of the population) have served […]
A default on the U.S. debt would be far worse than a government shutdown. Here’s how
WASHINGTON — A U.S. default on its debt would have a significantly broader impact on federal operations, financial markets and the global economy than recent government shutdowns that have left ordinary Americans largely untouched. While the two have been confused frequently during debate over the debt limit, the federal government has had considerable practice with […]
Alabama legislators clash over bill extending 10-year code exemption to single building
A bill that would exempt nonprofit veterans’ organizations from state or local building codes for at least 10 years from date of acquisition passed the Alabama House on a 51-26 vote, with 27 abstentions. It goes to the Senate. The bill passed after a long debate on the House floor over applying the bill statewide […]
Abortion services to remain available at the VA after close U.S. Senate vote
WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs can continue providing service members with access to abortion in cases of life-threatening complications, rape or incest, after the U.S. Senate narrowly blocked a measure Wednesday that would have scrapped a new Biden administration rule. The VA policy, which also includes abortion counseling, was established after the U.S. […]
March 29 is a time to recognize America’s Vietnam War veterans
When many Vietnam veterans returned home from serving their country, they were met with indifference, even hostility. The war had divided the public and feelings ran high over that ill-fated war, particularly in the late 1960s and continuing for more than a decade. It was an ugly war that took the lives of 58,220 U.S. […]