VA Secretary Doug Collins has promised to keep focus and funding on programs to help homeless vets, but community groups still worry about possible cuts. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said administration officials aren't providing basic information to Congress on looming plans for massive changes. Former 1st Lt. Mark Bashaw was convicted of disobeying rules about face masks and virus testing before he was forced out of the service. Advocates hope to restart momentum in Congress this year on the Major Richard Star Act. Congress last year passed legislation designed to simplify the process for veterans seeking medical help outside the VA health care system. Department leaders shifted about $340 million in budget savings to outside health care accounts without lawmakers' OK. The number of overdue disability claims rose to more than 400,000 cases after COVID-19 office closures and toxic exposure benefits expansion. Recurring errors in VA benefits processing amounted to hundreds of millions in losses for U.S. taxpayers in fiscal 2024. The president signed an executive order Friday calling for several sweeping changes in VA operations and construction goals. A Missouri man has been charged with fraud and theft for concealing the death of his veteran uncle to continue collecting his disability checks. Load More
