Advocating For VA Benefits On The Hill
Advocating for VA Benefits keeps VetsFirst engaged with the Executive and Legislative branches of the government throughout the year.
Victories for Veterans on Capitol Hill
As the 113th session of Congress comes to a close, VetsFirst is pleased to report major victories on our 2014 legislative priorities. Our first victory was inclusion of language from the Housing Assistance for Veterans Act (HAVEN Act) in the National [...]
VA Begins Implementation of the Veterans Choice Program
In an open letter to veterans, VA Secretary Bob McDonald announced the beginning of a phased implementation of the Veterans Choice Program. This program, which is part of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 signed by President Obama on [...]
Bronx VA Scientists Honored for Groundbreaking Work
Ann M. Spungen, Ph.D, & William A. Bauman, M.D., Awarded ‘Sammies’ - Photo Credit: VA The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), recently awarded the prestigious Samuel J. Heyman Science and Environment Medal to William A. Bauman, [...]
President Obama Signs VA Reform Bill
President Obama signs VA reform legislation at Fort Belvoir. President Obama has signed into law sweeping legislation to reform VA. VetsFirst attended the historic bill signing on August 7 at Fort Belvoir, along with members of leading national [...]
Crisis at VA Can Be Catalyst for Needed Change
LIFE magazine cover from May 22, 1970, about the maltreatment of veterans at the Bronx VA Medical Center Delays in accessing health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that resulted in veterans’ deaths have sickened [...]
Congressional Compromise to Help Veterans Access Care
Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-FL) announce compromise. The Chairs of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees have announced that they have reached an agreement [...]
Caregivers Are Crucial
Terry Moakley on Capitol Hill. Terry serves as the chair of the VetsFirst committee. I recently returned from a day of meetings with Congressional representatives in Washington, DC who have the power and the opportunity to pass [...]
House and Senate Work on Compromise VA Reform Bill
Starting today, a conference committee begins hammering out a final agreement on a VA health care reform bill. Over the last few weeks, both the House and Senate have passed bills that seek to make improvements to the troubled agency. Several Members of both [...]
VSO Letter to the House and Senate Veterans Committees Regarding Access to VA Health Care
June 17, 2014 Chairman Sanders, Chairman Miller, Ranking Member Burr, Ranking Member Michaud: As leaders of the veterans community and on behalf of our memberships, we write to offer some common views regarding legislation recently passed in the Senate [...]
