VA | PBS NewsHour

The sign of the Department of Veteran Affairs is seen in front of the headquarters building in Washington

Suicide among veterans highest in western U.S., rural areas

By Hope Yen, Associated Press

WATCH: Trump announces new ways to help veterans get medical care

The government wants to make it easier for veterans to get medical care and is promoting new ways to use technology to help.

By Darlene Superville, Associated Press

The Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center is pictured in Phoenix, Arizona June 11, 2014. Federal Bureau of Investigation agents will investigate allegations of wrongdoing at an Arizona office of the Veterans Affairs department that became a political problem for President Barack Obama and forced the VA chief to resign. On Monday, the VA released an internal audit that found more than 100,000 veterans were subjected to a wait of 90 days or more for healthcare appointments, and widespread instances of schemes to mask the delays to meet targets for bonuses. REUTERS/Samantha Sais (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY HEALTH CRIME LAW) - RTR3TAA8

House rejects proposed funding fix for VA Choice program

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi joined other members of her party in voicing objections after veterans expressed concerns about cuts to other parts of the VA.

By Hope Yen, Associated Press

A file photo dated February 26, 1991 of a U.S. soldier standing night guard as oil wells burn in the distance in Kuwait, just south of the Iraqi border on the last night of the Gulf War. Photo by Reuters

5 overlooked stories that deserve your attention

Here are five stories outside of politics that you may have missed.

By Joshua Barajas, Erica R. Hendry, Iman Smith, Laura Santhanam

The Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center is pictured in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo by Samantha Sais/Reuters

Senate approves bill to make firing Veterans Affairs employees easier

The bipartisan measure passed by voice vote. It comes more than three years after a 2014 scandal at the Phoenix VA medical center, where some veterans died while waiting months for appointments.

By Hope Yen, Associated Press

Lawmakers reach agreement on stalled Veterans Affairs accountability bill

By Hope Yen, Associated Press

The deal announced early Thursday could smooth the way for final passage on an issue that had been largely stalled since the 2014 wait-time scandal at the Phoenix VA medical center.

Shulkin says he’s considering closing 1,100 Veterans Affairs facilities

By Hope Yen, Associated Press

Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin says his department is seeking to close perhaps more than 1,100 VA facilities nationwide as it develops plans to allow more veterans to receive medical care in the private sector.

VA says it fixed the veteran suicide hotline, but critics say it’s still broken

By Hope Yen, Associated Press

The Department of Veterans Affairs told skeptical lawmakers Tuesday it has already fixed problems with its suicide hotline that were highlighted in an internal watchdog's report released just two weeks ago.

More than one-third of calls to VA suicide hotline are left unanswered, official says

By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

More than one-third of calls to a suicide hotline for troubled veterans are not being answered by front-line staffers because of poor work habits and other problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

VA health care still has ‘profound deficiencies,’ report says

By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

Two years after a scandal over long wait times for veterans seeking health care, the Department of Veterans Affairs still has "profound deficiencies" in delivering health care to millions of veterans, a new report says.