Aug 26 Report: No proof veterans died because of delays By Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Veterans Affairs Department says investigators have found no proof that delays in care caused any deaths at a VA hospital in Phoenix, deflating an explosive allegation that helped expose a troubled health care system in which veterans… Continue reading
Jul 31 Congress sends VA overhaul to White House By Matthew Daly, Associated Press Congress has passed a landmark bill to help veterans avoid long waits for health care and fix other problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate easily approved the $16.3 billion compromise measure Thursday night, a day after it… Continue reading
Jul 31 Senate races to move VA, highway bills; House postpones its vacation for one more day By David Espo, Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Congress ran full-tilt into election-year gridlock over immigration Thursday and staggered toward a five-week summer break with no agreement in sight on legislation to cope with the influx of young immigrants flocking illegally to the United States. Continue reading
Jul 31 Congress in fight against clock to pass legislation before summer break By Donna Cassata, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Rushing toward the exits, Congress on Thursday scrambled to wrap up legislation addressing the problem-plagued Veterans Affairs Department and a looming shortfall in highway money. House Republicans sought to win over reluctant, tea party conservatives on a border… Continue reading
Jul 30 House passes $17B VA bill By Matthew Daly, Associated Press With a new Veterans Affairs secretary in place and an August recess looming, Congress is likely to move quickly to approve a compromise bill to refurbish the VA and improve veterans' health care. Continue reading
Jul 29 Senate confirms Robert McDonald as new Veterans Affairs secretary By Matthew Daly, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Senate has confirmed former Procter & Gamble CEO Robert McDonald as the new Veterans Affairs secretary. He has the mission to overhaul an agency beleaguered by long veterans' waits for health care and VA workers falsifying records… Continue reading
Jul 28 Watch Lawmakers announce bipartisan breakthrough on VA health care reform By PBS News Hour Continue watching
Jul 24 House, Senate VA committees offer competing veteran health bills By Associated Press WASHINGTON — With Congress scheduled to recess in a week, the chairmen of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees offered competing proposals Thursday to fix a veterans' health care program scandalized by long patient wait times and falsified records… Continue reading
Jul 09 Top VA official apologizes for whistleblower retaliation By Matthew Daly, Associated Press WASHINGTON — A top official at the Veterans Affairs Department says he is sorry that VA employees have suffered retaliation after making complaints about poor patient care, long wait times and other problems. Continue reading
Jul 03 VA says patient access to medical care improving By Matthew Daly, Associated Press The Department of Veterans Affairs says it has reached out to nearly 140,000 veterans in the past two months to get them off waiting lists and into clinics for medical appointments. Continue reading