July 29, 2019
Why is the VA MISSION Act so important? Because the VA isn’t fixed yet
Has the Department of Veterans Affairs come a long way toward providing better care for veterans? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean serious problems don’t persist. The VA is still not reliably tracking veterans’ wait times, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). This assessment comes five years after the Phoenix VA scandal erupted, informing the… Read more »
July 24, 2019
Instead of throwing more money at the VA, why not try fixing its problems?
In the last 10 years, the Department of Veterans Affairs budget has more than doubled, reaching nearly $200 billion. Last week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked that if the debt limit is raised and federal spending levels increase, the treasury must provide another $22 billion to transfer to the VA. That extra spending was supposedly… Read more »
July 11, 2019
Like Reps. Gaetz and Khanna have done, Congress needs to take control of war powers
As tensions between the United States and Iran continue to grow, it’s becoming clearer that Congress needs to take back its constitutional responsibilities around war and peace and rigorously debate where, when, and why we send troops into harm’s way. Concerned Veterans for America Senior Advisor Dan Caldwell recently wrote in The Hill that Congress… Read more »
July 1, 2019
Senate Makes the Wrong Move on Iran Vote
Last week, the Senate voted down an amendment that would have reasserted Congress’ constitutional role in deciding where, when, and why Americans are sent to war. Sponsored by Sen. Tom Udall the amendment would have required that Congress authorize use of force against Iran before any military action could take place or any funds spent on military action unless Iran… Read more »
June 26, 2019
Big Findings: Americans Don’t Want More Military Engagement Around the World
After nearly 18 years of continuous war around the world, Americans have had enough. A new poll commissioned by Concerned Veterans for America and VoteVets found that 83 percent of likely voters believe the United States should either keep military engagement where it stands or engage even less. The poll also found that voters want Congress… Read more »
June 20, 2019
House Passes Amendment to Reclaim War Powers
This week, the House of Representatives voted to take back congressional control of war powers. The House Minibus Appropriations package, which included appropriations for the Department of Defense with an amendment from Rep. Barbara Lee to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). This amendment would eliminate the often-misinterpreted law that has… Read more »
June 3, 2019
This Week on the Hill: VA MISSION Implementation Week
The day we’ve been waiting for is finally upon us – implementation day for the VA MISSION Act community care program. On June 6, the Department of Veterans Affairs will go live with major sections of the VA MISSION Act, including the new Veterans Community Care Program and regulations that cover urgent care for vets…. Read more »
