Veterans

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration and the Veterans Health Administration have entered into a new level of collaboration intended to help accelerate American medical device innovation.  Under the auspices of a memorandum of understanding signed last week, the... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veterans Affairs has published a new guidebook for caring for Veterans suffering from long COVID-19. The guidebook, entitled, “Whole Heath System Approach to Long COVID,” outlines a whole health, patient-centered approach to treating long COVID,... Read More

WASHINGTON — The $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 15 includes funds to modernize the VA infrastructure and allow registered nurses and physician assistants in the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Department of Veteran Affairs is seeking public comment on a proposal to waive copayments for medications and health care services for veterans who have been identified as being at a high risk for suicide. According to a... Read More

WASHINGTON — Michael “Rod” Rodriguez, the former head of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, is returning to the role of president and CEO as the effort to build the memorial picks up steam, the organization announced Monday. As... Read More

WASHINGTON — The heartrending subject of veteran suicide was again front and center on Capitol Hill Wednesday as a House panel heard one heartbreaking story after another about young people who placed themselves in harm’s way for their country only... Read More

WASHINGTON — Navy veteran Tim Keefe told a congressional panel Wednesday about how he was willing to give his life for his country when he enlisted in the military. After he left the Navy, he had trouble finding a sandwich... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Mission Act was launched in 2019 to protect veterans' access to health care, but now health policy experts are finding that the legislation may actually be preventing access. “Veterans who need to go to [into] the community... Read More

WASHINGTON — It hasn’t happened in close to one hundred years and isn’t likely to ever happen again, but for two full days in advance of Veteran’s Day, the public has been invited to approach the Tomb of the Unknown... Read More

AUSTIN, Texas-- In Texas this week, a bipartisan bill to develop a study on the use of psychedelic therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate.  “We are losing over 20 veterans a day... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America on Thursday cheered Senate passage of the Deborah Sampson Act, which directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the three-year pilot program to assess how best to provide assistance... Read More

WASHINGTON - Right now, it's just a hub of activity behind a construction area awning at the foot of Capitol Hill, but come Nov. 11 the site, on the grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian, will be... Read More

LANGHORNE, Pa. — Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, D-Pa., Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., and Gerry Connolly, D-Va., brought forth a bill that would ensure disabled veterans can fully utilize their benefits following disruptions in veterans’ health care due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Back... Read More

WASHINGTON — When Rosie Torres first knocked on Congress’ doors almost a decade ago, asking for help for her husband and other veterans who became sick following exposure to military burn pits, she gained little traction. What she heard: More... Read More

As the U.S. struggles to fight off a lingering coronavirus pandemic, the full impact of the crisis on the lives of Americans is just starting to come into view. But for the veteran community -- as for many other groups... Read More

WASHINGTON - America's veteran population is changing, with its overall size declining, the number of women in its ranks on the rise, and a generation of Post 9-11 vets who are far more likely to suffer from a service-connected disability... Read More

WASHINGTON - At a time when experts instruct at-risk persons to avoid large crowds and to social distance to protect their health, the United States’ electoral process is getting more attention than ever.  Senator Jon Tester, D-Mont., Senator Tammy Duckworth,... Read More

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate’s top Democrat on Sunday called on the Department of Veterans Affairs to explain why it allowed the use of an unproven drug on veterans for the coronavirus, saying patients may have been put at unnecessary risk. Sen. Charles... Read More

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has signed into law bipartisan legislation that enables veterans to virtually attend Department of Veteran Affairs claims hearings from home. The legislation was introduced by Reps. Joe Cunningham, D-S.C, and John Katko, R-N.Y. in October.... Read More

WASHINGTON - The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is expanding its highly regarded rapid response program to provide aid and comfort to even more veterans during the coronavirus pandemic. Newly rebranded as the IAVA's "Quick Reaction Force," the initiative... Read More

WASHINGTON - Proving that acrimony wasn't the only emotion felt on Capitol Hill this week, Reps. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J. and Steve Stivers, R-Ohio delivered a unanimous House vote Wednesday in favor of granting access to treatment derived from working with... Read More

WASHINGTON - In a divisive political era, Rep. Scott Peters, a California Democrat, still manages to find a way to reach across the aisle to get things done. Whether it’s introducing legislation to make cost-effective biosimilar drugs more accessible, leading... Read More

WASHINGTON - In many ways, Jeremy Butler is the perfect interview subject. It doesn't take much to encourage him to talk about topics he's passionate about. And as the newly appointed CEO of Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Butler... Read More

WASHINGTON - Reps. Anthony Brindisi, D-N.Y., and Mike Bost, R-Ill., led a successful bipartisan effort to extend key veterans programs such as support for traveling far for medical care. The Department of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities Act of 2019 extends... Read More

Freshman Rep. Anthony Brindisi, a member of the bipartisan Women Veterans Task Force, has introduced legislation to mandate accessibility for women at the VA’s healthcare call center. Brindisi’s legislation, H.R. 2972, would statutorily require the Veterans Affairs Women Veterans Call... Read More

First-term Representatives Lucy McBath, D-Ga., and Greg Steube, R-Fla., have introduced legislation aimed at protecting disabled veterans and their families who are experiencing financial hardship. Introduced in May, the bipartisan Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need (HAVEN) Act, H.R. 2938,... Read More

In our new series, Freshmen Get it Done, The Well News will be highlighting legislative accomplishments by freshman Members of Congress from both parties. *** Representatives Mike Levin, D-Calif., and Chris Pappas, D-N.H., are pressing Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie... Read More

Dan first felt called to serve our country in the years after 9/11, which happened while he was in college. Dan felt he had been given a lot and wanted to give something back, so he joined the Marines. Dan led 65 ... Read More

Gil Cisneros is an independent leader running for Congress to ensure our children are provided with the same ladder of opportunity that the Navy provided him. Read More

After graduating from Boston University with a BA and MA in Economics, and a BA in East Asian Studies, Gina entered the U.S. Air Force as an intelligence officer, where she deployed to Iraq and served under the U.... Read More