Senate Reverses Itself Under Pressure Senator Schumer, Majority Leader of the Senate, with the help of other key senators, such as Tester and Moran, delivered on his goal in getting S. 3373 passed late Tuesday evening. It took the concerted actions of the true believers to get beyond the quibbles Read more…
24 Senators Turn Tail As reported July 17, we found the doings of the House strange when it sent the H.R. 3967 back to the Senate as S. 3373. Worse, on Wednesday, the Senate voted 55-42 ( U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress – 2nd Session) — Read more…
Strange Doings — Reappears as S. 3373 Under a New Name Strange doings occurred in the House last week. The “Honoring Our PACT Act” (H.R. 3967) has undergone a metamorphosis behind the scenes since the Senate returned it to the House in mid-June. The bill reappeared in modified form as Read more…
Passage Now Delayed Until After July 11 Promises, promises? Too early to tell, but an anticipated vote last week in the House did not occur, and, paradoxically — for it is a House action — Senator Toomey of Pennsylvania has been pointed out as not helping to resolve the complication, Read more…
HR 3967 has been the major veterans organizations’ primary legislative focus for the current congressional legislative season, and with good reason, for it finally brings to conclusion a number of issues related to toxic exposures, among other items, that have long haunted veterans healthcare. Finally, passed by the Senate in Read more…
Apply today for the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship Program and advocate for veterans alongside the VFW on Capitol Hill during our annual VFW Legislative Conference. Generally, ten fellowship positions are open. (more…)
The Veteran Health Program of Lehigh Valley Hospital Network (LVHN) has been conducting focus groups with women veterans and service members who experienced military sexual trauma (MST). The intent of these focus groups is to learn how MST has affected their healthcare.
On 10 February beginning at 5:30 p.m., the final focus group will be held at Moravian College’s Reeves Library on the main campus.
Priorities, smy-orities … five, six or ten … different ones almost every time you look … when it comes to the Department of Veterans Affairs (and federal agencies in general). It is time to do a little house cleaning as the new year begins because, in these times, on what the VA concentrates will dramatically change its operations in the coming years. For example, implementing the Mission Act listed below is no ‘small potatoes’ matter.
In his words, the Secretary of the VA, Mr. Wilkie, has now whittled down the Department of Veterans Affairs’ strategic priorities for 2019 to four: (more…)
To add to the sorry saga of inaction by our senators, here is the latest as reported in the Stars and Stripes: ### As of 14 December 2018
As an update, the Senate continues to stall since we have last written on the bill. From the VFW, which emphasizes the importance of acting now in whatever way you can:
“During the Vietnam War, veterans who served in the offshore waters of Vietnam drank, bathed in, and cooked with water contaminated by Agent Orange. They are now arbitrarily and unjustly denied benefits for illnesses associated (more…)