Veterans
Veterans’ military skills can help them fill cyber vacancies, State official says
The White House’s national cybersecurity strategy said that greater veteran participation in the U.S. cyber workforce can help enhance critical digital defenses.
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10 congressional races for federal employees to watch
Many of the competitive House and Senate races involve lawmakers who oversee federal agency funding.
VA breaks records for veterans served despite slowing hiring
VA is now seeking a budget boost to meet staffing needs and veterans demands for fiscal 2025.
VA’s head of AI sees his role as a ‘bridge’ to future use
Meet the Department of Veterans Affairs CAIO Charles Worthington. He envisions a future where AI components are built into standard technology and software.
VA is updating its AI suicide risk model to reach more women
The department is looking to add military sexual trauma and intimate partner violence as risk factors for suicide in its predictive model for identifying veterans at high risk of self-harm.
Legislation calls for creation of an independent office to improve the VA
Rep. Rudy Yakym’s, R-Ind., National Veterans’ Advocate Act, would transform the department’s Office of Patient Advocacy into a standalone body similar to the IRS’ Office of the National Taxpayer Advocate.
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VA whistleblowers honored for uncovering mismanagement of veterans’ personal information
Despite receiving OSC’s Public Servant award, the whistleblowers disagreed with investigators’ conclusions that they could not substantiate all of their accusations regarding the department’s alleged inappropriate use of personally identifiable information.
Inside VA’s drive to offer rideshare services to vets
Since its launch in January 2022, the Veterans Health Administration’s rideshare program for veterans in need of medical-related transportation has provided more than 438,000 rides.
VA proposes grant program offering vets legal services to help obtain benefits
The department’s goal is to assist former service members who were discharged under other than honorable conditions but could still be eligible for VA benefits.
Amid hiring surge, two VA agencies face employee background check deficiencies
The inspector general warned that shortcomings in the agencies’ background check programs were letting in unvetted staff.
VA officials say they can finish the digital GI Bill platform without more delays, cost overruns
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., said the Department of Veterans Affairs is “batting zero” when it comes to finishing major IT modernization projects on time and within budget.
VA offers veterans nationwide access to emergency telehealth care
The department said the new tele-emergency care resource will allow veterans to connect with clinical triage nurses for timely medical evaluations.
House Dems reintroduce bill to expand VA health care employees’ union rights
The VA Employees Fairness Act would extend full federal collective bargaining rights to Title 38 health care workers at the Veterans Affairs Department, though its chances of passage are slim.
House takes another stab at a bill reimbursing new veterans for emergency care
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., is hoping a reintroduced version of the RELIEVE Act will finally close the VA’s emergency care coverage loophole after Congress previously dropped the measure from the fiscal 2024 supplemental funding package.
Veterans Crisis Line looks to balance anonymity with location tools
Matthew Miller, the executive director of VA’s office of suicide prevention, said crisis line responders “want to be very careful how much we pursue information from the veteran, unless it's absolutely necessary to provide them with the highest quality care.”
Senate advances $3B VA supplemental bill one day before deadline
The chamber approved legislation by voice vote Thursday to provide the Veterans Affairs Department with an extra $3 billion to cover a surge in veterans benefits costs ahead of a potential service disruption.
How did the VA end up with a $3 billion shortfall? Leaders say staff over-delivered
VA officials outlined how a surge in PACT Act claims outpaced initial budget projections in a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday, days before a processing deadline affecting the benefit payments of 7 million veterans.
House passes $3B VA supplemental budget ahead of Friday deadline
The chamber advanced the multi-billion-dollar stopgap bill by voice vote Tuesday evening, giving the Senate three days to pass the legislation to cover a budget shortfall.
Lack of guidelines scuttled VA’s goal to expand access for substance use disorder treatment
The department’s inspector general found that despite budgeting to hire more than 1,000 substance use disorder treatment staff at its medical centers, it only netted 310 new employees in the first year.
House GOP members unveil $3B VA supplemental funding bill
The legislation is intended to cover a budget shortfall at the department through the remainder of fiscal 2024.
