Watchdog blasts VA leaders for exaggerating budget shortfall last year
Investigators said that VA officials had enough budget flexibility all of last year despite repeated warnings of a possible funding shortfall.
Pentagon & Congress
Senator pushes for new rules letting academy athletes play pro sports
A proposed policy allowing academy athletes to defer their military service to play pro sports could be included in the annual defense authorization bill.
Some VA employees’ overtime pay will be delayed by software problems
Software handling timecards for VA employees has been malfunctioning for nearly a week, prompting concerns about paycheck delays.
Senate confirms Phelan as next Navy Secretary
The Navy's new top civilian leader has said the service is in desperate need of reform and innovation.
Top Trump officials accidentally shared war plans with media
Hegseth reportedly assured chat participants that “we are currently clean on OPSEC” despite the accidental inclusion of a journalist.
Senate Democrats plan ‘shadow hearings’ on controversial VA cuts
The move comes as VA Secretary Doug Collins has accused Democrats of creating panic over planned department reforms.
With FY2025 spending settled, lawmakers shift focus to FY2026 budget
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of March 24, 2025.
Shipyards, military clinics exempted from Pentagon hiring freeze
Advocates praised defense leaders for excluding shipyard workers and other key readiness jobs from a department-wide hiring freeze.
VA leaders announce end to all transgender-related care for vets
Department leaders promised to continue to provide necessary care to transgender veterans even after the rule changes.
Judge orders return of dismissed probationary workers at VA, DOD
Thousands of federal employees could be reinstated to their government jobs following the ruling.
CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan vets group to step down later this spring
Allison Jaslow has served in the top role at IAVA for the last two years.
Democrats to focus on women, minorities in military personnel debates
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan said she'll push for better access to abortion services for troops despite slim chances of progress this year.
GOP senators eye legislative guardrails as VA prepares mass job cuts
GOP Senate leaders said they are working with VA officials on ways to ensure that plans to cut 80,000 jobs don't dismantle department services.
Stopgap budget bill includes extra funds for military, VA programs
The six-month budget bill must be approved by lawmakers before Friday night to avoid a partial government shutdown.
Congress faces Friday budget deadline to avoid government shutdown
Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of March 10, 2025.
Congress readies troop pay protections as federal shutdown looms again
If lawmakers do not pass a new budget bill by March 14, funding for most federal programs and serives will run out.
VA to speed up health records system rollout, with new sites this year
A previous plan to deploy the controversial health records system to more VA hospitals in mid-2026 was short-sighted and slow, the new VA secretary said.
