VetsFirst supports the recent launch of an education complaint system that will allow veterans the opportunity to hold post-secondary schools accountable. Veterans receive many benefits after their military service through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including education benefits. [...]
Last year passed without significant congressional action on any major veterans' issues. In 2014, that may change. Fiscal fights in Congress were a recurring scene in 2013. By the end of the year, concerns over our nation’s debt extended to [...]
Congress passed a $1.2 trillion omnibus appropriations bill last week which will fund the government through the beginning of October 2014. The budget provides additional funding in some areas of veterans’ services; however, it also contains funding shortfalls. In general, leading [...]
VetsFirst began the new year with a renewed push for ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD or Disabilities Treaty). Negotiations on how to proceed with ratification efforts hit a roadblock when Senator Bob Corker, [...]
As Congress finishes up the year, VetsFirst has secured inclusion of a key disability provision in the House-passed version of the recently negotiated National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2014. This provision will require training for separating [...]
On November 19, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee voted to send to the Senate floor, a bill that would ensure VA benefits and services to veterans would not be interrupted in the event of future government shutdowns. As amended [...]
VetsFirst and 14 fellow veterans service organizations supporting the Disabilities Treaty were recognized by the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), during a hearing on November 21 on the treaty. In the Chairman’s opening [...]
On October 30, VetsFirst joined with over 20 veterans organizations to support legislation that will ensure VA benefits and services are never again delayed due to a government shutdown. The recent shutdown highlighted the need to ensure that VA has the funding [...]
After weeks of delay, it appears that the government shutdown may be headed to a close as Congress will soon be voting on a proposal to end the shutdown and address the debt ceiling. Veterans groups gathered at [...]
On October 9, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki testified before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs regarding the impact of the government shutdown on VA. According to the Secretary, after November 1, mandatory accounts paying veteran’s benefit checks [...]