Pentagon & Congress

The latest military news from the Pentagon and Congress.

Veterans Affairs medical sites drop mandatory mask requirements

Visitors and patients will no longer be required to wear masks at all times at the health care sites.

19 hours ago

Veterans program funding ends up a winner in debt limit deal

Veterans program funding would see an increase in fiscal 2024, unlike most other non-defense spending.

19 hours ago

Veterans

Army vet turned DC insider now a historic nominee for Veterans Affairs

VA Chief of Staff Tanya Bradsher is in line to be the first woman confirmed to the department's second-highest post.

Debt ceiling agreement locks in Biden’s proposed defense budget

The White House and House Republicans reached a debt ceiling agreement that increases the defense budget by 3.3% while cutting non-defense spending.

2 days ago

Vets benefits, VA staff paychecks and more endangered by debt fight

Negotiators will work through Memorial Day weekend in hopes of reaching a compromise on the issue before June 1.

5 days ago

VA move to curb remote work puts all federal workers on notice

Decisions on new federal policies for off-site work could upend the pandemic adjustments made by millions of workers.

5 days ago

Biden picks Brown to be Joint Chiefs chairman

President Biden singled out Brown's Accelerate Change or Lose strategy as exactly what the military needs: "General, you're right on."

6 days ago

Pentagon says allies will unite to train Ukrainians on F-16s

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in addition to training, Ukraine will need to be able to sustain and maintain the aircraft and have enough munitions.

6 days ago

Rules still punish military widows for remarrying by slashing benefits

Starting a new relationship after the death of a service member can cost grieving spouses tens of thousands of dollars in support stipends.

6 days ago

VA to scale back remote work rules, require more in-office time

The changes will begin with workers in the Washington, D.C. headquarters starting this fall.

7 days ago

Vets will see a cost-of-living boost in benefit checks next year

Legislation passed by the House and Senate will ensure veterans benefits will get the same cost-of-living increase as Social Security payouts.

7 days ago

Should VA keep spending leftover COVID funds or give them back?

When the national COVID-19 emergency ended earlier this month, about $2.1 billion in extra money for veterans support remained unused.

8 days ago

Data dive could help Army understand how to boost reenlistments

Officials say a growing number of commanders are using service data analysis programs to help track soldiers' challenges and successes.

8 days ago

Hopes for debt limit deal as June deadline looms

Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of May 22, 2023.

10 days ago

Rules for military base visitors still missing after years of waiting

Defense leaders had promised changes on visitor access to bases four years ago, but entry standards remain unfinished.

12 days ago

Ukrainian soldiers fire a cannon near Bakhmut, an eastern city where fierce battles against Russian forces have been taking place, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, May 15, 2023.

Accounting error means Pentagon can send more weapons to Ukraine

The Pentagon has overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by at least $3 billion.

12 days ago

VA hopes to end mandatory overtime for its claims processors

Staffers have been required to work up to 4 hours a week, or more than two extra days each month, to clear backlogged and overdue disability claims.

13 days ago

Despite failures so far, VA inks new Oracle Cerner health records deal

The electronic medical records project has been halted amid ongoing problems with the rollout.

2 weeks ago

GOP's proposed vets benefits change kicks off new lawmaker slugfest

Republican lawmakers want changes to a fund designed to protect money for veterans benefits payouts.

2 weeks ago