VA

Five-Year Plan Unveiled at Homeless Summit

November 3, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, at the “VA National Summit Ending Homelessness among Veterans,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki unveiled the department’s comprehensive plan to end homelessness among Veterans by marshalling the resources of government, business and the private sector.

“President Obama and I are personally committed to ending homelessness among Veterans within the next five years,” said Shinseki. “Those who have served this nation as Veterans should never find themselves on the streets, living without care and without hope.”    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2009 – The secretary of veterans affairs today announced the framework of a bold initiative to end homelessness among veterans within five years.

VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki outlined the comprehensive plan to an audience of VA officials, other government representatives and private-sector homeless outreach organizers at the VA National Summit Ending Homelessness Among Veterans here. He called the goal an ambitious one that will take a nationwide collaborative effort to be successful.    » read more »

VA Secretary unveils plan at DC homeless summit

November 3, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Mark Begich today praised a plan released by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Erik Shinseki to end homelessness among veterans by marshalling the resources of the government, business and the private sector. According to the VA, the comprehensive plan includes preventive measures like discharge planning for incarcerated veterans re-entering society, supportive services for low-income veterans and their families, and a national referral center to link veterans to local service providers.    » read more »

10/19/09 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Zack Space (OH-18) today applauded the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for their decision to fast track the application process for Vietnam veterans suffering from Parkinson’s disease, B-cell leukemia, or ischemic heart disease as a result of exposure to Agent Orange.

“This is the right decision for veterans across Ohio and the nation,” Space said. “It will expand access to medical care for millions of our men and women who served in uniform, and it will provide many of our veterans long overdue care for the conditions contracted as a result of their service. “    » read more »

October 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – An innovative, far-sighted partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) will improve the health care system for Veterans and dramatically change the way health care is delivered to all Americans, according to Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs W. Scott Gould.

“The future will see VA and DoD working even closer together,” said Gould, “as we fulfill the President’s requirement for a single Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record that will support Veterans from their day of induction to their day of interment.”

Gould spoke Oct. 15 at the second annual DoD “Breakthrough Convention” devoted to improving business practices in the nation’s largest government agency.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2009 – The Veterans Affairs Department continues its efforts to provide the best support possible to the nation’s military veterans, VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told a House committee here today.

“We have been busy putting into place the foundation for our pursuit of the president’s two goals for this department: transform VA into a 21st-century organization, and ensure that we provide timely access to benefits and high quality care to our veterans over their lifetimes -- from the day they first take their oaths of allegiance until the day they are laid to rest,” Shinseki said in his written statement provided to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.    » read more »

10/14/09 -- Washington, DC – Just days after meeting with local veterans who have been struggling to obtain benefits under the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, Congressman Glenn Nye (VA-02) is asking for answers from Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki.

At a hearing of the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday morning, Secretary Shinseki told Congressman Nye and others that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had anticipated that there would be delays in administering the tuition benefit program, but that they had underestimated the magnitude of the problem.    » read more »

Historic Bill will Provide Advanced Appropriations for the VA

October 14, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Legislation co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Hall (D-Dover) that will provide advanced appropriations for veterans' health care for the first time in history is on its way to being signed into law by President Obama. H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, provides funding one year in advance for veterans medical programs.

The legislation, which Congressman Hall is an original co-sponsor of, passed the House in July. Yesterday, the Senate passed a final version of the legislation. Historically, funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been late in reaching its many critical programs.    » read more »

10/13/09 -- Washington, DC – Congressman Glenn Nye (VA-02) today applauded the announcement that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki has decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam veterans with Parkinson’s disease, hairy-cell leukemia or ischemic heart disease. Veterans with these conditions, along with twelve other previously-recognized diseases, will no longer have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service.    » read more »

October 13, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Senator Jon Tester, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today released the following statement in response to the Veterans’ Administration’s decision to allow Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange to file for service-connected disability benefits and medical care if they are now suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, B-cell (“hairy cell”) leukemia or ischemic heart disease:

“I thank the Secretary for making this important decision. It’s another significant step in the right direction. And it gives many folks who served honorably during the Vietnam War overdue recognition that their service and sacrifice is honored and appreciated by all of us.    » read more »

Senator also working to put downward pressure on prescription drug costs; would save consumers $50 billion

October 2, 2009 -- (GRAND FORKS, N.D.) – As Congress considers ways to improve the overall health care system, Veterans health care remains a top priority, said U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) at the Grand Forks VA Community Based Outreach Clinic today.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is warning Veterans not to give credit card numbers over the phone to callers claiming to update VA prescription information.

"America’s Veterans have become targets in an inexcusable scam that dishonors their service and misrepresents the Department built for them," said Dr. Gerald Cross, VA’s Under Secretary for Health. "VA simply does not call Veterans and ask them to disclose personal financial information over the phone."

Veteran Service Organizations have brought to VA's attention that callers are misrepresenting the VA to gain personal information over the phone. They say VA recently changed procedures for dispensing prescriptions and ask for the Veteran's credit card number.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has initiated a large, long-term study to look carefully at a broad array of health issues that may affect Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans and their counterparts who served during the same time period. VA’s “National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans” will begin with 30,000 Veterans deployed to OEF/OIF and 30,000 comparison Veterans who were not deployed.    » read more »

June 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) issued the following statement today on recently announced plans by the Department of Veterans Affairs to overhaul its information technology project management:

"IT improvements have the potential to dramatically improve the care and benefits veterans receive, but too often, IT failings have actually hurt VA's reputation and service quality," said Chairman Akaka. "I commend VA's leadership for acknowledging existing shortcomings and setting higher standards for the Department. This push for reform could bring us closer to the systemic transformation Secretary Shinseki and President Obama promised for veterans and their families."    » read more »

Secretary Donovan Elected New Chair of the Council; HUD and VA announce $75 million for HUD-VASH program to provide rental housing and support for homeless veterans

June 18, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) met today for the first time under the Obama Administration. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki chaired the meeting, at which U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan was elected rotating Chair for the upcoming year and U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis was elected Vice Chair. U.

S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Melody Barnes, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, attended the meeting.    » read more »