Hubbard Radio Washington DC, LLC. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Denis McDonough, the president's pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, said he'll bring his deep knowledge of government operations to the agency, which he and several senators said will be helpful in a complex bureaucracy like VA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs ordered 73,000 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and is preparing to distribute them whenever the Food and Drug Administration grants emergency-use authorization. But VA's top healthcare leader said the amount isn't "adequate" to reach its employees and veterans, especially those in remote locations.
In today's Federal Newscast, a former top political aide to ex-EPA administrator Scott Pruitt claims EPA violated his free speech and due process rights by removing him after he raised concerns about Pruitt's excessive spending and mismanagement.
Democrats on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee say roughly 17,000 community care providers were also potential victims of the VA data breach, which the department made public earlier this week. VA on Friday said just 13 of those providers were truly impacted by the breach, and six had payments diverted.
After struggling to fill tens of thousands of vacancies for years, the Veterans Health Administration has hired more than 23,000 new employees in three-to-four months. Senators are impressed with the results but wished it didn't take a pandemic to make much-needed changes to VA hiring and onboarding procedures.
The Department of Veterans Affairs said it needs a six-month supply of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies to adequately handle a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, but it has a 30-day supply on hand today.
Though the Department of Veterans Affairs over-projected the impact the coronavirus pandemic would have on the veterans population, the agency said it's preparing for potential "rebound" in the fall.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie on Wednesday defended the firing of his deputy secretary, describing the removal as a "simple business decision."
In today's Federal Newscast, the Interior Department cleared brush and dead trees on double the amount called for in a 2018 presidential executive order.
Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia says he'll retire at the end of 2019, citing what he calls 'health challenges.'
In today's Federal Newscast, Senate and House Veterans Affairs committee leaders are demanding answers from the VA about claims involving secret wait lists for veterans seeking care.
The Department of Veterans Affairs said it's ready for MISSION Act implementation by June 6, despite concerns from Congress, the U.S. Digital Service and at least one veterans service organization who have suggested otherwise.
As Congress piles on new initiatives for the Department of Veterans Affairs to implement, the agency is struggling to keep up with the IT updates that those new or enhanced programs demand.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has six months to consolidate disparate community care programs into one, revamped veterans choice program. But lawmakers are concerned VA won't successfully meet its deadlines amid a "constant churn" of agency leadership.