Veterans Affairs News 
Top News
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- Senator: IRS to pay $70M in employee bonuses
- Furlough song: Laugh or you'll cry
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- NASA engineer, 29, recognized for improving aeronautical testing
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
- NOAA meteorologist helps save lives one storm at a time
- NASA picks 8 new astronauts, 4 of them women
- House passes sweeping $638 billion defense bill
- NIH tops list of best companies for baby boomers
- Latest postal reform proposal OKs 5-day delivery
- Wednesday federal headlines - June 19, 2013
Discretionary Budget Authority 2008-2013
A look at the discretionary budget authority for Cabinet-level agencies from 2008-2013.
Congress mulls expansion of VA's system to verify veteran-owned firms
The Veterans Affairs Department's process for verifying eligibility in the service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses program could become standard procedure for all agencies. VA is the only department that checks to make sure contractors are eligible.
VA comes under fire for telework policy
AFGE has accused the Department of Veterans Affairs of failing to expand telework opportunities despite a new law designed to encourage the practice. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) has demanded an explanation. Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration John Sepulveda said managers aren't convinced that telework is good for the agency.
Lawmakers continue battle over federal retirement benefits
In the latest attempt to cut federal retirement benefits, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has reported out legislation that would make feds contribute more of their salaries to their pensions and end the FERS annuity supplement for people who retire before age 62.
VA, Education reap benefits of hiring reforms
Improvements to training and employee retention are increasing department workforces and saving money, agency chief human capital officers for the Education and Veterans Affairs departments said at an event Tuesday.
Obama pushes for veterans jobs programs
In an effort to cut the unemployment rate among veterans, President Barack Obama is calling for a new conservation program that would put veterans to work rebuilding trails, roads and levees on public lands.
New program brings veterans into acquisition workforce
Lisa Doyle, chancellor of the VA Acquisition Academy, talks to Federal Drive with Tom Temin about an internship for returning veterans who want to be contracting specialists.
VA improves FOIA process after data breach
Department is calling for better internal communication to ensure records managers are on the same page. VA will offer credit monitoring to more than 2,000 veterans.
VA's Blue Button technology extending to rest of feds
The e-health records technology pioneered by the Veterans Affairs Department will soon be available to the rest of federal employees in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.
Army praised for management turnaround at Arlington cemetery
The investigative agency that originally detailed huge management problems at Arlington National Cemetery a year and a half ago says there's been a dramatic improvement. The challenge now is maintaining the momentum.
VA offers free credit monitoring after mistaken data release
The Department of Veterans Affairs is offering free credit monitoring for one year to more than 2,200 veterans after the agency mistakenly released personal information of those vets online.
Federal health plans to offer Blue Button digital health-record access
All health insurance options in federal health plans will soon allow members to download a digital version of their health records using a technology called Blue Button, the Office of Personnel Management announced. The adoption of the Blue Button technology, whose use was spearheaded by the Veterans Affairs Department, will make it easer to share digital records with family members and physicians.
Edward Derwinski, 1st veterans affairs sec'y, dies
Edward Derwinski, who represented Chicago's south side and adjoining suburbs in Congress for nearly a quarter-century before becoming the nation's first secretary of veterans affairs, has died. He was 85.
Veteran strives to be 'part of something' in federal workforce
Andrew Goodrich, a ranger with the National Park Service, shares his story of being an injured Iraq War veteran finding a new home as a federal employee. He describes some of the challenges he faced and the accommodations his employers provided to to help him achieve success in the workplace.
Website, job fair help veterans secure employment
Veterans can use the VA for Vets to gain career advice and get help on how to find a job. The website is also sponsoring a Jan. 18 veterans-only job fair at the Washington Convention Center.
First lady: More research on veterans medical care
First lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday told military members and veterans that more medical schools are teaming up to boost training and research on brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.
VA expands Facebook presence to every medical center
Every individual VA hospital now has its own page as part of the department's expanding social media presence. Brandon Friedman, VA's director of online communications, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss the new, personalized social media initiative.
Stretch goals require new way of doing business
Bob Behn, a lecturer at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, chairs the executive education program. He joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss going for the big goals. He cited efforts by the VA and HUD to end veterans' homelessness as an example.
Will 2012 be the year agencies focus on succession planning?
Pressure is growing on agencies to draft formal succession plans. There's good reason to believe more feds retired in late 2011 than in recent years, although the final count is not yet out.
HUD, VA collaboration succeeds in finding vets homes
President Barack Obama has promised to end homelessness among veterans within three years. He's made it a high-priority goal, challenging agencies to meet it without additional resources or laws. Officials say they're on track thanks to a unique collaboration between two agencies and dozens of local partners is focusing on the toughest cases.
