Veterans Affairs News 
Top News
- OMB reworking financial systems to focus on outcomes, not inputs
- Lew taps government retiree pension fund to avoid default
- OMB taps VanRoekel to lead management team
- PHOTOS: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Hagel: Accountability breakdown was leading factor in sexual assaults
- Former IRS commissioner faces questions about Tea Party
- SBA starting new lending program for veterans
- New Apple devices cleared to join DoD IT networks
- Army prioritizes access to data in fight over intelligence IT system
- DoD upends slow approval process for mobile devices
- Senior execs' bonuses under fire at agencies
- Gould moves the needle on many of VA's toughest challenges
- Tuesday federal headlines - May 21, 2013
New security prescription at Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun implementing program changes designed to increase security and enhance the experience of its patients.
VA relaxes medical marijuana rules
The agency has changed its policy.
VA clips wings of FLITE program
The Department of Veterans Affairs has decided to scrap large portions of its $400 million FLITE financial management modernization program.
VA simplifies access to PTSD care
New regulations decrease the burden on veterans seeking treatment and benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Op-ed: Expanding PTSD benefits is the right call
Read more of the opinion piece.
V.A. is easing rules to cover stress disorder
The government is preparing to issue new rules that will make it substantially easier for veterans who have been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder to receive disability benefits.
Heroism continues for paralympic veterans
More than 500 wheelchair athletes who are all military Veterans begin competition at the 30th National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Tammy Duckworth, VA Assistant Secretary, has details.
GAO finds limited burrowing during Bush years
Auditors looked at 117 employee conversations to career positions from political ones and found most followed the rules. OPM is reviewing five of the seven that GAO determined to be improper.
OMB vows to end out of control IT projects
The administration issues two new memos focusing on all IT projects and specifically on financial management systems. OMB will issue guidance in the next month detailing how they will evaluate which programs are at most risk. OMB's Zients says programs worth more than $10 billion are significantly off track in cost, schedule or both.
VA ready to kick the virtual tires
Veterans Affairs is looking for a virtual call center prototype.
Agencies get ready for FISMA changes
VA plans on implementing software to monitor desktop computers every 24 hours. NASA is developing a concept of operations plan to move to real-time oversight. OMB mandated agencies know the status of their networks in real time by November.
Continuous monitoring efforts remain important for agencies
Learn more in today's cybersecurity update.
Military attacks mental health stigmas
Fighting stigma key to reducing solider suicides, military leaders say
For quality, it's hard to top veterans' health care
MarketWatch explains.
VA employees misplace Blackberries
13 employees lost their devices.
VA innovates innovation ideas
Winners have been announced in the most recent effort under the VA's Innovation Initiative, a department-wide program that brings the most promising innovations to VA's most important challenges by involving employees and the private sector in the creation of visionary solutions in service to Veterans. VA CTO Dr. Peter Levin has details.
Carper pushes energy efficiency standards
Legislation calls for agencies to adopt computer power savings techniques, implement advanced metering technology and create energy data standards.
OMB pressing agencies to get IT projects on track
Federal CIO Vivek Kundra says there are $27 billion in IT projects that are troubled. The administration will issue a new strategy to expand the use of TechStat review sessions. Agencies also are feeling the heat to review all IT projects before they submit their 2012 budgets to OMB.
VA tries to speed claims processing for vets
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is implementing changes it says will help simplify and speed the process for veterans seeking compensation for disabilities related to their military service. The news comes as the Department is working to cut the large claims backlog it has accumulated.
