Lawmakers focus on domestic toxic exposures

Are disabled veterans affected by 2025 VA layoffs?

Man with tattoos and a ballcap on contemplating while sitting down.

The VA announced plans in March to terminate tens of thousands of employees from the agency as part of the current administration’s efforts to shrink the federal government and reduce waste. Because of this dramatic decrease in staffing, many veterans who receive or plan to receive VA disability may be wondering if these changes will affect their benefits, or if there is a proposal to end VA disability benefits. In this article, we will provide a timeline of important events that have affected the VA this year, explain what to expect in the coming months, and answer some frequently asked questions.

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Veterans, service members detail health struggles from toxic exposure at domestic bases

Representatives from more than a dozen military and veterans advocacy groups and researchers gathered to detail health battles service members have faced after drinking tainted water, working with radiation and chemicals, living in moldy housing, and breathing toxic fumes. From highly carcinogenic substances in underground missile silos to fuel-tainted water in Hawaii to nuclear testing in Nevada to "forever chemicals" in firefighting foam, the circumstances of the exposures recounted at the roundtable changed, but the health struggles were familiar.

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Lawmakers press VA for new cost estimate on electronic health records system

United States Capitol building located in Washington,
D.C.

As the VA moves to accelerate rollout of its new electronic health records system, congressional leaders are demanding an update on the overall deployment plan and updated cost estimate. Now known as the Federal Electronic Health Record System and managed by Oracle Health, it originally was estimated to cost $10 billion, later revised to $16.1 billion. Given that the program has been adapted and changed since the pause, old estimates are obsolete.

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Exoskeleton helps veteran to stand tall

Army veteran Jeffery Williams was paralyzed from the chest down after being hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) during service in Iraq. While at the VA Wheelchair Games two years ago, a vendor demonstrating the Ekso Indego powered lower-limb exoskeleton caught Williams’ attention. The Exoskeleton is a five-piece system that allows paralyzed patients to stand and walk. He was approved for a trial and later fitted for his exoskeleton unit in 2024.

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Chemo port lawsuit

If you or someone you know had a chemo port installed for cancer treatment and the port migrated, fractured, or leaked in the body 90 days or more after it was implanted, you may be eligible to join the lawsuit against Bard.