Legislation

Dog research at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is going under the microscope. Yesterday, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) in Washington, D.C., began a formal review of studies involving nearly 100 canines at four VA facilities to determine whether the animals are being properly treated—and whether the work is necessary.

WASHINGTON — Researchers with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found for the first time that enough evidence exists to link hypertension to Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.

The finding, announced Thursday, bolsters the case for veterans with hypertension to be granted easier access to Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, advocates argued. Before last week’s announcement, researchers had determined there was only “limited” or “suggestive” evidence hypertension could be caused by chemical herbicides used in Vietnam.

The Veterans Affairs Department announced Tuesday that it is ready to hire an additional 50 outreach specialists to help veterans in the judicial system after President Trump signed into law Tuesday the Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018.

The law requires the VA to hire the new specialists over the next year and then place them at VA medical centers in need of their services. They will help veterans impacted by the justice system while working in the Veterans Treatment Courts or other court focused on veterans.

Those leaving the military will have more time to use free resources such as income tax help, nonmedical counseling, spouse employment assistance and other resources via Military OneSource, thanks to a provision in the defense authorization bill