A new bill making its way through Congress would give the VA the power to restore a veteran’s benefits if a school is found to be deceptive. VA officials had warned that without the money, some disability benefits payouts could have been disrupted in the next few weeks. Co-payments for outpatient pharmacy services have been paused for several years at some locations. Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Sept. 16, 2024. The vice presidential candidate also said that he would support firing VA workers who aren't performing well. House and Senate leaders hope to approve $3 billion in extra funding for Veterans Affairs benefits checks by Sept. 20. Industry advocates said the rule changes could have hurt services for tens of thousands of veteran patients annually. VA officials have warned of a nearly $3 billion shortfall in funding for this fiscal year which could disrupt October benefits checks. VA officials said the original $453 million contract for the work has now been updated 25 times. The new price tag for the project is $932 million. More than 1 million disability claims related to military toxic exposure have been approved in the first two years of the veterans benefits legislation. Load More