Grants in the amount of $42 million are available for eligible organizations to assist homeless Veterans and those at risk of homelessness with various legal services.

VA’s Health and Benefits mobile app reaches more than 3 million downloads.

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins today releases statement ahead of Memorial Day.

VA’s disability benefits compensation claims backlog is under 200,000 for the first time since March 5, 2023.  

VA is accepting applications for grant funding for community based organizations to develop suicide prevention or emergency clinical service programs for Veterans at risk of suicide.

Join VA during Memorial Day weekend, May 23-26, at more the 130 cemeteries across the country for commemorative activities honoring Veterans.

VA makes it easier for Veterans to use community care

The order establishes a National Center for Warrior Independence for homeless Veterans.

VA’s Veterans Legacy Memorial website adds 210,000 additional pages for American Veterans interred and honored in cemeteries and memorials.

The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced a three-pronged approach to eliminate barriers and streamline the process for how eligible survivors and dependents of deceased Veterans and servicemembers apply for and receive VA benefits and services.

VA’s National Cemetery Administration is joining forces with non-profit organizations Carry The Load, Travis Manion Foundation and Victory for Veterans to pay homage to Veterans interred in VA National Cemeteries through a series of events, volunteer opportunities and shared stories.

WASHINGTON — Today marks 100 days of the second Trump Administration.  During this time, VA has launched a host of major reforms to refocus the department on its core mission: providing the best possible care and services to Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors.

Secretary Collins discussed the historic progress VA has made in a new video on X and in this op-ed.

As Secretary Collins said, "One hundred days into the second Trump administration, and VA is no longer content with poor results. Under President Trump’s leadership, we have already stripped away many of the costly distractions that were coming between VA beneficiaries and the benefits they have earned. And we’re looking to make even more historic reforms to better serve our Veterans.”

VA’s accomplishments during the first 100 days include:

VA today announced it has established commissions to find candidates to lead the Veterans Health and Veterans Benefits Administrations. VA Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., will chair both commissions.

Nine more locations named for VA facilities deploying Federal Electronic Health Record in 2026

Any and all savings VA achieves by stopping specific medical treatments for gender dysphoria will be redirected to help severely injured VA beneficiaries – such as paralyzed Veterans and amputees – regain their independence.

VA targets 2026 for completing Federal Electronic Health Record system deployment at nine additional sites.

WASHINGTON — Please view a video message from VA Secretary Doug Collins here.

These contracts, which will be phased out over the next few days, represent less than one percent of the roughly 90,000 contracts VA currently has in place.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced today it has processed more than a million disability claims in Fiscal Year 2025, reaching the milestone nearly two weeks faster than it did in FY24.

Mission-critical positions are exempt from the reductions, which will enable VA to redirect over $83 million annually to health care, benefits and services for VA beneficiaries.

The Department of Veterans Affairs today announced the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees.

VA’s updated policy for displaying flags.

VA Secretary Doug Collins shares insight on his vision for the department.

VA personnel receive guidance for return to in-person work policy.

VA gives veterans more time to transition to the department’s new online login system.

VA has determined that all 44 of its financial assistance programs will continue uninterrupted and that all VA programs and operations will continue uninterrupted.

VA ends DEI, stopping millions of dollars in spending on diversity, equity and inclusion.

VA makes pertinent hiring-freeze exemptions related to Jan. 20, Executive Order halting federal government hiring.

New VA political appointees named in Trump Administration.

VA expanded the Veterans Legacy Memorial — the nation’s largest digital platform dedicated to the memory of Veterans and service members — to allow Veterans to tell their own story before they pass away.

Terrence Hayes (VA Press Secretary):  Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to today’s press conference. Before we begin, I’d like to first thank our VA Press Corps for being great professionals these past four years. Your reporting has helped VA educate and inform Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors nationwide about the benefits and care available to them.

VA is making acute and chronic leukemias, multiple myelomas, myelodysplastic syndromes, myelofibrosis, urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary cancers presumptive for service-connection for:

Dalia Ayoub, thank you. Dr. Salaam, thank you for your service in the Air Force, and for your service in communities around the country as an Imam and civil rights leader in the years since. Your words, principles, and perspectives are as inspiring as they are important—the great value of diversity and diverse perspectives in strengthening the military, in strengthening society, in making our awesome country even stronger by drawing on the strength of all our people. You are a part of that unique strength of America.

As we close out the holiday season, my thoughts have been drawn to the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. President Carter was a steadfast supporter of Veterans throughout his time in the White House.

VA announced that — following the 2024 Supreme Court decision — it has updated the process for awarding GI Bill benefits.

VA announced a proposed rule to exempt Veterans from paying copays for certain inpatient and outpatient Whole Health well-being services, which are available at VA facilities nationwide.

VA is beginning early-stage planning to deploy the Federal Electronic Health Record system to four Michigan facilities — Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit, and Saginaw — in mid-2026.

VA released the National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report — the most comprehensive national report on Veteran suicide, analyzing Veteran suicide from 2001-2022.

VA announces three key steps to help Veterans experiencing homelessness, including SSVF Grants, GPD Case Management Grants and the Mayor’s Pledge.

More than 3 million Veterans, service members, and spouses who receive life insurance from VA’s programs will receive a discount on premiums starting in the spring of 2025.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today’s press conference. Hopefully everybody’s preparing for the holidays. This will be the last time that we see everybody heading into the holiday period. So we definitely wish each and every one of you a happy holidays.

We have a lot to cover today. We have multiple guests joining us to share some news as well as some overviews. So with that, I’ll go ahead and kick it over to the boss, over to Secretary Denis McDonough.

VA to expand access to its Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers — a program that provides family caregivers of eligible Veterans access to services and supports, including training and education, financial assistance, health care coverage, beneficiary travel, peer support, and more.

VA launches new outreach campaign enrolling Veterans in health care amid blast exposure concerns

VA will fund a study on Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted, or MDMA-assisted, therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder among Veterans.

VA’s NCA is now piloting interments in green burial sections at three VA national cemeteries.

John Levi, thanks very much for that kind introduction. Ron Flagg, thank you very much for allowing me to join you all this afternoon. Danielle Brooks, thanks for your service in the Army. And congratulations on LSC’s 50 years of service in expanding and improving access to justice for all Americans.

VA and DOD improve installation access process for Veterans and eligible caregivers for medical appointments, shopping, and certain morale, welfare, and recreation services.

Let me add my grateful acknowledgement to the Native peoples upon whose ancestral homelands we’re gathered, including the Nacotchtank and Piscataway peoples, and to the Native communities who make their home here today.

VA and and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness announced results of the 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, which show a record low in Veteran homelessness since measurement began in 2009 and a 7.5% decrease since 2023.

John Handzuk, thank you very much for that introduction, for your leadership of the Fleet Reserve Association, and a special thanks to your team for partnering with VA in hosting today’s ceremony. And to all the Fleet Reserve members here this morning, congratulations on your centennial today—100 years serving your fellow shipmates and Marines.

VA is proposing to eliminate copayments for all VA telehealth services and establish a grant program to fund designated VA telehealth access points in non-VA facilities, with a focus on rural and medically underserved communities.

Good morning. Emily Wilkins, thanks for that kind introduction, and for leading this important organization. Let me recognize the Press Club’s American Legion Post and its commander, Tom Young, and all the Veterans Service Organizations represented here.

VA delivered more care and more benefits to more Veterans than ever before in fiscal year 2024 — exceeding last year’s record totals.

Nearly 48,000 Veterans experiencing homelessness in fiscal year 2024 have been house

Monica Rivera, thanks very much for that kind introduction.

VA’s National Cemetery Administration awarded $44,553,338 in grants for the expansion and/or improvement of state Veterans’ cemeteries during fiscal year 2024.

VA awards $15.9 million in grants to fund adaptive sports, recreational activities, and equine therapy for Veterans and service members living with disabilities.

VA proposed establishing a first-of-its-kind grant program aimed at increasing access to VA programs and benefits.

VA will award more than $4.3 million in cooperative agreements to states and territories to help fund and provide technical assistance to suicide mortality review committees, which aim to identify and characterize local suicide deaths to better inform Veteran suicide prevention strategies.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this month’s press conference. We’re excited. We have a lot of folks joining us today to provide you with a lot of great things that we’re doing across the enterprise. So I won’t speak too much longer, I’ll go ahead and get the Secretary up here and introduce our two guests, and then turn it over to the reporters for questions. So with that, I’ll turn it over to Secretary Denis McDonough.

Tele-emergency care is now available nationwide, a step that increases timely access to virtual emergency care options for Veterans enrolled in VA health care.

VA will conduct a scientific assessment to determine if there is a relationship between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure during military service and kidney cancer among Veterans.

Between between October 2023 and August 2024, VA housed 43,116 Veterans experiencing homelessness, surpassing its fiscal year 2024 goal to house 41,000 Veterans one month before the end of the fiscal year.

VA will award $5 million in grants to organizations that provide employment-based resources and tools to support recently separated members of the Armed Forces and their spouses.

Thanks so much to everybody. Good morning to you. Thank you for inviting me to join you for your 16th Judicial Conference.

You had me a couple of years ago. The fact that you welcomed me back notwithstanding the intervening time as Secretary I take as a mildly positive sign. We’ll see how the reviews are on that at the end of the speech.

Thank you, Walt Dannenberg, for that kind introduction. Mayor Phillip Jones is here today. It’s so fitting to have a Marine leading Newport News, a city with such a long maritime history, and where so many Veterans choose to call home.

VA’s ongoing fight to prevent Veteran suicide — includes awarding $52.5 million in grants to community organizations implementing tailored suicide prevention programs and services for Veterans and their families.

VA to host more than 60 National Day of Service and Remembrance events on Sept. 11 at VA national cemeteries across 34 states and Puerto Rico.

VA hospitals outperformed non-VA hospitals in two major independent, nationwide reviews for patient satisfaction and care quality.

Matt , thanks for that kind introduction and for the opportunity to join the team here this morning to kick off Day 2 of this important Gathering.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will award $806.4 million in grants to help homeless and at-risk Veterans through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families and Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem programs.

Access expanded to VA benefits for Veterans who served at Karshi-Khanabad (K2) base in Uzbekistan after 9-11.

Launch of VSAFE.gov and 1-833-38V-SAFE (1-833-388-7233) – a new government-wide website and call center designed to combat fraud.

VA releases new PACT Act dashboard highlighting the impact of the historic law for delivering benefits and health care to millions of Veterans and their survivors exposed to toxins.

Proposals are being accepted for new VA graduate medical education initiative to expand health care access for Veterans nationwide.

Commander Espinosa, thank you for that kind introduction, and for you and your family’s distinguished service to this awesome nation. As importantly, thank you for leading with unwavering commitment your more than 1 million DAV members for the past year.

VA redesigns Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry to better understand, research, and ultimately improve treatment for the health challenges facing Veterans exposed to airborne hazards and burn pits during service.

This training is some of the most important, lifesaving training VA does. And getting it right is never easy. Expectations are necessarily and understandably very high, because the stakes for our Vets are so high.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this month’s press conference. You may have noticed I’m not actually in the room.

Three-quarters of the way through the fiscal year – VA has granted benefits to 1.1 million Veterans and their survivors, an all-time record.

Eligible organizations providing employment-based resources and tools to help recently separated members of the Armed Forces and their spouses may now apply for grants from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans can now create their new Login.gov or ID.me accounts as VA transitions to a streamlined process for accessing VA online services.

Margaret "Meg” Kabat was sworn in as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ chief of staff. In this senior leadership role, Chief of Staff Kabat will serve as the top advisor to the VA Secretary and Deputy Secretary and provide strategic leadership to the organization.

VA Veteran Crisis Line ‘Dial 988 then Press 1’ marks 2-year anniversary providing access to critical support for Veterans and their families in time of need.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is awarding $26.8 million in legal services grants with the goal of increasing access to legal services for eligible Veterans experiencing or at risk for homelessness.

Terrence, thanks so much. And it’s great to join everybody. Thank you for your patience and your flexibility with me, y’all. I was exposed to COVID late Sunday night. I don’t have COVID yet, but I’m still within the window.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced $10 million in new funding for eligible states, territories, and Tribal governments through cooperative agreements to better inform Veteran suicide prevention strategies.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced it will begin building a new national cemetery in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2025. The cemetery will be named Albuquerque National Cemetery and will be the third national cemetery in the state.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that the National Cemetery Administration awarded nine grants totaling more than $2.4 million as part of the Veterans Legacy Program (VLP), a project that honors America’s Veterans and service members by uncovering and sharing their stories.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is including three new cancer types in the list of presumed service-connected disabilities due to military environmental exposure under the PACT Act. This announcement marks the continued commitment under the Biden-Harris administration’s Unity Agenda and the Biden Cancer Moonshot to support the nation’s Veterans.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the award of the second option period for its contract with Oracle Health in support of VA’s Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization, with an emphasis on improved fiscal and performance accountability.

Today, on Women Veterans Recognition Day, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that more than 53,000 women Veterans enrolled in VA health care between May 2023 and May 2024, marking a 20% increase over the previous year and the largest enrollment year for women Veterans on record.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that eligible Veterans, active-duty Service members, and surviving spouses who use the VA-guaranteed home loan benefit can pay for certain real estate buyer-broker fees when purchasing a home.

oday, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced it will host the second annual PACT Act Summer VetFest — featuring more than 100 Summer VetFest events in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico — to encourage Veterans and survivors to apply for the health care and benefits they have earned under the PACT Act.

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs strongly encouraged mortgage servicers to extend the Veteran foreclosure moratorium — originally slated to expire on May 31 – through Dec. 31.

Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced that Veterans no longer need to pay copays for their first three outpatient mental health care and substance use disorder visits of each calendar year through 2027.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for joining us for this month’s press conference. We hope you had a reflective Memorial Day yesterday. We’ll go ahead and get started. We’ve got a lot to cover. And with that, I’ll go ahead and turn it over to Secretary Denis McDonough. Over to you, Mr. Secretary.

Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that Veteran trust in VA has reached an all-time high of 80.4% – up from 55% when the survey began in 2016.

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced improved wait times for new patient appointments in primary care and mental health care across the VA health care system.

My friend and advisor, Chief Bill , it’s good to see you again, and thanks for the kind introduction.