VFW Action Corps Weekly
Congress Passes VA Home Loan Program Reform Act: Both the House and Senate have passed H.R. 1815, VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, and the bill now heads to the president’s desk for signature. Introduced by VFW member and House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Chairman Derrick Van Orden, this legislation would enable VA to cover delinquent payments and work with lenders to prevent unnecessary foreclosures. Thanks to everyone who responded to the VFW Action Alert to help in the passage of this bill to assist veterans in need. Read more.
VFW Presents Vietnam War Artifacts to Vietnamese Government in Washington: In a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and commitment to wartime accounting, VFW Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Tim Peters presented Vietnam War artifacts to representatives of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at a ceremony held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington, D.C. Hosted by Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dung, the artifacts—including a helmet, canteens, a journal, and ID cards—were accepted by Defense Attaché Senior Colonel Vu Quoc Ang. Donated by U.S. veterans and families, the items represent shared sacrifice and support ongoing efforts to account for those missing from the Vietnam War. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), led by Director Kelly McKeague, helped coordinate the event. The VFW continues to support U.S.-Vietnam cooperation on historical remembrance and accountability. Read full story.
VFW Testifies at House Subcommittee Hearing: VFW National Legislative Director Kristina Keenan testified at a hearing before the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health on VA’s community care program. This program allows veterans enrolled in VA health care to receive medical services from community providers when VA facilities cannot provide the care needed or when it is in the best medical interest of the veteran. Keenan provided input from VFW members and her personal experience using VA-coordinated community care. She highlighted the current challenges, specifically regarding scheduling appointments, unclear VA referral documents, slow payments by VA for community care bills, poor records sharing between community providers and VA, and other bureaucratic hurdles veterans face. She also stated the VFW's support for H.R. 740, Veterans' ACCESS Act of 2025, as it represents a step forward in addressing issues with the coordination of VA community care. Read the testimony or watch the hearing, which begins at the 1:02:59 mark.
VFW Joins DPAA in Vietnam for 30-Year Commemoration: VFW Past Commander-in-Chief Larry Rivers and VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci traveled to Hanoi, Vietnam, to participate in events marking 30 years of U.S.–Vietnam diplomatic relations and 40 years since the first American MIA recovery mission. Rivers, a Vietnam War veteran and former VFW Washington Office Executive Director, was recognized for his early efforts in rebuilding veteran-to-veteran ties with Vietnam. The delegation attended ceremonies, returned wartime artifacts, and presented DNA equipment to aid Vietnam’s efforts to identify its war missing. They also met with Vietnamese veterans and diplomatic organizations to strengthen ongoing cooperation. Read full story.
VFW Speaks at Roundtable with Defense Secretary: VFW Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Outreach Rob Couture participated in a veteran and military organization roundtable hosted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Secretary Hegseth emphasized his focus on warfighting, praised rising recruiting numbers and the recent pay raise for junior enlisted, and highlighted the strengthened collaboration between DOD and VA on military to civilian transition. Couture thanked the Secretary for his focus on transition efforts and committed to offering input during further DOD discussions on the topic. He also provided updates on the VFW Pre-Discharge program and reinforced the VFW's priority to pass the Major Richard Star Act.
VFW Forms New Partnership to Expand Veteran Services Capabilities: The VFW signed a landmark memorandum of understanding with the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO) to authorize cross-accreditation of representatives between the two organizations. This watershed agreement will add more than 2,200 VA-accredited representatives to the VFW’s global network of service officers, significantly expanding access, improving responsiveness, and streamlining the claims process. This partnership underscores the shared commitment of the VFW and NACVSO to ensure that veterans, their families, and survivors can access their rightfully earned benefits, always free of charge. Read more.