Recent News of VMF Interest for July-August 2025


What’s VMF been up to lately?

Statement from the VMF Chair and Vice Chair regarding the June 24th Congressional Hearing on FVAP 

VMF Member Opinion: A Sad Day For America When Veterans Get Excluded From SNAP, Medicaid 

VMF Statement in Memoriam of Democrats Abroad Member Gene Gerth 

VMF Member Opinion: Trump Administration Shamefully Refuses To Recognize And Honor Women Veterans 

VMF Member Opinion: Whether The Administration Cares To Admit It, All Federal Agencies Contribute To Our National Security 

​VMF Member Opinion: PA State And Local Races This November Are Too Important To Ignore 

​New Podcast Episode: Marine Veteran and Chair of NM’s VMF Caucus Chats with VMF about Issues and 2026 Elections

New Podcast Episode: A Shout-Out To Democrats Abroad Spain For Creating A New VMF Caucus! 

VMF Advocacy: Military Families Resist! VMF Encourages All Kids To Participate In The “Uncensor My Summer” Campaign 

VMF Education: Visiting the U.S. Anytime Soon? Be Sure to Check Out These Museums of Particular VMF Interest 

VMF Education: Interested In Sharing Your Military Story With The Veterans History Project, But Not Sure Where To Start? VMF Can Help. 

What’s been on Americans’ minds lately?

Opinion [Video]: Veteran Encourages Others to Stand Up to Gutting of VA Services 

Opinion: President’s word ‘worth a bucket of warm spit’ 

Op-Ed: Trump praises the military, but cuts care for veterans 

Opinion: Counting All Americans Living Abroad in the 2030 Census for Congressional Apportionment 

Editorial: Canceled town halls, shrugged-off support staff disrespect value of Pittsburgh VA 

Opinion: Still thinking about moving abroad after the election? Advice from a Minnesotan in Europe. 

Opinion: Renaming bases is a waste and disgrace 

Opinion: VA healthcare system under attack 

​​Opinion: Veterans health care is not only a federal issue 

Opinion: We tell military families they serve, too. It’s time colleges prove it. 

Opinion: What Veterans Need to Know About the VA Privatization Push 

Op-Ed: I’m a Conservative Evangelical. I’m Done With the Army. 

Opinion: VA staffers can’t be allowed to choose the patients they will help 

Opinion: Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Passed: What US Expats Need to Know 

Opinion: Trump is opening the door to scams targeting military families 

Opinion: Serve the people of North Dakota 

Opinion: Is the VA Listening? Vets Say They’re Still Waiting, Still Frustrated 

Opinion: Wyoming's entire congressional delegation is guilty of malpractice 

Opinion: FNN Interview: It’s Military Consumer Month—and if you’re a veteran or part of a military family, you might be missing out on benefits you’ve earned 

Opinion: The U.S. just fired nearly 1,400 diplomats. That should alarm us all 

Opinion: The Cost of Spouse Volunteerism 

Opinion: PCS Hair Hustle: Why finding a Black stylist shouldn’t be a military mission 

Opinion: Reap what you sow 

Opinion: The right to vote doesn't end with our service 

Opinion: A veteran’s uneasy view of fireworks 

Opinion: Are We Becoming a Fascist Nation? 

Opinion: The lives of millions of veterans are on the line with proposed Medicaid cuts 

What else has been in the media lately?

​Dems Abroad Statement: H.R. 4851 - New Threat to Overseas Voting Rights Introduced in Congress 

Upcoming Webinar (8/27/2025, 1:00 PM ET): Health of Veteran Families in America 

New GAO Report: 2030 Census: Preparations Are Underway with Changes to How the Count Takes Place 

Dems Abroad Statement: New Global Team Leadership in 2025 

Dems Abroad Tax Team Statement: A Summary of the Remittance Tax for Americans Abroad (as of July 12, 2025) 

Article (w/ Dems Abroad mention): GOP’s Latest Voter Suppression Target: Overseas Americans 

News Video (w/ Dems Abroad Members): Mexican town welcomes US emigres 

Dems Abroad Statement: Dem Senators Speak Out on the Rescissions Act 

Letter: House Democrats Demand Answers from DoD, VA, and DHS Regarding Veteran Deportations 

Letter: Padilla, Durbin, Welch, Colleagues Condemn DOJ’s Baseless Voter Fraud Investigations 

Letter: Jeffries-Schumer Demand Big Four Meeting To Discuss Bipartisan Appropriations Plan Ahead of September Deadline 

Letter: Dem Senators Call on Secretary Collins Stop Endangering VA Research 

Letter from Military Veteran and Family Organizations to Secretary Hegseth on Civilian Harm Mitigation Programs 

Letter: Rep. Vicente Gonzalez sends letter to ICE, attempts to delay deportation of South Texas business owner, mother of two U.S. service members 

​Letter: Senators Demand Explanation After Disabled Veteran Is Forced to Self-Deport 

​Blog Post: Working People Condemn Union-Busting at Veterans Affairs 

​Letter: Rep. Castor slams VA Secretary for turning his back on America's veterans, terminating worker protections in Tampa Bay 

​Letter: Senators Collins, Daines, Cortez-Masto Send Letter to DOL Urging Support for Rural Veterans 

Dems Abroad Article: Calling U.S. Landlines from Abroad 

Dems Abroad Article: Signs of Resistance - Host a Poster Making Party 

HVAC Press Release: Ranking Member Takano Condemns Trump Administration's Rollback of Veterans' Reproductive Healthcare Protections 

SVAC Press Release: Blumenthal Slams VA's Move to Stop Providing Life-Saving Abortions to Veterans 

Press Release: Sens. Murray, Duckworth, Booker, Schumer, Reps. Larsen, Jacobs Reintroduce Legislation to Help Veterans Struggling with Infertility Grow Their Families 

Article: New Hampshire Enacts Strict New ID Rules for Absentee Voting 

Article: VA to end abortion services in cases of rape and incest 

Article: The Illusion of Choice 

Article: Private Prisons Cash In on Trump's Mass Deportations 

Article: The Supreme Court Prepares to End Voting Rights as We Know Them 

Article: Miss United States Files Restraining Order Against GOP Rep. Cory Mills 

Press Release: Secretary Benson's statement on court ruling protecting voting rights of Michigan's military and overseas citizens 

Article: Moving Overseas? TRICARE Has You Covered 

Video: Marine's wife released from immigrant prison with ankle monitor; discusses her two-month ordeal 

Article: As Democrats look ahead to the midterms, they’re recruiting plenty of veterans 

Article: DoD: No ‘Termination Date’ Set for Legacy Retiree IDs 

Press Release: Arizona Launches Upgraded UOCAVA Voting System to Ensure Secure, Anonymous Ballots for Military and Overseas Voters 

CAP Press Release: New CBO Report Confirms Congressional Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill Explodes the Debt by as Much as $5 Trillion 

Article: Hegseth’s ousting of female leaders may have ‘chilling effect’ at Pentagon 

Article: Federal bill would exempt pope from U.S. taxes, ‘safeguard’ his American citizenship 

Did You Know? [Current] Military spouses are eligible for free, one-year subscriptions to FlexJobs, a leading site for job seekers looking for remote and flexible careers. 

Press Release: Blumenthal, Crapo & Warren File Major Richard Star Act as Amendment to Must-Pass Defense Bill 

Article: Community reactions to the election of a new pope who has ties to the US military 

Article: VA backs down on mass layoffs, will cut 30K through attrition only 

Article: VA launches a department-wide ‘review of its mission’ as it seeks changes to its operations 

Article: ‘Nobody to Watch My Twins.’ Military Spouses Quit Jobs, Families Bust Budgets in Scramble for Child Care 

Article: Battle over transgender troops reignites on Capitol Hill 

Article: Veterans Urge Trump to Declassify Documents About Gulf War Syndrome 

VA Press Release: VA to reduce staff by nearly 30K by end of FY2025 

Press Release: House Republicans’ Military Construction-VA Funding Bill Raises the Costs of Veterans Health Care, Hurts Military Readiness 

Article: Department of Justice plans to ask all states for detailed voting info 

Article: PCS with a Plan: How Workplace Flexibility Empowers Military Spouses—and Employers 

Article: This World War I Plane Has Two Claims to Fame: It Was One of the Deadliest Fighter Aircraft of Its Time, and It Was Flown by Snoopy 

Blog Post: Have You Ever Wondered What a Warrant Officer Actually Does? From Service to Screen, a Veteran’s Film Shines Light on a Military Rank 

Article: The U.S. Air Force Wants to Buy Tesla Cybertrucks to Use Them for Target Practice 

Article: Exodus at VA: 10,000 Employees Are Resigning in September. Here’s the List 

Article: Mass Deportations Are Worsening the Caregiving Crisis 

VA Article: Affordable dental insurance for CHAMPVA beneficiaries 

Article: Veterans’ Care at Risk Under Trump as Hundreds of Doctors and Nurses Reject Working at VA Hospitals

Press Release: FBI Opens Standalone Office in New Zealand 

Press Release: Blumenthal, Senate & House VA Committees Leaders Applaud Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Help Veterans Keep Their Homes 

New GAO Report: Veterans Health: Information About Veterans’ Exposure to Open-Air Burning in Vietnam 

DNC Press Release: Trump Administration on Pace to Reduce VA Workforce by 30,000, Threatening Millions of Veterans’ Hard-Earned Benefits 

Press Release: Morelle Led Democrats in Highlighting the Need to Protect Access to the Ballot Box for American Voters Abroad 

Ph.D. Dissertation: Bridging the Gap: Exploring V Bridging the Gap: Exploring Veterans Transition from Military Service to Higher Education 

Article: Changes to how overseas NC military members vote 

News Video: The high-ranking military women trailblazers removed by Hegseth 

Article: Justice Allison Riggs warns US senators right to vote could ‘crumble before our eyes’ 

Article: VA terminates union contracts for most employees 

Article: Father of 3 Marines who was forcibly detained by immigration agents speaks out 

Article: What Pete Hegseth Doesn't Understand About Soldiers 

Article: Tim Kennedy, Green Beret and Army Hype Man, Under Investigation for Lying About Combat Valor 

Article: Veterans Are Speaking Clearly on Suicide Prevention. It’s Time for a New Strategy. 

Article: GOP megabill’s final score: $3.4T in red ink and 10 million kicked off health insurance, CBO says 

Article: A million veterans gave DNA for medical research. Now the data is in limbo 

Article: Why Virginia’s Legislature Holds All the Cards 

Article: Purple Hearts for PTSD? VA Expands Recognition for Invisible Injuries 

Article: 'We need to be doing a better job': Veterans Crisis Line overwhelmed by volume of contacts, disruptive callers 

Article: TSA expands security checkpoint lanes for families with children and military members 

Article: ‘How much does it cost for fascism?’: Tensions erupt at Nebraska GOP congressman’s town hall 

Press Release: VFW Joins DPAA in Vietnam for 30-Year Commemoration 

Article: State Bills Would Require Passport or Birth Certificate to Register to Vote 

Article: Troops, Veterans Advocates Want to See the PACT Act Better Track Toxic Exposures 

Article: Lobbying Update: $220,000 of ACCENTURE FEDERAL SERVICES LLC lobbying was just disclosed, article (VA's contractor for creating the Digital GI Bill) 

Article: Facing Painful Cuts, the V.A. Reported Dubious Savings to DOGE 

Article: Americans are less proud to be Americans, as polling shows erosion of national patriotism over a decade 

Letter: Congressional Democrats Demand Trump Administration Cease Plans to Decimate DHS Intelligence Office 

Article: TRICARE Coverage for National Guard and Reserve Members: Know Your Options 

Article: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Dismisses $95M Overdraft Case Vs. Navy Federal Credit Union 

Article: Wyoming’s Largest County Finds No Evidence of Noncitizen Voting, Undermining State’s Anti-Voting Law 

Article: Pentagon Tightens Rules on Getting Medical Waivers to Join the Military 

Article: DOD Launching New Authentication System to Replace DS Logon 

Article: Disabled veteran who is a US citizen was taken during SoCal immigration raid, family says 

Article: New to TRICARE? Here’s How To Get Started With Your Benefit 

Article: Archive to give African American veterans a voice 

Article: New Report Finds People of Color Underrepresented in Top Staff Roles in the U.S. House 

Article: Soldiers Are Taking a Stand Against Trump’s Abuses 

Article: US military community in Japan celebrates Fourth of July holiday 

American Legion News: Tax Savings for Seniors 

Article: 80 years later, a Holocaust survivor meets an American soldier who helped free him 

Article: ‘Making America militarized again’: Use of military in U.S. erodes democracy, veteran advocates say 

Article: Army Secretary Fires Entire Corps of Civilian Advisers from Communities Across US 

Article: World-traveling Air Force couple shares tips for family adventures 

Article: 'I thought this debate was over:' Female veterans defend women in the armed forces and their place in military history 

Lawsuit: House Democrats Sue ICE For Barring Access To Detention Facilities 

GAO Testimony to Congress: Veterans Crisis Line: Actions Needed to Better Ensure Effectiveness of Communications with Veterans 

Article: Medicare Portability Act promises lifeline for Fil-Am retirees in PH 

Article: DoDEA Launches Seal of Biliteracy to Prepare Students for a Global World

Article: House OKs Moylan amendment for a VA regional office on Guam; governor says it's 'victory for all of us' 

Article: More Americans Can Get Compensated for Nuclear Poisoning — But There’s a Catch 

Interview/Article: “Inhumane”: Marine Veteran Calls for ICE to Release His Father After Video of Brutal Arrest Goes Viral 

Article: Texas man born on U.S. Army Base abroad deported to country he's never been to and left stateless 

Article: Tech Titans Join the Army—No Boot Camp Required 

Article: 6 military-inspired properties for rent on Airbnb (p. 12) 

Article: Hegseth abandoned by aides as Pentagon left in turmoil 

Article: Congressional Equality Caucus rips House Republicans’ bill abandoning transgender veterans’ health care 

Article: Calls to GI Hotlines Rise as Service Members Consider Defying Trump’s Orders 

Article: Big Beautiful Bill Is Now Law: Here's What It Means For Military Families 

Article: Former DNC chair Jaime Harrison launches a podcast — and invites Hunter Biden as an early guest 

Press Release: DHS to End ‘Shoes-Off’ Travel Policy 

Study: Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors among Post-9/11 Veterans: Investigating Longitudinal Change and Interactions with Mental Health 

Board of Veterans Appeals Decision: VA must readjudicate veteran's FMP claim 

Press Release: DCCC Statement on News of Don Bacon’s Retirement 

DNC Press Release: DNC, DCCC, DSCC, DGA, and ASDC Announce Coordinated “Organizing Summer” Program to Build Momentum Ahead of 2025 Elections, 2026 Midterms 

GAO Report: VA and DOD Health Care: Agreements to Share Services and Other Resources Should Be Evaluated 

Article: AZ GOP contends overseas voting for non-residents is illegal 

Article: US Tourism Plunges By Nearly Thirty Billion Dollars In 2025 As Global Travel Accelerates And Domestic Obstacles Continue To Grow