A roundup of legislative and state government news items of interest from Monday:
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BILL ADVANCES: Individuals and businesses in Iowa would be granted broader legal protection to take actions guided by their religious beliefs under a bill approved Monday by a Senate State Government subcommittee.
Sen. Dennis Guth, R-Klemme, said Senate File 436, known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, provides that government shall not substantially burden a personâs exercise of religion unless there is a compelling government interest and restrictions are implemented in the least restrictive manner.
If passed in the Legislature and signed into law, the bill would require courts to give heightened scrutiny to any legal claim brought against individuals who claim their actions were guided by their religion.
Bill Would Dramatically Expand Retirement Benefits for 42,000 Veterans
A player on the Air Force wheelchair basketball team takes a shot during a scrimmage at the Rambler Fitness Center March 22, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. (U.S. Air Force/Benjamin Faske)
1 Mar 2021
A measure just reintroduced in the Senate would dramatically expand disability benefits for veterans injured in combat.
The Major Richard Star Act would allow veterans who served less than 20 years before being medically retired due to combat-related injuries to receive both disability compensation and full retirement pay. Currently, only military retirees with at least 20 years of service and a disability rating of at least 50% can collect both benefits in their entirety.
Mar 1, 2021 12:07 PM EDT
The leaders of the House Veterans Affairs Committee are facing a number of challenges in the year ahead, when they will try to set new priorities for addressing a department riddled with years of leadership challenges.
In separate interviews, Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., and ranking member Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., said they were looking forward to working with newly confirmed VA Secretary Denis McDonough on issues including the treatment of women veterans, the vulnerability of veterans in cyberspace, and the way VA health facilities, especially state veterans’ homes, have handled COVID-19.
During the Trump administration, the VA was beset with problems related to leadership. After firing secretary Dave Shulkin via tweet in 2018, Trump nominated White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, who withdrew from consideration after questions arose about his creation of a hostile work environment and inappropriate work behavior. Th
By NIKKI WENTLING | STARS AND STRIPES Published: February 26, 2021 WASHINGTON The leaders of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee urged the Department of Veterans Affairs on Friday to add hypertension to the list of conditions presumed to be caused by Agent Orange a move that would grant eligibility for VA benefits to about 160,000 veterans. Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., wrote to new VA Secretary Denis McDonough asking him to exercise his authority on the issue. Vietnam War veterans have been waiting years for the VA to recognize a link between hypertension and exposure to chemical herbicides during the war.
VERIFY: No, the Vice President does not want to shut down the VA
The quote attributed to her in a viral post is made up and goes against the vice president’s record of assisting veterans. Author: 13 Investigates Updated: 2:27 AM EST February 25, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS A post circulating across social media falsely claims that Vice President Kamala Harris wants to stop funding the Department of Veterans Affairs and use the money to help refugee families instead. The vice president did not say the quote attributed to her. Instead, the quote and the story appear to originate from a satire website that says nothing on the site is real.