If the two new chairmen of the Veterans’ Affairs Committees have their way, VA will get more money—and perhaps a completed spending bill. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) plans to justify a funding level increase as “a cost of war.” In a joint statement, Akaka explained that he doesn’t want Congressional VA committees to have to “stand in line with other committees for whatever is there in the treasury.” The statement notes that VA was in store for a $3 billion plus up for Fiscal 2007, but Congress failed to finalize the agency’s spending bill.
The U.S. began extensive air and artillery strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria on Dec. 19 in retaliation for the killing of three Americans on Dec. 13 by a gunman affiliated with ISIS, U.S. officials said.
