Lawmakers Want to Overturn Civil War-era Ban on Attorneys: A bill introduced by members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee would permit veterans to hire lawyers to represent them in efforts to obtain federal benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. A law enacted nearly 150 years ago prohibits veterans from seeking legal help to work through a maze of VA regulations and provisions. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), the co-sponsor of the legislation, said, “This overdue change will significantly improve veterans’ access to the VA and expedite just outcomes.”
The Air Force is conducting a detailed investigation of environmental hazards at ICBM bases as part of its broad study of cancer risks at the facilities. There is an improved understanding of the environment and factors that can affect the issue, as well as better technology and “access both to…