The benefit in question provides reimbursement of travels costs to get access to otherwise noncovered reproductive health care services. Abortion, diversity training and COVID prevention are again hot-button issues in the military appropriations plan for next year. A plan to boost young troops' pay by an extra 15% next year will cost more than $24 billion over the next five years, officials said. Defense and veterans hearings for the week of June 10, 2024. The president's speech urged Americans to look after democracy, 40 years after Ronald Reagan gave a similar address. Defense and veterans hearings for the week of June 3, 2024. VA's top leader is expected to face harsh questioning about mistakes made in awarding nearly $11 million in senior executive bonuses last year. Sen. Wicker's plan lays out an additional $55 billion above FY25 defense spending caps. All men ages 18 to 26 would be automatically enrolled in the Selective Service System under a plan approved by a House committee Wednesday night. VA would see a 10% boost in funding under a plan advanced by Republican appropriators on Tuesday, but Democrats oppose other parts of the bill. Load More