Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County

06/24/2026

Our deepest condolences go out to the family, supporters and friends of Lake County Vice Chair Dr. Mary Ross Cunningham. She was an amazing woman who will truly be missed.

It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the Cunningham Family shares the passing of our beloved matriarch, Lake County Board Vice Chair Dr. Mary Ross Cunningham. Vice Chair Cunningham was the bedrock of our family, a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and guiding light. To the community, she was a towering figure in public service, a visionary leader, and a fearless trailblazer. Throughout her lifetime of leadership in Waukegan and Lake County, she championed the underserved, advocated tirelessly for equity and justice, and broke barriers with unmatched determination. Her decades of devotion to the community left a permanent mark on the region and transformed countless lives.

While we mourn this immense loss, we also celebrate a life beautifully and purposefully lived. Her spirit will continue to guide and inspire our family and the community she loved so dearly. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from family, friends, and neighbors during this incredibly difficult time. May our Mom and Grandma rest in peace.

06/23/2026

TSA works with the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening (VETS) Safe Travel Act which provides free TSA PreCheck® enrollment to veterans with qualifying service-connected disabilities.
Check out their website for more information.

https://www.tsa.gov/precheck/military/vets-safe

06/23/2026

President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as the next IT lead for the Department of Veterans Affairs told lawmakers this week that the agency’s technology operations are “a target-rich environment” for change, and he committed that organizational transformation would be among his top priorities if confirmed to the role.

During a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on Wednesday, Gary Shatswell — the administration’s nominee to serve as VA’s next chief information officer and assistant secretary for information and technology — said VA needs “a culture of transparency and accountability, achievable through agile program management, which will also accelerate mission delivery.”

VA’s IT operations are sprawling, with the agency reporting more than 16,000 personnel working on these technology services. Many high-profile modernization efforts overseen by the Office of Information and Technology, however, have received particular scrutiny for delays and cost overruns across administrations.

Gary Shatswell, President Donald Trump’s pick to helm VA’s IT operations, told lawmakers creating the office is “one of the first tasks that I will be going after” if confirmed to the role.

06/22/2026

On April 15, 2026, the VA Office of General Counsel published notice pertaining to the Freund v. Collins lawsuit (Freund). That notice addressed how the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Veterans Court) has certified the Freund lawsuit as a class action and appointed class counsel to represent the certified class’s interests. It also addressed how the Freund lawsuit’s parties have filed a proposed classwide settlement agreement (proposed class settlement), which the Veterans Court will review to ensure that it is fair, reasonable and adequate.

Part of the Veterans Court’s review will involve a hearing scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at 625 Indiana Ave. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20004. At the hearing, the Veterans Court will consider whether the proposed class settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate.

The Freund v. Collins fairness hearing is scheduled for Aug. 13, 2026, to consider whether the proposed class settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate.

06/21/2026

Today, we celebrate the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures who inspire us with their love, guidance, and unwavering support. Wishing all the amazing dads a very Happy Father’s Day.

06/20/2026

Today, Republicans unveiled a nearly 600-page veterans bill that includes a provision to fund the Major Richard Star Act by slashing benefits for other disabled veterans. Republicans’ proposal, S. 4744 - Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, includes up to $57 billion in cuts over the next 10 years for veterans currently eligible to receive disability benefits for tinnitus and sleep apnea to offset the costs of this legislation.

“Correcting this injustice for combat-injured veterans should be done without depriving other veterans of benefits they need and deserve which this Republican package would do,” said Blumenthal. “If Republicans insist on an offset in funding, which actually is unnecessary, then it should come from the Department of Defense, which has trillions of dollars available. In fact, the relevant programs are part of the Department of Defense, not VA. The resources to pay for these wounds of war could come from the Department of Defense, not other disabled veterans. I will continue to fight for the Major Richard Star Act.”

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, Republicans unveiled a nearly 600-page veterans bill that includes a provision to fund the Major Richard Star Act by...

06/19/2026

House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), today released the following statements announcing comprehensive, sweeping legislation to pass the Major Richard Star Act – as well as over 60 bipartisan bills – through a negotiated veterans’ package between the House and the Senate in the coming weeks. The comprehensive veterans’ package, the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, was introduced today. H.R. 9237 bill text can be found here.



“As our nation heads into its 250th anniversary, we are reminded of the generations of men and women who have raised their right hand and served to protect and defend America and all that she represents,” said Chairman Bost. “Over the past few months, we have heard from the thousands veteran voices who want to see Congress pass the Major Richard Star Act to grant thousands of disabled veterans the benefits they are eligible for. Today, I am proud to announce, alongside my friend, Chairman Moran, that we have found a path forward for this bill to get it across the finish line, in addition to over 60 bipartisan bills to protect healthcare access, cut out the red tape in the VA disability benefits system, advance economic opportunities, and put veterans – not government bureaucracy – back at the center of VA’s mission – for good. My message to the millions of men and women who have served, their families, and their survivors is simple: you have our commitment that this Republican majority will continue to lead from the front and deliver results on the issues that matter to you and your families. Let’s get it done.”

WASHINGTON, DC – House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (R-Ill.) and Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), today released the following statements announcing comprehensive, sweeping legislation to pass the Major Richard Star Act – as well as ov...

06/17/2026

In 2019, Army Spc. Lauren Palladini was rushed to a hospital for a cesarean section delivery of her daughter, Everly. During the procedure at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the medical resident lacerated her right uterine artery. It was a life-threatening error that would eventually cost her any chance of having more children. It would also launch a six-year, uphill battle for accountability.

In the weeks that followed, Palladini hemorrhaged seven times. She underwent two dilation and curettage, or D&C, procedures, a Bakri balloon placement, two uterine artery embolizations, and multiple blood and plasma transfusions. Ultimately, she underwent a hysterectomy, leaving her, at 22, unable to have more children.

“What followed was a seven-year fight for answers and six years navigating the military medical malpractice claims process,” Palladini said. As the years went by, she came to see the Army’s medical care as “a system that felt designed to protect itself rather than provide transparency or accountability to those it serves.”

Since 2020, the military has received 764 claims under a 2019 law intended to provide malpractice compensation. Just 10% have been approved.