Explore

House Committee Subpoenas Oracle Executives Over Escalating Veterans' Health Records Project Costs

House Committee Subpoenas Oracle Executives Over Escalating Veterans' Health Records Project Costs

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee has issued subpoenas to Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and CEO Mike Sicilia. This action follows a contentious hearing regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic health records overhaul, which has seen its estimated cost nearly triple and its timeline extended. Originally projected to cost around $10 billion and be completed by 2028, the project is now expected to cost $27 billion and take an additional three years. Committee Chair Mike Bost (R-Ill.) stated that efforts to secure voluntary testimony from Oracle officials were unsuccessful, leading to the bipartisan vote for subpoenas. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed significant frustration over the project's ballooning expenses and delays, with Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisc.) calling it the "biggest boondoggle" in government. Oracle's software is central to this modernization effort, which began during President Trump's first term. Despite the VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence's assurance tha...

House Committee Votes to Subpoena Oracle Executives Amidst VA's $27 Billion EHRM Contract Concerns

House Committee Votes to Subpoena Oracle Executives Amidst VA's $27 Billion EHRM Contract Concerns

The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee has unanimously voted to subpoena Oracle Chairman and Chief Technology Officer Larry Ellison and Oracle Co-CEO Mike Sicilia. This decision follows a contentious hearing regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) electronic health record modernization (EHRM) contract with Oracle, which has seen its cost ceiling increase from $10 billion to nearly $27 billion. Lawmakers expressed outrage over the significant cost escalation and the lack of direct communication from Oracle or the VA about the contract modification. Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas) emphasized the need for accountability, stating that the committee is unified in demanding answers for veterans regarding the rising costs and perceived lack of progress. Oracle had declined an invitation to testify at the hearing, citing timing constraints, which further fueled the committee's decision to issue subpoenas.

House Panel to Scrutinize VA's Troubled Electronic Health Record Modernization Program

House Panel to Scrutinize VA's Troubled Electronic Health Record Modernization Program

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee is preparing to scrutinize the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) troubled Electronic Health Record (EHR) modernization program. This comes after the VA increased the ceiling on its Oracle EHR contract from approximately $10 billion to $27 billion in August, despite ongoing issues. A hearing titled "Beyond Go-Live: VA Electronic Health Record Modernization Status Update" is scheduled for September 2. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has repeatedly raised concerns about the program's management, noting in a 2025 report that the VA needed an updated cost estimate and schedule. A GAO report also found significant dissatisfaction among VA staff using the Oracle-Cerner EHR, with 58 out of 71 users interviewed in 2023 and 2024 reporting that the system increased or greatly increased patient safety risks. A separate September 2024 VA survey indicated that only 13% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the system made them as efficient as possible. As of Fe...

House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to Vote on Subcommittee Assignments for Rep. Maggie Goodlander

House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to Vote on Subcommittee Assignments for Rep. Maggie Goodlander

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, chaired by Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL), is scheduled to vote on a resolution on September 2 to formally assign Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) to specific subcommittees. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) serves as the ranking member of the committee. As of August 31, no witnesses have been identified for the hearing, and no legislation is currently attached to the vote. Rep. Goodlander, who represents New Hampshire's 2nd District, began her service in the U.S. House in January 2025. Her background includes service as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and prior experience as a foreign policy advisor to the late Sen. John McCain. Additionally, she served as a law clerk for Chief Judge Merrick Garland and Justice Stephen Breyer after completing law school.

Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander Appointed to House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittees on Health and Technology Modernization

Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander Appointed to House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittees on Health and Technology Modernization

Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) has been formally appointed to the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health and the Subcommittee on Technology Modernization. The resolution for her appointment was unanimously adopted by the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Goodlander, a former intelligence officer who served 11 years in the United States Navy Reserve, also holds positions on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Small Business Committee. She expressed her commitment to expanding veterans' care in New Hampshire, improving the VA medical center, and ensuring that technology used by veterans and VA workers is effective. Ranking Member Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-41) and Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX-08) welcomed her appointment, highlighting her firsthand experience and understanding of the challenges faced by servicemembers and veterans.

Rep. Henry Cuellar Co-Sponsors Bill to Reverse VA Home-Based Care Reimbursement Cuts for Rural Veterans

Rep. Henry Cuellar Co-Sponsors Bill to Reverse VA Home-Based Care Reimbursement Cuts for Rural Veterans

Representative Henry Cuellar has joined as an original co-sponsor of the "Protecting Home-Based Care for Rural Veterans Act of 2026." This House bill aims to reverse recent reimbursement cuts made by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for home-based care services. The proposed legislation seeks to restore reimbursement levels to those in effect before January 1, 2026. Additionally, it mandates a 90-day notice period before any future cuts are implemented and requires the VA to provide more detailed information regarding provider access and its rate-setting methodologies. Supporters of the bill highlight the adverse impacts of these cuts in states like Texas and New Mexico, while the VA has previously stated that earlier rates were above market levels. The bill has garnered bipartisan co-sponsors and endorsements from various veteran and home-care organizations. In related financial news, Cuellar disclosed $520,000 in fundraising during Q2 2026, with 65.2% from individual donors, and reported $245,900 ...

Jewish Creatives and Thinkers Defend Mark Ruffalo Against Antisemitism Accusations Amid Paramount-Warner Bros Merger Criticism

Jewish Creatives and Thinkers Defend Mark Ruffalo Against Antisemitism Accusations Amid Paramount-Warner Bros Merger Criticism

Over 170 prominent Jewish artists, writers, creative professionals, faith leaders, and thinkers, including Naomi Klein, have signed an open letter titled 'Enough!' in support of actor Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo faced accusations of antisemitism after criticizing the proposed $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD). His criticism highlighted the connections between Paramount Skydance, owned by David Ellison, and Oracle, a technology company owned by Ellison's father, Larry Ellison. Oracle has supplied software to the Israel Defense Forces for decades. Ruffalo argued that these 'profoundly scary technologies' could be integrated into one of the world's largest media conglomerates and used on the public. Paramount responded by stating they were 'troubled when antisemitic tropes are invoked in purported service of a business dispute.' The open letter dismisses these accusations as an 'outrageous smear campaign' and asserts that pointing out the connections between events in Ga...

Mark Ruffalo Defended by Hannah Einbinder, Joel Coen and More Than 170 Jewish Figures After Paramount Accuses Him of Using ‘Antisemitic Tropes’ — R...

Mark Ruffalo Defended by Hannah Einbinder, Joel Coen and More Than 170 Jewish Figures After Paramount Accuses Him of Using ‘Antisemitic Tropes’ — R...

More than 170 Jewish figures from the entertainment industry and beyond have signed a letter in support of Mark Ruffalo over what it asserts is a “smear campaign” against the actor. Among those supporting the letter — which claims that Ruffalo has been the subject of “spurious charges of antisemitism” — are Joel Coen, Todd Hayes, […]

Milpitas Teen's Nonprofit, HopeWorks, Delivers Over $100,000 in Free Dental Care to Bay Area Veterans

Milpitas Teen's Nonprofit, HopeWorks, Delivers Over $100,000 in Free Dental Care to Bay Area Veterans

A 17-year-old from Milpitas, Sanaah Pande, founded HopeWorks, a nonprofit organization that has provided over $100,000 in free dental care to veterans across the Bay Area. HopeWorks focuses on covering expensive, high-value procedures such as dental implants, root canals, and crowns, which are often not covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for most veterans. Pande, who comes from a military family, was inspired to create the nonprofit after an interview with a dying Navy veteran who had suffered from severe tooth pain and lacked access to dental care. The organization, based in Milpitas, operates with a team of volunteers and has a mobile dental office to reach veterans who cannot attend events. HopeWorks recently held an event where three dentists donated their time to perform approximately $15,000 worth of services for five veterans. The nonprofit aims to address a structural gap in veteran dental care, as full VA outpatient dental coverage is largely restricted to veterans who are 100% dis...

Representative Shontel Brown Calls for GAO Investigation into DOT's Airline Passenger Data Protection

Representative Shontel Brown Calls for GAO Investigation into DOT's Airline Passenger Data Protection

Representative Shontel Brown, a Democratic Representative from Ohio, along with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, has formally requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the Department of Transportation (DOT). The request stems from concerns regarding the DOT's alleged failure to protect commercial airline passenger data and its domestic regulatory obligations concerning travelers' privacy rights. The lawmakers assert that despite having the authority for over 40 years, the DOT has never taken a single privacy enforcement action, even after significant incidents exposed sensitive personal travel information of hundreds of millions of travelers. Specific concerns include unwarranted data access by the Airline Reporting Corporation, interagency coordination between the DOT and the Department of Justice regarding airline employees selling passenger data to the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the lack of public findings or enforcement actions from an industry-wide review launched in March 2024 into...

Representative Paul Gosar Challenges Puerto Rico's Municipal Construction Fees, Citing Federal Fund Misuse Concerns

Representative Paul Gosar Challenges Puerto Rico's Municipal Construction Fees, Citing Federal Fund Misuse Concerns

Representative Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, has formally requested that the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico (JSF) intervene against Puerto Rico's Law 215 of 2024. This law regulates the collection of municipal fees on construction projects. Representative Gosar argues that this legislation allows federal recovery funds to be used for municipal fees, which he believes inflates project costs and reduces the resources available for reconstruction efforts. He referenced a December 2025 letter from the Fiscal Board and stated that the controversy could jeopardize approximately $4 billion in federal funds. Representative Gosar has given the JSF until September 15 to respond to four questions regarding the law and its impact. He also questioned the use of these collected fees by some municipalities, citing an instance where $4 million was allegedly used for municipal police expenses and another where $500,000 was spent on festivals and entertainment in Humacao.

Senator Angus King Advances Efforts to Address Military Brain Injuries from Blast Overpressure

Senator Angus King Advances Efforts to Address Military Brain Injuries from Blast Overpressure

U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of both the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), is actively championing research into the traumatic effects of blast overpressure on military servicemembers. His legislative efforts led to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study, which reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) actions to assess, monitor, and mitigate health risks associated with blast overpressure from heavy weapons. The report, issued after Senator King's inclusion of the mandate in the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) through his Blast Overpressure Safety Act, highlighted critical steps taken by the DOD but also identified significant shortfalls. A primary concern is the shortage of industrial hygienists, who are essential for conducting sophisticated tests to evaluate and track these injuries. The GAO report also surveyed five factors impacting the mental health threat posed by blast overpressure: awareness, military hier...