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Analysis: Veterans and Israel do well in Congress 08/04/2014 04:32am • DAVID ESPO AP Special Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) -- In more than five years in Congress, Republican Rep. John Fleming of Louisiana recalls voting only once for emergency spending that raised the federal deficit.That was this week, on a bill to improve health care for veterans, and it helps explai 2 Americans detained in North Korea seek US help 08/02/2014 09:26pm • ERIC TALMADGE Associated Press PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) -- Two American tourists charged with "anti-state" crimes in North Korea said Friday they expect to be tried soon and pleaded for help from the U.S. government to secure their release from what they say could be long prison terms.In their fi House GOP weighs tough new immigration bills 08/01/2014 09:14pm • DONNA CASSATA Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans pushed legislation on Friday that could clear the way for eventual deportation of more than 500,000 immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as kids and could address the surge of immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.Yet President B Congress sends VA overhaul to White House 08/01/2014 11:02am • MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congress passed a landmark bill Thursday to help veterans avoid long waits for health care and fix other problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs.A 91-3 vote in the Senate sent the $16.3 billion measure to President Barack Obama for his signatur House approves VA health care overhaul 07/31/2014 05:50pm • MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House overwhelmingly approved a landmark bill Wednesday to help veterans avoid long waits for health care that have plagued the Veterans Affairs Department for years.The $16.3 billion measure also would allow the VA to hire thousands of doctors an List of proposed new VA medical facilities 07/31/2014 02:11pm • The Associated Press New Veterans Affairs medical facilities would be opened under a House-Senate compromise bill to shorten delays in treating veterans. The legislation authorizes $1.3 billion to lease 27 new outpatient clinics and other medical facilities in 18 states and Puerto Rico. Most will n What's in bill to overhaul VA 07/31/2014 12:28pm • The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congress is set to adopt a landmark bill to help veterans avoid long waits for health care, hire more doctors and nurses to treat them and make it easier to fire senior executives at the Veterans Affairs Department. The House approved the bill Wednesday, with Congress cooperates _ and fights _ as recess nears 07/31/2014 02:26am • DAVID ESPO AP Special Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) -- Eager to begin a monthlong break, Congress leavened its customary heavy partisanship on Wednesday with a pinch of compromise, advancing legislation to repair the deeply troubled Department of Veterans Affairs and working to clear funds for highw VA wants to fire 2 accused of manipulating data 07/30/2014 06:20pm • DAN ELLIOTT Associated Press DENVER (AP) -- The Veterans Affairs Department said it wants to fire two supervisors accused of manipulating health care data in Colorado and Wyoming.The VA said Tuesday that four other employees face suspension, demotion or admonishment.The firings would be the stronges Partisan gridlock robs senators of feel-good laws 07/30/2014 12:38pm • CHARLES BABINGTON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- The "Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014" seemed ideal for Sen. Kay Hagan's re-election bid in politically divided North Carolina, where many people like to hunt and fish. Her bill would open more federal lands to hunters, and conservation groups Partisan gridlock robs senators of feel-good laws 07/30/2014 12:38pm • CHARLES BABINGTON Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- The "Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014" seemed ideal for Sen. Kay Hagan's re-election bid in politically divided North Carolina, where many people like to hunt and fish. Her bill would open more federal lands to hunters, and conservation groups Billions of GI Bill funds go to for-profit schools 07/30/2014 10:29am • KIMBERLY HEFLING AP Education Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have flocked to for-profit colleges, including a troubled chain that is closing or selling its campuses amid a series of federal and state investigations.A report to be released Wednesday from the office of Sen. To Khmer Rouge tribunal clears way for genocide trial 07/30/2014 09:45am • ABBY SEIFF Associated Press PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- A United Nations-assisted tribunal on Wednesday cleared the way to begin the genocide trial of two elderly former top leaders of Cambodia's 1970s Khmer Rouge regime.Survivors of the communist regime's reign of terror, along with students and B Obama eats ribs with 4 Kansas City letter writers 07/30/2014 03:38am • NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- President Barack Obama feasted on barbecue Tuesday with four people who wrote him letters in a trip to highlight the struggles of working families in American's heartland, as the clock ticked on pressing issues before Congress goes on summer br Senate confirms McDonald as VA secretary 07/30/2014 03:16am • MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate on Tuesday unanimously confirmed former Procter & Gamble CEO Robert McDonald as the new Veterans Affairs secretary, with a mission to overhaul an agency beleaguered by long veterans' waits for health care and VA workers falsifying records t