Veterans and their supporters gathered on the National Mall in Washington for the Unite for Veterans rally, a day-long event billed as a grassroots movement to activate vets across the country to come together and oppose the Trump administration’s initiatives that include layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs and cuts to veterans services.

A federal watchdog reported findings from a review of an automated compensation calculator that was part of a web-based benefits management system. Errors resulted when the calculator was figuring payments for certain disability combinations.

Lawmakers on Thursday voted 9-6 at a hearing of the committee’s subpanel on military construction, veterans affairs and related agencies to advance the GOP-led bill to the full committee for consideration. The bill would is an increase of more than $50 billion from 2025.

Advocacy groups that help veterans file disability claims for free with the Department of Veterans Affairs are opposing a Republican-led bill that would enable commercial companies to charge thousands of dollars for the same service.

Congress has appropriated a $31.7 billion increase to the $369.1 billion spending plan to cover veterans disability compensation and medical care through the Toxic Exposures Fund that is required under federal law.

The Navy announced the termination of all research testing on cats and dogs, after facing increased pressure from lawmakers and animal rights groups.

Organizers of a veteran-led rally scheduled for June 6 in the nation’s capital said they expect about 20,000 people to turn out for a protest against plans by the Department of Veterans Affairs for large staffing cuts and the elimination of hundreds of contracts for veterans services.

The Critical Access for Veterans Care Act would enable veterans to obtain care from hospitals and clinics with a “critical access” designation without first getting a referral or approval from a VA doctor.

The “In Memory” ceremony will move to the grounds of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, a private memorial in Alexandria, Va., according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the event sponsor.

The horse-drawn caissons of the 3rd Infantry Regiment that have carried the caskets of service members to gravesites at Arlington National Cemetery since 1948 are scheduled to formally resume service on June 2 after a two-year suspension over concerns for the herd’s health and welfare.