The Executive Order that created the Veterans Administration turns 96 today. The promises made by America to veterans go back to our founding. As does the history of veterans standing up and advocating for the benefits promised, for those who served before them, and those who will serve after.

OCTOBER 25, 1988 President Reagan signed PL 100-527, replacing the Veterans Administration with the Cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs. It kept the familiar initials 'VA.' Reagan said it gave Cabinet rank 'not just to an agency within the Government but to every single veteran.'

JUNE 13, 1979 Counseling moves into the community PL 96-22 created walk-in Vet Centers — in storefronts, garages, and basements — often staffed by Vietnam veterans, for those reluctant to use VA hospitals Max Cleland promised walk-in help without 'the stigma of a mental-health unit record

JUNE 18, 1973 The national cemeteries come to VA PL 93-43 moved 82 cemeteries from the Army to VA, creating a 103-cemetery network. VA also took over government-issued headstones and markers. In its first year, VA handled more than 36,600 interments and delivered 208,009 headstones and markers.

JANUARY 3, 1946 PL 79-293 let VA hire doctors directly, and tie its hospitals to medical schools, the forerunner of today's Veterans Health Administration. General Omar Bradley and Dr. Paul Hawley (Chief Medical Director for the VA) threatened to resign on New Year's Eve unless Truman signed.

JUNE 22, 1944 Roosevelt signs the GI Bill Tuition, education, training, home, farm and business loans, unemployment pay, job counseling, and $500 million for new veterans hospitals. One vote short, the American Legion flew Rep. John Gibson overnight from Georgia to DC to cast the deciding vote.

MAY 29, 1932 The Bonus Army reaches DC WWI veterans demanded payment of certificates not due until 1945. After Congress refused, federal troops cleared and burned the veteran camps; payment finally came in 1936. 94% of marchers were veterans 67% had served overseas 20% were disabled in service

JULY 21, 1930 Executive Order 5398 combined the Veterans' Bureau, Bureau of Pensions, and National Home into one agency. Frank Hines was sworn in as first administrator two days later. The new agency reused the old seal — swapping 'BUREAU' for 'ADMINISTRATION' and stamping 1930 inside the buckle.

AUGUST 9, 1921 Congress consolidated WWI compensation, insurance, rehabilitation, and medical programs into a single Bureau, and expanded hospital capacity nationwide. The claims office was fielding 20,000+ requests a month — and a 1920 report said 10,000 more hospital beds were needed.

MARCH 3, 1865 The first federal home for disable soldiers opened at Togus, Maine. The home started here grew to 11 campuses offering housing, care, education, and work. The home took over a failed 1,900-acre, 134-room hotel and racetrack resort locally nicknamed 'Beal's Folly.'

JULY 17, 1862 Congress authorized the creation of national cemeteries for those who died in service. Federal teams returned to battlefields, military hospitals, prison camps, campaign routes, and shorelines to locate temporary graves, and give the dead dignified, permanent resting places.

AUGUST 26, 1776 The Continental Congress promised half pay for life to soldiers and sailors left unable to earn a living by their wounds. Congress had no money to run it, so veterans filed claims through their home states. Half pay meant $3.33 a month for a private — and $37.50 for a colonel.

Today in History: July 21st, 1930: President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398, combining the Veterans' Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers into one independent Veterans Administration. Let's look at the history that built today's VA 🧵

The mission of the National Guard is defending the nation and answering emergencies at home. Street policing in the District is neither. We joined 25 other organizations in urging Gov. Whitmer to bring Michigan's National Guard home. Our statement: www.chamberlainnetwork.us/the-report/t...

Today we joined 25 partner organizations urging Gov. Whitmer to bring Michigan's National Guard home from Washington, DC. Four governors have withdrawn forces already. Michigan's are slated to stay through August. The Guard belongs to Michigan. The letter: www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson by two Tennessee National Guard soldiers assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force during an early Sunday morning foot pursuit in downtown Memphis. Our statement:

163 years ago today, a professor from Maine ordered a bayonet charge on Little Round Top, and saved the Union. Four months later, Lincoln told the country why: fidelity to a promise that the republic would endure. That promise turns 250 this week. It has never kept itself. The work continues.

What does the recent Supreme Court decision about mail-in ballots (Watson v. RNC) mean for the military and for veterans. @itsapurdy.bsky.social explains

Veterans swear an oath to the Constitution. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed one of its clearest promises: birthright citizenship. We were proud to defend that principle in an amicus brief. We will keep defending it. www.chamberlainnetwork.us/the-report/t...

Today's mail in voting ruling is a win for every service member stationed overseas who mailed their ballot on time and trusted that it would count. It is a win for military families, for rural voters, for seniors, & for people with disabilities. www.chamberlainnetwork.us/the-report/s...

Nearly two dozen states challenged the president's order that sought to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot. www.pbs.org/newshour/pol...

1/ The Senate just voted 50–48 to adopt H. Con. Res. 86, after the House passed the same War Powers measure 215–208. Let's dig into what happened, what the measure does, its legal effect, why the vote still matters, and what Congress can do next. 🧵 (a thread) www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/u...

Starting soon: Our June member call is tonight at 6 PM ET. Updates, ways to plug in, and a room full of veterans protecting democracy. New faces welcome. Register now: zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Tomorrow. 6 PM ET. Join our monthly member call, where veterans connect, plug in, and get to work protecting democracy. New faces always welcome. Register: zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Federal agents raided the Ohio Organizing Collaborative’s offices, targeted staff homes, and seized devices. It is a gross abuse of power to use federal law enforcement to intimidate the people doing the work of democracy. TCN's Full statement: www.chamberlainnetwork.us/the-report/o...

For veterans, service members, and military families, this vote means Congress has begun to do the job the Constitution assigns it. For that, we who swore an oath to defend that Constitution are thankful. Full statement: www.chamberlainnetwork.us/the-report/t...

It's a tradition that runs from 1813 to today. The point is simple: serving far from home shouldn't cost you your vote. Military or overseas voter? → FVAP.gov

For troops overseas and citizens abroad, voting isn't a walk to the polls. A ballot has to make a round trip — out across bases, ships, and foreign mail, then all the way back. Here's how voting overseas works, and how the story of the military voting while deployed is much older than 1986 🧵

Read about Congress’s tools under the War Powers Resolution once the statutory 60-day clock has run: www.chamberlainnetwork.us/war-powers-p...