Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs has decided to allow the same-sex spouse of a member of the military to be buried in a U.S. national cemetery. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki used his discretionary authority to allow the burial of Nancy Lynchild's ashes, the agency said Thursday. [ Read more → ]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) on Monday asked a federal court to block efforts by U.S. House Republicans to further delay a decorated 12-year U.S. Army veteran in a legal same-sex marriage from seeking the same benefits provided to other married veterans and their spouses. [ Read more → ]

WASHINGTON -- A law firm that is part of the challenge against California's Proposition 8 this week filed a "friend of the court" brief on behalf of a coalition of national veterans' service organizations asking the court to strike down laws discriminating against gay and lesbian veterans. [ Read more → ]

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) refusal to grant equal disability benefits to an Army veteran in a same-sex marriage is a violation of the veteran’s constitutional rights, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the law firm of WilmerHale. [ Read more → ]

DALLAS -- A spokesperson for the Dallas Veterans Affairs Center has confirmed that nurse practitioner Lincy Pandithurai would "retire from federal service" effective Jan. 21 after being accused of anti-gay harassment. [ Read more → ]