SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

As the nation prepares to honor those who’ve served, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins is talking about the progress being made to better serve America’s more than 17 million veterans.

This year, the VA has rolled out reforms aimed at strengthening benefits, improving access to care, and expanding support for veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.

The department reports several key milestones that mark what it calls a “new era of accountability and service.”

Among the department’s key accomplishments, the backlog of Veterans waiting for benefits has dropped by 45% since January, and the VA processed a record 3 million disability claims in fiscal year 2025 — the highest in its history.

The agency also opened 20 new health care

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