The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs recently held a hearing to examine the Veterans Health Administration’s internal reorganization and ongoing efforts to strengthen access to care for veterans. My focus during the hearing was ensuring that as the VA works to modernize operations, veterans continue to receive the care they have earned without disruption.

Year after year, Congress hears from veterans, health care providers and VA leaders about how internal bureaucracy can slow decision-making and complicate the delivery of care. While the Department of Veterans Affairs has made meaningful progress, including lowering the claims backlog, opening new facilities nationwide, expanding access to women’s health services and supporting veteran-focused projects, inefficiencies within the system still create challenges. The VA’s RISE initiative is intended to address these concerns by streamlining management and clarifying responsibilities.

During the hearing, I questioned VA leadership on how they are protecting continuity of care throughout this process. I emphasized that veterans’ ability to receive timely, high-quality care must remain unaffected as changes are implemented. 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins underscored that the purpose of RISE is to improve care by cutting through unnecessary red tape, not by reducing services or frontline staff. He highlighted examples of progress already underway, including removing bureaucratic layers that slowed access to community care and improving how women veterans receive gynecological and obstetric services, allowing them to get the care they need more efficiently. 

Additional testimony from VA leadership reinforced that the reorganization focuses on policy and management structures — not medical centers or frontline providers. Medical Center directors and clinicians will continue delivering care as they do today, while benefiting from a clearer chain of command and better support. Importantly, frontline staff have been involved in shaping the reorganization from the beginning, and their input will continue to guide the process to ensure changes translate into better outcomes for veterans and their families.

For many veterans, continuity of care is not an abstract concept –– it’s personal. I recently learned about Oran Parrish, an 101-year-old Arkansas veteran who is able to remain healthy and independent in his own home because of consistent, coordinated care provided through the VA. Stories like his are a reminder that behind every policy decision are real people who rely on these services every day, and that protecting continuity of care must remain a top priority as reforms move forward. 

At the hearing, I raised the importance of stable funding as Congress works to finalize the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Secretary Collins confirmed that the VA currently has the necessary funding authorities to carry out the RISE initiative, reflecting strong bipartisan cooperation and ongoing congressional oversight.

These discussions come as Arkansas veterans are seeing meaningful investments at home. Already in this fiscal year, the VA has announced the delivery of funding for projects across our state, including more than $7 million for improvements at the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock and support for numerous infrastructure projects in Northwest and Central Arkansas that will enhance care for veterans statewide.

While oversight and reform remain critical, it is equally important to recognize what is working. Recently, I visited Patriot Park in Fayetteville –– a 60-unit, public-private partnership that will provide safe, affordable housing for veterans close to the services and amenities they rely on. Seeing local leaders, advocates and builders come together around this project was encouraging, and I shared its progress with Secretary Collins upon returning to Washington, inviting him to visit Arkansas and see this model firsthand.

As the VA continues its modernization efforts, I will remain focused on ensuring that veterans’ care is strengthened, not disrupted, and that Arkansas veterans receive the respect, support and services they have earned through their sacrifice.

One of the great privileges I have representing The Natural State as a U.S. Senator is making nominations to our nation’s military service academies. This process is competitive and challenging as some of the best and brightest students try to secure appointments to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Each of these institutions has its own selection process, but they all require a nomination from a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator or the Vice President. 

After participating in this process for many years, I am happy to encourage students who are considering this path with insights into the application process. 

First, start early. Applying to the academies is not the same as applying to a traditional college or university. You will need academic records, recommendations, medical records, fitness tests and other requests that are unique to entry at a military school. 

Your junior year in high school is a great time to start looking at the requirements for each academy and open an application file with any that interest you. This will make the entire process less stressful.

Second, apply for the week-long summer programs hosted by each academy between your junior and senior year. These provide the chance to show your favorite school how committed you are and can also help you decide if academy life is a good fit. 

If you are already a senior and are just learning about these opportunities, rest assured there is still time to apply. You’ll want to get started right away and keep an eye on the upcoming deadlines for nomination requests. 

Of course, the most important step is to apply to each academy that interests you. Then, you can apply for a nomination from your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative. It is strongly recommended you request nominations from each office that serves you – two Senators and one Representative – to give you the best chance of success. Every Member can only nominate a small number of students and applying with each of your representatives can increase the competitiveness of your application.   

The deadline to apply for a nomination from my office is November 1. You can find an application on my website. 

Finally, consider applying for the national ROTC scholarship program at the same time you apply to an academy. You will already have all the records and information to make it easy, and it will give you another scholarship opportunity that could pay for most, or all, of your college career. It is also another excellent way to become a military officer.

I am looking forward to meeting this year’s applicants from Arkansas and doing all I can to support their willingness to become military leaders in our nation. I hope any interested candidates will reach out to my office and apply.