About 3.8 million veterans will not receive disability compensation next month if the partial government shutdown continues into late October, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki told lawmakers Wednesday.

Congress or the courts may still have more work to do before the VA can start providing federal benefits to married, same-sex couples.

Same-sex spouses of military veterans now will be able to get help with college tuition and can be buried in a national cemetery.

Veterans waiting more than a year for a decision on their disability claims are moving to the front of the line, under a new program announced Friday.

Federal auditors say a job-training program designed to help veterans re-enter the workforce has more than 60,000 empty slots, left unfilled despite efforts to reduce the jobless rate among veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs says it has added more than 1,000 mental health professionals and 200 support staff to meet the needs of returning veterans, but still has more to do to meet a requirement set by President Barack Obama.

Veterans who have trouble getting timely mental health care from Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics should also have access to thousands of health care providers who care for military personnel and their families, says the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

A new report says the United States suffers far more violent deaths than any other wealthy nation, due in part to the widespread possession of firearms and the practice of storing them at home.