Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Oldest And Most Powerful Veteran Advocacy Groups See Power Diminishing As Newer Groups Enter The Stage
The New York Times: Their Influence Diminishing, Veterans Groups Compete With Each Other And Struggle With The V.A.
For generations, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts have been as integral to American political culture as pancake breakfasts, town squares and state fairs. In advocating for veterans — among the country’s most revered and coveted voters — the groups have wielded unquestioned power on Capitol Hill and inside the White House. Now, nearly a generation after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the oldest and largest veterans service organizations — known colloquially as “the Big Six” — are seeing their influence diluted, as newer, smaller organizations focused on post-9/11 veterans compete for money, political influence and relevance. (Steinhauer, 1/4)
