by Matthew Holloway | Feb 23, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
U.S. Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ02) issued a statement Wednesday praising the Trump administration for what he described as action to protect veterans’ Second Amendment rights.
According to a press release from Crane’s office, the administration clarified federal policy to ensure veterans who have a fiduciary appointed to manage their VA benefits are not automatically reported to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) as “prohibited persons.”
Under prior policy, veterans assigned a fiduciary to manage benefits could be reported to NICS, potentially preventing them from purchasing or possessing firearms under federal law. The change announced by the administration reverses that reporting practice, according to Crane’s statement.
“For nearly three decades, unelected bureaucrats violated the constitutional rights of hundreds of thousands of our nation’s heroes. If the federal government is willing to strip fundamental liberties from those who served in uniform, there’s no telling where they will draw the line,” Crane said. “I’m grateful to President Trump and Secretary Collins for correcting this injustice and protecting the freedoms that our veterans fought to defend. Congress must now codify this directive so no future administration can reimplement this disgraceful protocol.”
The press release states that the policy clarification impacts enforcement of federal firearm restrictions under the Gun Control Act of 1968, which prohibits firearm possession by individuals adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution.
In a statement posted to X, VA Secretary Doug Collins wrote:
“Effective immediately, VA is halting enforcement of the interim final rule, Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication. VA issued the rule to clarify existing policy and protect Veterans’ benefits in the wake of an ongoing court action. But many interpreted the rule as something that could result in adverse consequences.
While VA does not agree with the way this rule has been characterized, the department always takes Veterans’ concerns seriously. To alleviate these concerns, VA will continue to collect public comments regarding the rule, but it will not be enforced at any time in the future.”
Crane has previously pursued legislative efforts addressing the issue. In the 118th Congress, he introduced H.R. 9053 and H.R. 9054, which would have nullified prior VA submissions to NICS and prohibited the VA from participating in certain state-level firearm confiscation proceedings. He reintroduced similar legislation in the current Congress as H.R. 496 on January 16.
The bill has been referred to the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs under the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Arizona Representatives Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) serve on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which, along with the Judiciary Committee, will consider the bill before it goes to the floor.
During the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process, Crane also sponsored an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill stating that veterans reported to NICS by a VA fiduciary were unlawfully submitted and directing the VA Secretary to instruct the Attorney General to remove those names from the system. The amendment passed the House, but the underlying appropriations measure did not advance in the U.S. Senate.
The Trump administration has not yet released detailed regulatory language publicly outlining the changes referenced in Crane’s statement.
Crane has called on Congress to pursue legislative action to codify protections for veterans’ firearm rights in federal statute.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 9, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Scammers are targeting veterans with fraudulent fees to register for the National Veterans Golden Age Games, prompting a Federal Trade Commission warning that the VA-hosted event is, and always has been, free for entrants to compete and caregivers, coaches, and loved ones to watch.
The alert was issued in a December 19th Consumer Notice published on the agency’s website.
In its alert, the FTC said veterans have reported finding websites or social media pages that purport to charge a fee to register for the Golden Age Games. According to the notice, these offers are fraudulent and not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Registration for the Games is handled only through VA.gov using verified veteran credentials.
Local veterans and staff with the Phoenix VA Health Care System have long participated in the National Veterans Golden Age Games, with the system’s adaptive sports clinic helping prepare competitors for the event. In June, VA officials in Phoenix publicly recognized a team of Arizona veterans who won multiple medals at the Games. This local involvement underscores the importance of protecting veterans from bad actors online who charge illegitimate fees for an event that is officially free.
The National Veterans Golden Age Games is organized by the VA’s Veterans Sports Programs to promote health, wellness, and physical activity among older veterans. The FTC notice states the Games are free for veterans, coaches, caregivers, and spectators, and that official registration for the 2026 Games, scheduled for June 27 through July 2 in Tampa, Florida, will open January 28, 2026. Registration is only available through VA.gov using an ID.me account. Any online offer claiming immediate registration or requiring payment is likely a scam.
FTC Consumer Sentinel Network data show that Arizona residents filed more than 54,000 fraud reports in 2024, including thousands from military consumers, resulting in more than $336 million in reported losses statewide. Fraud involving imposter schemes, such as fake government fees or event registrations, was one of the top complaint categories among Arizona consumers.
The FTC recommends registering only through official VA channels and avoiding sharing login information or personal credentials with third-party websites. Veterans and families encountering potential fraud schemes are encouraged to report them through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The Arizona Attorney General’s Office also maintains a scam-reporting portal and consumer alerts for veteran-related fraud, directing residents to file complaints through the AG Office’s website or the FTC’s federal system.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 8, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) and Nevada Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV-03) have introduced the VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide lawmakers with clearer information on the performance of Veterans Affairs medical facilities nationwide.
The bill was announced publicly in a press release on December 22, 2025, as part of lawmakers’ efforts to support bipartisan solutions to issues facing veterans.
According to the press release, the act is designed to help Congress better evaluate VA medical center operations and enable more effective responses to veterans’ health care concerns. The legislation would require greater transparency in the management and operations of VA medical facilities, giving federal lawmakers the data and insight needed to identify performance issues.
The VA Medical Center Facility Transparency Act is not wholly novel; a similar bill under the same name was introduced in 2023 by Hamadeh’s predecessor, Debbie Lesko, in partnership with Rep. Susie Lee and with support from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
A notable element of this version of the bill is a three-year sunset provision, meaning the policy would expire after three years unless Congress votes to renew it. This provision was added to allow lawmakers to evaluate the legislation’s effectiveness before considering reauthorization.
In announcing the bill, Hamadeh emphasized its importance for Arizona’s veteran population, including those living near Luke Air Force Base, stating that it would allow Congress to “better assess the strengths and weaknesses of VA medical facilities” and take appropriate action. Hamadeh added that the legislation should “elevate the quality-of-care veterans receive,” according to a statement shared on social media.
Lee framed the bill as part of her responsibility to ensure that veterans “receive the care and benefits that they have earned,” and said the transparency the bill seeks will give policymakers the information they need about how the VA operates.
This legislation is the latest in a series of veterans-focused measures introduced by Hamadeh. Earlier in 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed two other bipartisan bills he sponsored: the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act, aimed at expanding education opportunities for veterans, and the Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP) Improvement Act of 2025, which addresses staffing challenges at VA medical facilities.
Arizona Veterans’ Affairs medical facilities have been subject to scrutiny in recent years over issues such as waiting times, access to care, and administrative transparency. Past federal laws aimed at improving veterans’ access to care, such as the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, came in response to reports of systemic problems at certain VA facilities.
By giving lawmakers better data on VA facility performance, the new transparency act could shape future federal oversight and policy decisions affecting veteran health care delivery.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 20, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
In a unanimous decision, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has dismissed its lawsuit against Grand Canyon University (GCU) and its CEO, Brian Mueller, bringing an end to years of coordinated lawfare by former Biden administration officials targeting the university.
The lawsuit, previously dismissed by the United States District Court of Arizona on jurisdictional grounds, was fully resolved through a joint Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, joined by Commissioners Melissa Holyoak and Mark Meador, issued a statement citing recent developments that influenced the decision.
The statement reads:
“This case, which we inherited from the previous administration, was filed nearly two years ago and has suffered losses in two motions to dismiss. These losses are compounded by recent events: Grand Canyon secured a victory over the Department of Education in a related matter before the Ninth Circuit; the Department of Education rescinded a massive fine levied on related grounds; and the Internal Revenue Service confirmed that Grand Canyon University is properly claiming 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designation. In its reduced form, this case presents consumers very little upside relative to the cost of pursuing it to completion, especially given the developments chronicled above. We view it as imprudent to continue expending Commission resources on a lost cause. Because we have a duty to maximize consumers’ return on their tax-dollars investment, we have decided against pursuing this matter any further.”
GCU President Brian Mueller expressed gratitude for the FTC’s objective review, noting that multiple agencies and courts have consistently ruled in GCU’s favor.
“They threw everything they had at us for four years, and yet, despite every unjust accusation leveled against us, we have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university,” President Mueller said. “That is a testament, first and foremost, to the strength and dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and their families. Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail.”
The FTC lawsuit was part of a broader, coordinated campaign by former Biden administration officials, including the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to target GCU with duplicative investigations and lawsuits.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 10, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
In a statement released via X on Sunday, the group ‘Veterans for Arizona’ asked United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins why allegations against Democrat Senator Ruben Gallego have not been investigated. The allegations stem from prominent 2023 reports that Gallego claimed both his residences in Arizona and Washington, D.C., as his primary residence in order to benefit from special VA mortgage rates granted as a benefit to U.S. Veterans.
During Gallego’s 2024 U.S. Senate Campaign, Politico stated that Gallego purchased his Washington, D.C., home near the Capitol claiming that it was his primary residence on documentation for a VA home loan, while the then-Congressman and his wife also claimed their Phoenix home as their primary residence.
Citing loan documents the outlet obtained, Politico reported that Gallego’s campaign officially maintained that his primary residence is located in Arizona, as required by election law, despite the documentation of his Washington, D.C., home.
In June 2023, after the reports initially appeared in Politico, the National Republican Senate Committee raised the concern that “Gallego signed loan documents making Washington, D.C., his primary residence to obtain favorable mortgage rates, while at the same time taking advantage of homeowner tax breaks and voting in Arizona. This raises questions about whether Gallego committed fraud on his loan application.”
The NRSC also noted that the revelation of Gallego’s alleged mortgage fraud came to light just weeks after his links to a bank targeting immigrants were exposed by AZCentral. The bank was later shut down according to the outlet.
NRSC spokesman Tate Mitchell told the Arizona Republic, “If Ruben Gallego signed fraudulent documents, that will be a serious issue for him in the election — and potentially with the authorities,” Mitchell said. “National Democrats are in a serious pickle as they choose between their incumbent, Kyrsten Sinema, and accused fraudster Ruben Gallego.”
“Legally, Gallego doesn’t have to live in his district to serve in Congress, this isn’t like legislative offices or most county offices,” one election law expert told the Arizona Daily Independent. However, they added, “His campaign does have to consider the optics and potential legality of what he’s doing. Claiming two primary residences in two different states to obtain favorable terms and to meet the requirements of the loans, even though both claims can’t be simultaneously true, isn’t something the average person does or even thinks to do. So it’s another Washington D.C., elite that laws don’t apply to, running for office claiming to be for the average Joes.”
Despite the allegations against him, Gallego was successful in his Senate bid and went on to become a harsh critic of VA Secretary Collins, with the Senator announcing plans to block all VA nominations in April until Collins drops plans to make staffing cuts to the VA in accordance with the Trump administration’s demands for government efficiency. Gallego reiterated the demand in May in a letter co-signed by fellow Arizona Democrats Senator Mark Kelly, and Representatives Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03).
Collins refuted Gallego’s claims however under questioning by Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) during a House Committee on Veterans Affairs hearing on May 15th, telling Hamadeh, “We’re not looking at doctors, we’re not looking at nurses. We’re looking at issues where we have payroll that’s being done at 60 locations, that was supposed to be centralized a long time ago, with hundreds of employees that we’re now looking to consolidate to see how we can run it efficiently and more cost effectively.”
He added, “We don’t need them all over the place, we don’t need the issues we have with human resources being run in every location, again, with hundreds of employees.”
“Frontline workers should be the happiest at the VA right now because we’re going to be freeing them up to do their job and not get bogged down with paperwork,” Collins noted per the Arizona Daily Independent.
As of this report, no investigation has been announced against Senator Gallego pertaining to the allegations raised by the NRSC following the Politico report.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
