GOP USA - THE EAGLE 06/02/2014

DHS Review Panel: Medicare must pay for transgender surgeries Transgender people enrolled in the U.S. health program for the elderly and disabled can no longer be automatically denied coverage for sex reassignment surgeries, a Department of Health and Services review board ruled Friday. The groundbreaking decision recognizes the procedures as medically necessary and effective treatment for individuals who do not identify with their biological sex. Obama admin defends negotiation and terrorist release Five years a captive from the Afghanistan war, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is back in American hands, freed for five Guantanamo terrorism detainees in a swap stirring sharp debate in Washington over whether the U.S. should have negotiated with the Taliban over prisoners. Harry Reid Attempts to Distract Attention from the Economy The Commerce Department reports that first quarter gross domestic product contracted by 1 percent. The Wall Street Journal notes that a contraction of GDP is rare when the economy isn't in recession. According to a recent Gallup poll, the economy is the number-one issue on the minds of Americans.

News, Commentary, Discussions Let's force the VA to compete for patients It is time to abolish all Veterans Affairs hospitals. Every single one. Give our veterans vouchers for medical care. This isn't all that radical an idea. Anybody ever heard of the GI Bill? Fed agency focuses on preserving LGBT 'legacy' A group of scholars will soon convene to develop ways for the National Park Service to "preserve ... the legacy of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered individuals ... for future generations" of Americans. States move to blunt Obama carbon plan As President Barack Obama prepares to announce tougher new air quality standards, lawmakers in several states already are trying to blunt the impact on aging coal-fired power plants that feed electricity to millions of consumers.