A House panel is weighing a $770 billion defense policy bill that includes a provision to give lower-income military families a basic needs allowance -- a stipend that advocacy groups say would relieve stress and "food insecurity" among U.S. troops.

The Senate has agreed on a massive funding package that would refund the National Guard ahead of the fast-approaching Sunday deadline as the force faces a near-total shutdown.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is requiring all medical personnel to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the first federal agency-wide mandate of its kind. The requirement comes as the highly contagious Delta variant sweeps the nation and accounts for the vast majority of COVID cases.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday said his country is proud of its friendship with South Korea, which he said still remains the key to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day falls every year on July 27, recognizing the 5.7 million Veterans who served in the Korean War. During the Korean War, which lasted three years, from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953, the service members were subjected to harsh environmental conditions and faced unique risks.