Thursday morning digest: vets and kids edition

The Washington Post reports in Shinseki Says He Would Modernize VA:

If confirmed, Shinseki said, he will confront the immediate tasks of formulating a "credible and adequate" 2010 budget request and implementing the new GI bill by August. "The overriding challenge, which I will begin to address on my first day in office, will be to make the Department of Veterans Affairs a 21st-century organization focused on the nation's veterans as its clients."

This sounds like great news for veterans--and a VA scretary who will be a partner with the House Veterans Affairs Committee, which has pushed for modernization. Congressman Walz serves on the committee.

Stars and Stripes reports 3 new lawmakers have experience in Iraq. Walz's service overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom is mentioned. He served in Italy with his National Guard unit, helping to supply troops in Afghanistan.

The Star Tribune reports House votes to expand health coverage for kids. S-CHIP now moves to the Senate.

Are Kids books in jeopardy? the Fairmont Sentinel asks. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is weighing if and how books should be tested for lead, following new legislation prompted by dangerously high levels of lead in imported toys.  Walz's office is quoted:

Progress has been made in slowing the forward momentum of the requirement.

"From what we understand, they're still working on this with publishers," said Amanda Frie, press secretary for U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. "There is an open meeting next week on what they're going to do about books. They haven't made a decision yet."

Book stores, particularly those selling used materials, also are concerned. Walz is seeking a "middle ground," saying the law was an important step in protecting the public and providing funds that testing laboratories need to upgrade their equipment and hire additional staff.

"However, we need to make sure that this law is not administered in a way that will be unnecessarily burdensome to small companies and mom-and-pop stores," Frie said.

We'll be back with more news later in the day.

Photo: Terry Throndson, Congressman Tim Walz, House VA Committee Chair Bob Filner and Wayne Stillman at the Soldiers Field Memorial in Rochester.