Veterans Affairs medical examiners are now required to consider the effects of medication on a veteran’s health condition when assigning a disability rating under a new regulation published Tuesday by the department. Effective immediately, examiners will determine a veteran’s level of disability including the effects of medication or treatment — the “actual level of functional impairment under the ordinary conditions of daily life” — according to an interim final rule in the Federal Register. Examiners are not allowed to estimate a veteran’s disability level if they were off their medications, and if a medication or treatment lowers the level of disability, the rating will be based on the lower level. VA officials say the clarification is needed following several court rulings they said could be interpreted as allowing examiners to estimate or guess a veteran’s level of disability without medication. “While VA believes this is already the correct construction of current regulations, this change will make more explicit in regulation VA’s longstanding policy and practice to include, among other factors, the ameliorative effects of medication when conducting disability evaluations,” officials wrote in the notice. Basing a disability rating without considering the effect of medication or treatment is “an unquantifiable, hypothetical, unwarranted standard that would compensate veterans for a level of disability they are not actually experiencing,” they wrote. The rule drew backlash from veterans groups including Disabled American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Unite for Veterans Coalition and others, who issued statements saying the rule could result in lower disability compensation for veterans whose health conditions are connected to military service. The advocates noted that the rule was published as an “interim final rule” without input from veterans groups and questioned how it would affect those who already receive disability compensation. “DAV is extremely disappointed and alarmed by VA’s decision to issue [the interim final rule],” National Commander Coleman Nee said in a statement. “It is unclear if and how VA is implementing this dramatic change.” “As a former Army nurse, it seems this rule change could have unforeseen and harmful downstream effects for veterans, which is why it demands serious public scrutiny and possible legislative clarification from Capitol Hill,” VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore said. “While VA has authority to amend the rating schedule, it must do so without adversely affecting veterans.” Retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Joe Plenzler, spokesman for Unite for Veterans, said the rule could result in lower disability ratings. He noted that previously, the VA focused on a veteran’s “worst days,” not on how medications are working on the day of a disability exam. “This rule is very broad and seriously risks underrating veterans who have disabilities medications can mask but do not fix,” Plenzler said in a statement. The rule was published as an “interim final rule” to go into effect immediately — a move that also has alarmed veterans groups. Under the normal rules process, federal agencies publish an interim rule and solicit comments from the public for a set time period, usually 60 days. The agency then uses the comments to craft the final rule, which goes into effect once it is published in the Federal Register. For the new regulation, VA Secretary Doug Collins said the department will take public comment under consideration but would implement it immediately. Collins argued that by not being clear, the department runs the risk of increasing administrative costs, delaying claims decisions and distributing excess disability compensation based on levels that “veterans are not actually experiencing.” “Issuing this interim final rule without delay is in the public interest because it will prevent a significant negative impact on veterans awaiting claim decisions from VA,” the rule stated. DAV and Unite the Veterans both took issue with the VA’s assertions. “The rule … was developed and issued in a closed and unnecessarily expedited process that effectively shut out veterans from providing any meaningful input,” Nee noted. “The claim that quick action on this issue is required shows the degree to which the VA is putting its administrative needs ahead of veterans’ needs and the realities of their lives. This is the wrong emphasis,” Plenzler said. Since it was published Tuesday morning, the regulation has drawn more than 650 comments, many from veterans who said medications for various conditions such as musculoskeletal injuries, mental health conditions and hypertension often don’t produce consistent results and aren’t curative, leaving veterans to still deal with their disabilities daily. Aaron Haygood, a retired airman, said the rule ignores the physical side effects of medication that can be debilitating in their own right and the logistical burdens of following a strict treatment regimen. But more important, Haygood added, it creates a “dangerous incentive not to seek treatment.” “It creates a cruel choice where the veteran must decide between taking the medication for an improved quality of life knowing it could lead to a reduction in the benefits they may depend on or sacrifice their quality of life to ensure financial stability for their family,” Haygood wrote. “This policy will discourage veterans from seeking life-saving treatments,” he added.

What do kids look for in movies? Is it bright colors and fun animation? Maybe it’s cute characters and catchy one-liners. Perhaps it’s all about the story—something filled with adventure and fun. Or it might be all of that and more: Our kids can often be more perceptive than we give them credit for. Older children may see a bit of themselves in Diary of a Wimpy Kid’s Greg Heffley. They might understand Judy Hopps’ desire to prove herself in Zootopia 2. And while younger kiddos may wind up mimicking some of the potty humor found in some movies, they might also imitate the polite behaviors demonstrated by Paddington Bear and the Brown family in Paddington in Peru. So what should parents look for in movies? At Plugged In, we’ve watched a lot of movies for kids and considered all their pros and cons, and we’ve nominated five films for the Best Movies for Kids category in our annual Plugged In Movie Awards. These films, which are all rated PG, carry strong messages about familial love, friendship and kindness. They teach lessons in patience and self-control. They encourage us to conquer prejudices and celebrate our differences. And they cover themes dealing with grief, self-doubt and simply doing the right thing, even when it’s hard. Of course, you’ll still want to read our full reviews of each of these titles to make sure they’re right for your family. But once you do, we’d love to hear your thoughts, too! Vote for your favorite kids’ movies released in 2025 at this link. Voting closes March 1, and we’ll announce winners by March 11. (Summaries written by Paul Asay, Bob Hoose and Emily Tsiao.) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (PG) Greg Heffley is not a role model. His decisions are mostly terrible. His attitude is mostly abysmal. And yet, in Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid books (and the corresponding movies), he often stumbles into a good life lesson or two—and so do we. In Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw, Greg is forced to spend time with (ugh) his dad as they try to earn badges for a scouting troop. Greg just knows he’s going to hate every single minute of it—until he realizes, much to his surprise, that his boring ol’ dad isn’t so boring after all. If The Last Straw was itself part of a fictional scouting troop, it’d earn a few demerits for bathroom humor and crude behavior. But it earns a badge for offering surprisingly sweet moments that don’t feel treacly. It encourages parents and kids to spend time together—and reminds them that they both may have more in common than you think. Dog Man (PG) The movie Dog Man focuses on a stalwart pair of police partners: the athletic and brave Officer Knight and his bright and faithful dog, Greg. One day, the duo gets caught up in a horrible accident. They’re rushed to the hospital, where the attending doc declares that Officer Knight’s head is just no good anymore. And Greg’s body is no good either. All is lost … until a nurse steps up to suggest that they simply sew Greg’s head onto Officer Knight’s body. Which, of course, is a brilliant idea! Greg’s smarts paired with Knight’s athleticism results in nothing less than Dog Man, a truly terrific super cop! Dog Man is a fast-paced and goofy romp that’s all over the place with its zaniness. Parents will definitely roll their eyes at some of the punchlines (along with some of the potty humor). But the movie focuses on the life-transforming nature of familial love. And it takes the time to suggest that an earnest offer of friendship can go a long way toward melting bitter feelings of the past. Paddington in Peru (PG) When Paddington’s Aunt Lucy goes missing from her bear retirement home in Peru, Paddington travels from his home in England to find her. His adoptive family, the Browns, tag along for the trip, hoping to get in some quality family time on the trip. There’s a little mysticism at play here, including some ghostly apparitions and vision-like dreams. It’s revealed that Aunt Lucy didn’t just go missing, she was essentially kidnapped (bear-napped?). And bad guys who tell lies cause much of the movie’s chaos and peril. However, Paddington doesn’t let any of that get him down. He’s a persistent optimist. And even when other people do bad things, he doesn’t let himself sink to their level. Rather, he continues to look for the good in everyone. But what really makes Paddington in Peru shine is that even when the going gets tough, Paddington and the Browns never stop being kind—to each other and to those around them. After all, just because others have forgotten their manners is no excuse to forget your own. Sketch (PG) In Angel’s Sketch, two siblings named Amber and Jack find themselves fighting against monsters when Amber’s drawings start magically coming to life. Some early viewers of Sketch were shocked by just how scary this film is. And certainly, it qualifies as a horror film (albeit one made for kids). But Amber’s dark creatures match up with how the 10-year-old is feeling. She’s angry and sad over her mom’s recent death. Worse still, big brother Jack and dad Taylor have essentially told her she just needs to move on, to be normal. But that’s what this film is really about. It’s about how Jack and Taylor realize they’ve been suppressing their own pain—that they’ve been trying to pretend mom’s death didn’t happen. But once they rally behind Amber, the family learns how to grieve and process all those complex, dark and painful feelings together, as a team. Content-wise, there are the horror elements I mentioned. Sketch has some raw language, too, including a single use of the s-word. But the powerful messages about family—not to mention the fun adventure aspects and comedic bits—bring balance to this movie about moving on from tragedy and grief. Zootopia 2 (PG) Who would’ve thought that a wily fox and wholesome rabbit would make the perfect crime-fighting partners? Certainly not the leaders of Zootopia. As far as they were concerned, predators and prey simply couldn’t work together: They were just too different. But Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde proved them wrong. The unlikely duo saved the city from disaster and stopped a maniacal sheep from taking over. Of course, now that it’s over, the friends have realized they still have some work to do—on themselves. Zootopia 2 is filled with winking nods to the moms and dads in the crowd. But those content issues will likely go over the heads of younger viewers. Nick and Judy face some light peril and go up against a few dangerous animals. There’s a bit of betrayal and double-crossing. And parents will also want to note some potty humor and silly gags that they wouldn’t necessarily want their kids mimicking. All in all, those problems are pretty navigable, though. Especially since Zootopia 2 continues to deliver nice messages about conquering prejudices and celebrating our differences. Cast your vote for the Plugged In Movie Awards here! Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments. And check out our nominees for Best Movies for Teens, Best Movies for Adults and Best Christian Movies. The post Plugged In Movie Awards: Best Movies for Kids (2026) appeared first on Plugged In.

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Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr told reporters he was “highly entertained” by the drama unfolding surrounding The Late Show with Stephen Colbert‘s interview with Texas Democratic state Rep. James Talarico. Carr made his first public statements on Wednesday in the fallout of CBS News not airing Colbert’s interview with Talarico on the late-night broadcast. Colbert has sparred with CBS on whether he was barred from airing the interview by his corporate bosses or was “provided legal guidance” against doing so, as CBS said in its statement. “I think it was one of the most fun days I’ve had in the job watching sort of the hilarity of how this story played out,” Carr said. WHAT IS THE FCC EQUAL TIME RULE AT CENTER OF COLBERT-TALARICO INTERVIEW CONTROVERSY? Talarico — who is running for Senate in Texas in a race that has hotly watched, contested primaries on both sides of the aisle — claimed on X that the Trump administration’s “FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.” He called it “the interview [President] Donald Trump didn’t want you to see” and wrote that Trump is “worried” his campaign will flip Texas blue. But Carr denounced Talarico’s characterization of the FCC’s involvement as a “hoax.” “Anybody that’s not suffering from a terminal case of Trump derangement syndrome could see right away yesterday the exact story arc and how it was going to play out. You had a Democrat candidate who understood the way the news media works, and he took advantage of all of your sort of prior conceptions to run a hoax, apparently, for the purpose of raising money and getting clicks, and the news media played right into it,” Carr said. Colbert and Talarico have said that their interview was not allowed to air because of the enforcement of the FCC’s equal time rule, a rule that requires broadcast networks to grant equal time to opposing candidates running for the same office. Carr also confirmed on Wednesday that the FCC is conducting an “enforcement action” against The View after the ABC show aired an interview with Talarico. Colbert announced last year that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end its run on CBS’s network in May. CBS has said the show’s cancellation was a financial decision. Talarico posted on X that his campaign has raised “$2.5 million in 24 hours” after the interview aired on YouTube. WHY IT COULD TAKE WEEKS TO FEEL THE BRUNT OF A DHS SHUTDOWN Talarico is facing off against Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) in the contested Democratic primary for Texas’s U.S. Senate seat. Polls have varied in the primary; an Emerson College poll from mid-January found Talarico up by 9 points, while a late January University of Houston poll found Crockett up by 8 points. The Republican primary is also in a dead heat between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Attorney General Ken Paxton, with Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) trailing not too far behind. The Emerson College poll found Paxton up by 1 point, with a May runoff likely.

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