Washington, DC – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and seven other senators to introduce a bill to help improve the quality and consistency of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims appeals and help address the VA’s oldest pending claims. Specifically, the bill would improve and expand pro bono legal services for veterans during their appeals process, and provide the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with additional authority to expedite consideration of unreasonably delayed claims.
“It’s ridiculous that the process for our veterans to receive a decision on disability claims takes months and even years. And then it can take several more years to go through the appeals process,” Bennet said. “Our veterans have sacrificed so much in defense of our country, and it’s unacceptable that they must fight for decisions on their claims. This bill will provide veterans assistance in navigating this complicated process and help the VA process claims more quickly.”
Veterans’ appeals for benefits are initially reviewed by the Board of Veterans Appeals before review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Since 1991, Congress has periodically authorized the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to work with the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) to provide legal assistance to low-income veterans appearing before the court. The Veterans Appeals Assistance and Improvement Act of 2015 would allow the LSC to provide assistance to a veteran throughout their appeal process, including their appearance before the Board of Veterans Appeals, which handles a much larger backlog of claims. The bill would also clarify that the LSC has authority to coordinate with legal clinics and other local legal assistance organizations to provide help to veterans. These changes would provide more veterans with legal assistance and provide it earlier in the appeals process, which will result in faster and more equitable resolution of claims.
In addition, the bill would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to target and accelerate adjudication of the most unreasonably delayed claims.
The bill text can be found here. The bill is also co-sponsored by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
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