Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
Sent in by Veterans News and Information Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Terry Everett (R-AL), chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, has scheduled a hearing for 10 a.m. Thursday, April 13, 2000 to determine why the veterans' disability claims system is "imploding."
Among the questions Chairman Everett wants answered is why it currently takes longer to process a claim than it did ten years ago, despite the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars on new computer equipment. The backlog of claims, about 250,000, is as large as it was in 1991. In addition, the error rate on appealed claims is 60 percent. Everett is concerned that the Board of Veterans Appeals reverses 20 percent of the denied claims and sends another 40 percent back to their respective regional offices, usually because of shoddy or incomplete paper work.
Everett said many members of Congress are "perpetually frustrated" with the lack of progress, and receive a great amount of constituent mail from equally frustrated veterans.
"It took an average of 205 days to process a new claim last year," Everett said. "I can't accept that. Hundreds of veterans are dying while their claims make their way through the bureaucratic maze. Breaking faith to our disabled veterans is only part of the problem. What kind of message does this send to young men and women considering military service?"
He said veterans served poorly by the disability claims process will testify at the hearing, along with representatives from veterans service organizations, the VA, the VA's Office of Inspector General, and the General Accounting Office.
Everett expects the Subcommittee to hold a follow-up hearing in June. The April 13, 2000 hearing will be held a 10 a.m. in 334 Cannon House Office Building.
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