Lincoln Veterans Provision Passes Senate

Press Release

Lincoln Veterans Provision Passes Senate

U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) today announced that her provision to better ensure our nation's veterans receive their benefits in a more timely manner has passed the Senate. Lincoln's budget resolution amendment would provide the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) an additional $50 million to address the unacceptably large backlog of pending claims.

"Congress has taken the lead in making our nation's veterans a priority, but further investment is needed to ensure those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf receive the benefits and services they have earned and certainly deserve," Lincoln said. "Today is a great first step as we seek additional resources for those experiencing the frustrating backlog of pending claims, a situation which has caused many veterans to go months and in some cases years without much-needed benefits."

Lincoln's provision would provide an additional $50 million to the VBA's General Administration account so that it would have the flexibility to explore pilot programs and other solutions—such as greater investments in training or technology initiatives—to help tackle the claims backlog. Lincoln said her amendment closely mirrors the recommendations provided in the Budget Views and Estimates from both the House of Representatives and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs.

According to a VBA Workload Report from March 8, 2008, the total number of pending compensation and pension claims was 666,710—up more than 40,000 claims from 626,429 this time last year. The number pending for more than 180 days is now nearly 27 percent of all claims. Additionally, claims requiring a disability rating determination, which are the most time-consuming and resource-intensive to process, have increased more than 50 percent since 2003.

Between Fiscal Year 2000 and Fiscal Year 2007, the number of filed claims increased 45 percent—from 578,773 to 838,141. For Fiscal Year 2009, the Veterans Administration, which has consistently underestimated its workload in the past, projects the number to increase to approximately 872,000, and cautions that ongoing hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan could increase its workload even further.

The Senate is expected to complete work on the Fiscal Year 2009 budget resolution, the blueprint of our nation's spending priorities, late Thursday or early Friday.

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