U.S. Rep. Castor Statement on VA Initiative to Expedite Compensation Claims

Statement

Today, the VA Department announced that it has implemented a new initiative to expedite compensation claim decisions for veterans who have waited one year or longer. See attached. U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) released the following statement regarding this announcement:

"Although this may bring some relief for many veterans who fall into this category and have undeservedly waited way too long for their rightful benefits, the VA must develop an immediate, comprehensive plan of action that tackles the backlog so all veterans receive their compensation within a reasonable timeframe. With nearly 50,000 pending claims at the St. Petersburg VA Regional Office -- the second highest in the country -- the Tampa Bay area especially needs immediate, targeted attention to resolve this backlog issue. Our veterans deserve better and I will continue to press the VA Department until its backlog of claims becomes tenable."

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