Drake Introduces Veteran's Right to Know Act

Press Release

Drake Introduces Veteran's Right to Know Act

U.S. Representative Thelma Drake (R-Va.) today introduced legislation that will improve customer service at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and provide more veterans and their families with peace of mind during the benefit claims process. The Veteran's Right to Know Act will require the VA to provide veterans with a pending claim a status update every sixty days until the claim has been closed or satisfied.

"With an increasing caseload at the VA, I'm hearing from more and more veterans back home who feel as though they are getting lost in the shuffle," said Rep. Drake. "For many veterans and their families, the worst part of hanging in limbo is the uncertainty. More than simply requiring a status update, this legislation ensures that our veterans receive increased peace of mind."

Currently, the VA claims system is faced with more than 630,000 open benefits claims. That number represents a 20% increase over the last two years. With the expanding caseload, the average timespan to complete original claims processing continues has increased to 177 days.

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