Weekly Roundup: Eliminating the VA Backlog, Preventing Another Shutdown, and More

Statement

After joining Granite Staters in celebrating the World Series Champion Red Sox, Congresswoman Kuster this week continued her efforts to eliminate the VA claims backlog, prevent future shutdowns of the federal government, and support job creation across New Hampshire.

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives passed with overwhelming bipartisan support legislation introduced by Kuster to help eliminate the backlog of disability compensation claims at the VA. Kuster's bill, the Veterans Claims Efficiency Through Automation Act, pushes the VA to make greater use of automation in the processing of veterans claims to help boost efficiency and free up resources to provide more timely services for veterans in New Hampshire and across the country. The bill passed the House as part of a comprehensive legislative package designed to help get veterans' claims settled faster and more efficiently. Currently, there are more than 700,000 disability claims pending nationally, with nearly 410,000 in the backlog.

Kuster also led a coalition of 178 Democrats in calling on Speaker Boehner and Republican leadership to publicly declare that they will not use the threat of another government shutdown or default on our debt as leverage in budget negotiations. Underscoring the economic damage caused by the recent shutdown, Kuster and her colleagues said that Congress must work together to pass a responsible budget agreement and take the crippling twin threats of a shutdown and default off the table for good.

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