With more than one million disabled veterans expected to be stuck in the claims backlog at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) next year, U.S. Rep. John Hall’s (D-NY19) landmark bill to comprehensively overhaul the VA disability benefits system passed the House overwhelmingly today by a vote of 429 to 0. As Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance, Hall has been working for over a year and a half on this legislation that will bring veterans and their survivors better and faster assistance from the VA. In 2007, more than 838,000 claims for disability assistance from veterans were pending at the VA, and the number has been rising rapidly.

"We can and must change the way Washington treats our injured veterans," said Hall. "Veterans currently face an overly bureaucratic administration at the VA. Heroes returning from war deserve to receive the benefits they have earned easily and promptly.  My legislation will make sure veterans receive timely, accurate, and quality attention from a grateful nation."

Read more. . .