By unanimously passing H.R. 4864, the Veterans Claims Assistance Act, Congress has sent a strong message to those who valiantly served our country. One hundred ten House members joined me in co-sponsoring this important bill to support our veterans wholeheartedly and get them the care they deserve.

The Veterans Administration (VA) should offer our retired service men and women more help with their claims, and this bill is a good first step. It requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take specific steps to help veterans make their claims.

The Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 eliminates the requirement that veterans first submit a "well-grounded" claim before receiving assistance from the VA, and veterans would have two years to ask the VA to reopen a claim if it had been denied as not "well-grounded."

This bill also clarifies the steps to obtain evidence in support of a claim for veterans' benefits. The VA would be required to make several efforts to collect all the evidence identified by the claimant, and the department would obtain all relevant records in VA's possession, or within any other federal agency, at no cost to the veteran. Further, the VA would provide medical examinations if that information were relevant to the claim.

We owe our veterans for the sacrifices they made in defense of our country. I am proud to support these brave men and women.