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(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - U.S. Representative Ron Klein (FL-22) today testified to the House Budget Committee in favor of providing greater funding for veterans' healthcare. In particular, Rep. Klein is seeking to reduce the backlog of veterans' disability claims, which is underfunded by the President's FY 2009 budget recommendation.
"I have heard too many stories from constituents who are waiting, waiting, waiting for too long for the benefits that they deserve," Rep. Klein stated. "These veterans sacrifice their lives for our country and deserve a healthcare system that works for them. We will not stand idly by while our disabled veterans are waiting to receive critical treatment."
There are currently more than 500,000 veterans who have claims pending with the Department of Veterans Affairs for benefits, and approximately 100,000 of such claims are over one year old without resolution.
TEXT OF THE CONGRESSMAN'S TESTIMONY:
Testimony to the Committee on the Budget
February 28, 2008
I am honored to be with you here today. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns, and I look forward to working with you, Chairman Spratt, as we move forward in this process. Under your leadership, we have restored fiscal discipline to this body and have promoted our nation’s most crucial priorities.
I would like to use my time this afternoon to address a very pressing issue in my district. I represent Palm Beach and Broward Counties in South Florida, and many of the people in my district honorably served our country in the US armed forces. In fact, fifty veterans move to Florida every day. I’m sure you can imagine that the veterans’ hospitals and those who work with veterans to process disability compensation are very busy.
I was proud last year to vote for the largest increase in veterans’ funding in the history of the VA. Our brave men and women have made significant sacrifices for our country, and they were promised the best quality of healthcare and government services in return. With this historic investment, we will begin to fulfill these promises to our nation’s veterans.
There are more than 500,000 veterans who have claims pending with the Department of Veterans Affairs for benefits, and approximately 100,000 of such claims are over one year old without resolution.
I have heard too many stories from constituents who are waiting, waiting, waiting for too long for the benefits that they deserve. One man, a World War II veteran from Palm Beach County, pleaded with my office for help, saying that his claim had seen no progress for years. He thought they were waiting for him to die. This is outrageous. We cannot tolerate this.
It seems to me that the default answer on benefits is no, and that a veteran is expected to write letters over and over and over again, protesting the VA’s decision to underrate disability claims.
Furthermore, soldiers who are returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with physical or mental disabilities will enter the veterans’ system, and we will have an entirely new generation of veterans. These veterans will require and will deserve a system that works for them because they sacrificed for us.
The President’s budget for 2009 includes measures to reduce the backlog of veterans’ disability claims, and I urge the committee to make this a priority. However, the President’s budget request will not be enough to keep up with the increased demands on the VA system. A 5.5% increase for healthcare hardly covers inflation and greater demand.
I am disappointed that the President is not fully funding the needs of our veterans. Instead, the President proposes raising fees on our veterans. I will not stand by while we balance this budget on the backs of those who served our country, and that is why I have come to you today.
You all must make very difficult decisions in crafting the Congressional budget. There are many priorities that deserve and require our attention and resources. As you well know, budgeting is all about priorities; I can think of few priorities greater or more urgent than providing what is due to our brave men and women who serve to protect our country, secure our peace and safeguard our way of life.
And, so I ask you to consider funding our veterans’ budget at a higher level, paying special attention to reducing the backlog of disability claims. Repaying our debt to our nation’s veterans is critical, and I look forward to telling the veterans back home that Congress has made this a top priority.
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