WASHINGTON — The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. testified this morning before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations to help ensure veterans receive the timely care, benefits and opportunities they have earned.
VFW National Legislative Service Deputy Director Ryan Gallucci presented the VFW’s view on bills addressing VA’s "duty to assist" requirement, Department of Labor auditing of veteran employment by federal contractors, and ongoing efforts between the Defense Department and VA to establish a joint electronic health and service record.
The VFW generally supports many of the ideas proposed by the subcommittee’s bills to improve accountability and efficiency in veterans’ programs, such as allowing VA to communicate electronically with claim applicants and establishing a chain of authority for the creation of the joint electronic health record. However, the VFW voiced concerns and made recommendations to Congress on how to mitigate unforeseen consequences, such as shifting "duty to assist" requirements in the claims process, or skewing effective dates of veterans’ claims. The VFW insists that any bill that makes it through the subcommittee must ensure that veterans’ needs must come first.
More information on today's hearing, to include Gallucci's testimony, is available on the House Veterans Affairs Committee’s website at veterans.house.gov.
The VFW will continue to advocate for reforms to help veterans receive the timely care, benefits and opportunities they have earned. Keep track of VFW’s work by subscribing to the Washington Weekly e-newsletter, sign up here.
PHOTO CAPTION: VFW National Legislative Service Deputy Director Ryan Gallucci testifies before the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations to help ensure veterans receive the timely care, benefits and opportunities they have earned.