Committee on Veterans Affairs: Home Page

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki meets with Chairman Sanders.

Chairman Sanders presiding over a joint hearing.

Chairman Sanders speaks before Veteran Service Organizations Leaders.

Senator Sanders makes remarks at a Veterans Day event in Burlington, Vermont.

VSO leaders discuss pending legislation with Chairman Sanders.

Committee Information

Chairman
Bernie Sanders, VT

Ranking Member
Richard Burr, NC

6/12/2013
VA "At a Tipping Point" as Claims Backlog Begins to Shrink, Senate Panel is Told

WASHINGTON, June 12 – Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) welcomed assurances today that the Department of Veterans Affairs has made “significant progress” and is “at a tipping point” in reducing a massive backlog of claims for disability benefits.

The assurances came from Thomas Murphy, the VA’s director of compensation services, during testimony before Sanders’ committee. Murphy said the backlog is shrinking and on track to meet VA Secretary Eric Shinseki’s goal of processing all claims within 125 days with 98 percent accuracy by the end of 2015. “I honestly believe we’re going to hit that number,” Murphy said.

Murphy was responding to a question by Sanders about his legislation to require public reports on VA’s progress toward reducing the backlog.

Sanders welcomed the news and applauded Shinseki for setting a “very ambitious goal.” While the caseload decline is encouraging, Sanders said there is still much to be done so that VA can meet its goal of eliminating the claims backlog. “The current backlog is unacceptable and this committee will do everything possible to make sure the VA achieves its goal. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely,” Sanders said.

There are some 851,000 veterans awaiting answers on compensation claims for illnesses or injuries incurred during their service. Two-thirds of the claims have been waiting more than 125 days for an answer, but that number has begun in recent weeks to decline. Sanders called the claims backlog one of the major issues at the VA.

In the nine weeks since the end of March, VA’s disability claims backlog has experienced a steady decrease. The turnaround is thanks in part to an initiative by Shinseki to transform the way VA processes claims. VA’s transition from a cumbersome paper-based process to a digital process speeds the delivery of benefits. Sanders congratulated Shinseki for undertaking the transition to digital records his predecessors had neglected.

In order to help VA accomplish its ambitious goals, Sanders introduced the Claims Processing Improvement Act of 2013, which would provide long-term reforms that would improve VA’s claims process from start to finish – from the regional offices to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

The bill also would enable Congress to conduct more comprehensive oversight of VA’s progress and transformation by requiring VA to publicly report, on a quarterly basis, information on both VA’s quarterly goals and actual production.

» More Press Releases |

6/5/2013 Senate Veterans Panel to Consider Legislation for Sex Abuse Victims in the Military

5/27/2013 Memorial Day

5/21/2013 Honor troops' sacrifice, focus on vet issues

5/21/2013 It's our duty to help those who served

5/8/2013 Cost-of-Living Adjustment for Veterans Proposed

4/25/2013 Sanders, Burr Propose Legislation for Homeless Veterans

Notice: Information for Veterans Effected by Hurricane Sandy

The VA has provided the following information to those Veterans effected by Hurricane Sandy

Information for Veterans Effected by Hurricane Sandy

VA policy regarding natural disasters

Notice: Veterans Charitable Organization Ratings

As an increasing number of our servicemembers return home and transition to civilian life, it is especially critical that charitable organizations supporting them act as good stewards of the American people’s goodwill and generosity towards our veterans. If you’re considering giving to a charity that supports veterans, please visit

www.charitywatch.org or www.charitynavigator.org

to learn more about your different giving options. Both sites rate charities using a variety of performance metrics, including financial performance, accountability and transparency

Notice: VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 Fact Sheets

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, championed by Senator Murray, expands education and training opportunities for servicemembers and veterans, and provides tax credits for employers who hire veterans. Below are fact sheets about some of the programs that this new law created.

VOW Fact Sheet

Special Employer Incentive Fact Sheet

Notice: VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 for Employers

The VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 provides employers with tax credits to hire unemployed veterans. Below is a fact sheet on these tax credits. Also below is other useful information for employers who want to hire veterans.

Five Step Flyer

Work Opportunity Tax Credits

SENATE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS’ AFFAIRS

Russell Building Room 418

202-224-9126

VISITORS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Individuals who are planning to attend a Committee hearing or meeting and require an auxiliary aid or service should contact the Committee at 202-224-9126. So as to best enable staff to make arrangements, please call at least 3 business days in advance.

Among other things, staff can arrange for ASL interpreters, convert hearing testimony to Braille, and reserve seating for individuals who have service animals.
The Committee’s hearing room in Russell 418 has a hearing induction loop installed to assist visitors with hearing aids; and also individual wireless hearing amplifiers are available from any Committee staff member.
The Committee routinely leaves space open at hearings to accommodate individuals in wheelchairs.

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs holds most of its hearings in the Russell Building in room 418. However, we occasionally schedule hearings in public hearing rooms in the Hart and Dirksen Buildings.

There is no parking available to the public on the Capitol grounds. The best drop-off location for Russell Building access is the corner of Constitution and Delaware Avenues, NE. The closest Metro stop is Union Station.

There are metal detectors at each entrance so be prepared to empty your pockets of electronic devices, change, keys and all other items that cause concern at metal detectors. There is also the option of being “wanded” manually rather than going through the metal detector at the door.

All of the public hearing rooms in the Senate are wheelchair accessible. Please see the information on the following pages to assist you in finding the wheelchair accessible entrance(s) to the Russell, Dirksen, and Hart Buildings.

**In case of an emergency requiring you to evacuate during a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, the Committee staff has been trained to assist, and will help you reach the designated evacuation site.

The Russell Building

The wheelchair accessible entrance to the Russell building is on Delaware Avenue, NE. It is to the left of the staircase that is at the corner of Constitution and Delaware Avenues, NE.

russell1_wheelchair_access

The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is located in room 412 on the Constitution Avenue side of the building. After entering Russell through the wheelchair accessible entrance, proceed to the fourth floor using the elevator bank to your right. Upon exiting the elevator, proceed to the right.
In the event of an emergency evacuation while you are in the Russell Building, proceed to Russell Freight Elevator 16 which is on the C Street side of the building. The freight elevator has been designated as the primary evacuation site for employees and visitors with mobility impairments. This elevator is marked with a blue sign that says “Primary Staging Area”. The Capitol Police will operate the elevator and assist with the evacuation. The likely instruction will be to take the elevator to the basement, and proceed through the Russell loading dock, exiting near the corner of First and C streets.

russell2_1

The Dirksen Building

There is one wheelchair accessible entrance to the Dirksen building on C Street, NE, near the corner of First Street. It is very close to the entrance to SDG-50, the Dirksen Auditorium.
If you are attending a hearing in Dirksen 106, the closest wheelchair accessible entrance is in Hart, at Constitution and 2^nd Street.
In the event of an emergency evacuation while you are in the Dirksen Building, proceed back to the C Street side of the building. The freight elevator # 2 has been designated as the primary evacuation site. This elevator is marked with blue signs that say “Primary Staging Area”. Take the elevator to the Ground Floor and exit the building on C Street. The Capitol Police will check these areas and provide assistance.

The Hart Building

There are two wheelchair accessible entrances to the Hart building:

Constitution Avenue, near the corner of Second Street, NE

This entrance is the closest wheelchair accessible entrance to the hearing room in106 Dirksen.

hart1_1

Second Street, NE, in what is called “the Hart Horseshoe”

hart2_1

Once you have entered the Hart Building through either wheelchair accessible entrance, proceed toward the large sculpture in the center of the Hart atrium. There are elevator banks located at either side of the sculpture. This entrance is closest to the hearing room in Hart 216.

In the event of an emergency evacuation while you are in the Hart Building, please proceed to the C Street side of the building. Freight elevator #14 has been designated as the “Primary Staging Area”. The Capitol Police will check these areas and provide assistance.

Updated June 2012