WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – yesterday led a committee hearing with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Inspector General, Government Accountability Office, and veterans and representatives from the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and Disabled American Veterans about how to improve VA’s disability benefits system following recent reporting from The Washington Post.

During the hearing, representatives from veteran service organizations (VSOs) discussed their disapproval of The Washington Post’s reporting, which stated that veterans are “swamping” VA with “dubious disability claims.” Witnesses and committee members also discussed how the disability benefits system could be strengthened and improved to empower veterans who experienced service-connected disabilities and better position them to succeed after their military service. Witnesses agreed that better efforts to connect veterans with fulfilling employment opportunities that build upon the skills veterans developed while serving in uniform is a key aspect of those efforts.

“There’s a lot of things that the VA is entrusted to do and should be doing to help veterans find meaningful employment,” said Sen. Moran. “I saw where a group of Fort Riley soldiers, who were about to end their time of military service, spent time in Wichita with the aviation and aircraft companies, learning about opportunities for their future. There is a significant demand for the skillset, integrity and moral values of a soldier and members of our military…Yet we may not be taking sufficient advantage of the opportunities that a person who is leaving military service can provide.”

Sen. Moran will convene a hearing next Wednesday, November 5, about strategies to maximize veterans’ success after military service.

Sen. Moran’s questioning from yesterday’s hearing can be found here and the full hearing can be found here.

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Question the Witnesses

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