[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 129 (Thursday, July 31, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     VETERANS DISABILITY BENEFITS CLAIMS MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 29, 2008

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5892, The 
Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008. This 
legislation will help to address difficulties that our veterans face in 
accessing needed health care records and medical compensation. I want 
to thank Chairman John Hall of New York for his leadership on the 
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs of the House 
Veterans Affairs Committee and for sponsoring this legislation.
  I support the bill's intent to streamline the current VA claims 
process faced by our nation's 24,000,000 veterans. Studies show that 
the average processing time for veterans' claims has increased from 177 
days to 183 days in one year alone. Moreover, the Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA) predicts that the number of claims will surpass 
1,000,000 by the end of fiscal year 2008. H.R. 5892 will provide 
incentives for the Veteran's Association to modernize their processing 
protocol by utilizing existing information technology in the processing 
of claims. These incentives will provide veterans with a more user-
friendly means of filing claims and more importantly a faster response 
time with claims requests.
  In particular, our veterans on Guam face the additional challenge of 
having to file their claims through the Regional Office in Honolulu, 
Hawaii. Over 20 percent of the backlogged cases in Honolulu are cases 
from Guam. Improved information technology systems will help facilitate 
the processing of claims on Guam. Moreover, I will continue to work 
with Chairman Hall and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enhance 
services provided by the VA Office on Guam. Improvements in the claims 
processing system along with a greater VA presence on Guam will greatly 
improve the current situation for our island's veterans.
  H.R. 5892 will also address the Department of Veterans Affairs' 
standard for adjudicating a veterans level of disability. The VA 
currently employs the Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule for 
Rating Disabilities (VASRD), a schedule first commissioned during the 
First World War. The VASRD was last revised in 1945 and has yet to 
include contemporary medical practices and procedures. The legislation 
also requires improvement training and assessment of training for VA 
caseworkers. In total, this legislation takes a major step forward in 
ensuring better quality of care and treatment for our nation's 
veterans.
  Our veterans have sacrificed in service to our country, and it is our 
duty to provide them with the adequate support and service commensurate 
to their dedication. I would like to thank my colleague Chairman Hall 
for authoring this bill and I urge passage of H.R. 5892.

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