[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 14, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE WINGMAN ACT (H.R. 244)

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 14, 2017

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the 
House on the passage of the WINGMAN Act.
  The WINGMAN Act will allow designated Congressional staffers to work 
with the Department of Veterans Affairs to expedite the resolution of 
veterans' claims and better serve constituents.
  The need for this legislation is best illustrated by example. One of 
my constituents, John Harrison, has been battling with the VA over 
multiple claims for many years. He has continuously dealt with 
frustration, stagnation, and complications due to poor communication 
from the VA.
  In November 2016, Mr. Harrison was notified that one of his 
longstanding claims was closed. The VA claimed it closed the case 
because Mr. Harrison failed to submit a rebuttal to the VA's decision 
in an appropriate timeframe.
  However, Mr. Harrison did in fact submit the rebuttal, and he did so 
long before the deadline. Mr. Harrison was denied access to his 
benefits due to disorganization and miscommunication by the VA.
  Unfortunately, lack of transparency and delays in communication are 
regular occurrences for veterans seeking to resolve claims with the VA. 
Like many veterans, Mr. Harrison is a captive of the processmk-There is 
no way for him to know who is handling his claim or how his claim is 
being resolved.
  The WINGMAN Act will help address problems like those experienced by 
Mr. Harrison by increasing access to essential documentation for 
Congressional staffers working on cases, expediting claims' resolution, 
and providing for better communication regarding claims decisions.
  It is critical that we establish policies to process claims more 
efficiently and provide better care for our veterans. This bill will 
allow the excellent caseworkers in my office, and others across the 
country, to help the VA be more efficient, and more importantly, to 
help veterans access their benefits.
  I am proud to support and cosponsor the WINGMAN Act to help ensure 
veterans across the United States receive timely access to the benefits 
they earned and deserve.

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