WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today applauded the committee passage of his Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017. The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Isakson and Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., seeks to overhaul the current process for veterans’ appeals at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

The VA’s current appeals process is in desperate need of updating, and nearly half a million veterans are in limbo because of the VA’s existing backlog. Between fiscal year 2015 and fiscal year 2017, the number of pending appeals increased from approximately 380,000 to 470,000 – a more than 20 percent increase.

The measure, which passed the committee by voice vote, would create three separate paths for veterans to choose from when seeking redress from a decision by the Veterans Benefits Administration on their claims for VA benefits.

“It is critical that we address the unacceptable delays that veterans and their families face during the VA’s disability claims appeal process,” said Isakson. “We worked with the VA and veterans groups to put forth this bipartisan legislation that overhauls the current appeals process and puts in place a new system that allows veterans to choose the option that is right for them. I am pleased that my colleagues in the committee have made appeals modernization at the VA a priority. I hope the Senate will quickly take up and pass this critical legislation to help ensure veterans are served in a timely and efficient manner.”

The Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 allows certain veterans already going through the appeals process to opt in to the new system and gives the VA secretary the authority to test facets of the new system prior to full implementation. The bill also requires the VA to provide a comprehensive plan for both implementing the new system and processing the existing appeals.

Under the new process, veterans dissatisfied with the initial decisions on their claims will be able to:

• Seek a higher-level review by a regional office on the same evidence presented to the original claims processors;
• File a supplemental claim with a regional office that would include the opportunity to submit additional evidence; or
• Appeal directly to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, resulting in a possible hearing and/or the opportunity to submit additional evidence.

Following today’s committee passage, the bill heads to the full Senate for a vote.

A one-page summary of the legislation can be found here.

The Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 was introduced by Isakson and Blumenthal on May 3 and is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Steve Daines, R-Mont., Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Margaret Wood Hassan, D-N.H., Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Dean Heller, R-Nev., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Tim Kaine, D-Va., Angus King, I-Maine, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Jon Tester, D-Mont., John Thune, R-S.D., Tom Udall, D-N.M., and Mark Warner, D-Va.

Similar legislation was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Mike Bost, R-Ill., and Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Congressmen Phil Roe, R-Tenn., and Tim Walz, D-Minn., chairman and ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, are original co-sponsors of the House bill.

###

 The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 115th Congress. Isakson is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs since he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson’s home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations representing each branch of the military as well as more than 750,000 veterans.