WASHINGTON, D.C. – Witnesses testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs agreed today on the need to reform the veterans’ disability compensation system.  Chairman Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) heard from representatives of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, Disabled American Veterans, and a law professor to discuss disability claims processing.  The Government Accountability Office presented previously unpublished findings on claims processing from an ongoing review of disability compensation. 

“The consensus is growing that the veterans’ disability compensation system needs to be broadly transformed.  Representatives from the veterans’ community, academia, and government are coming forward with specific ideas.  I am encouraged by the Administration’s willingness to advocate for change, and I will be working with VA officials and others to develop a broad compensation reform proposal,” said Akaka. 

Today’s hearing is the latest in a series on veterans’ disability compensation.  Records of earlier hearings are available at http://veterans.senate.gov, and the full written opening statements and written testimony for today’s hearing are available here. 

The GAO’s report is available at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09910t.pdf

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