Dr. Ruiz Announces Progress on Legislation to Streamline the Benefits Process for Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) announced progress on legislation to help veterans, their families, and their survivors receive earned benefits faster. Two of his bills, the Veterans Access to Speedy Review Act and the Veterans' Survivors Claims Processing Automation Act, were included in the Veterans' Affairs Committee markup of H.R. 677, the American Heroes COLA Act. Dr. Ruiz's legislation would streamline the survivor benefits process for veteran families, help veterans who need benefits most gain priority processing, and expand the VA's capacity to process appeals without imposing additional costs.

"Our veterans and their families sacrificed for our country, and we owe them the benefits they earned without unnecessary delay or burdensome bureaucracy. These commonsense, bipartisan bills will get many veterans' appeal results and benefits sooner, at no added cost," said Dr. Ruiz.

"This legislation will also simplify the survivor benefit process for veteran families by authorizing the VA to initiate and pay earned survivor benefits without requiring bereaved relatives to file a formal claim. Mourning family members have enough to deal with upon the death of cherished veterans; we should no longer make navigating VA bureaucracy part of the coping process."

H.R. 677, the American Heroes COLA Act, advanced through the Veterans' Affairs committee today with unanimous, bipartisan support.

Click here to see the full video: https://youtu.be/lhb8wcb1fCg?t=25m50s

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