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Dr. Ruiz Applauds New VA Initiative to Expedite Veterans' Claims

April 22, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC -- Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert) today praised the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for its new initiative to expedite the processing of benefit claims for veterans who have waited one year or longer.

“I applaud the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for taking action to reduce the benefit claims backlog. Our veterans put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, and it is unacceptable that so many of these brave men and women must wait years to access the benefits they have earned in service to our nation. While the VA’s new initiative is a step in the right direction toward reducing the backlog, it is not a permanent fix. I look forward to working with my Democratic and Republican colleagues, the VA, and veterans’ organizations to find long-term solutions that will improve and streamline the benefit delivery system for our nation’s veterans and eliminate the backlog once and for all.”

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