,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bach  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,may #bc1 #bjac ,mr4  
,mc,carthy ( ,cali=nia 7= himself1 ,mr4 
,mill] ( ,florida1 & ,mr4 ,c(fman7      
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs1 & 9
 addition to ! ,committee on ,arm$      
,s]vices1 = a p]iod to be subsequ5tly   
det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* case =      
consid]ation ( su* provisions z fall )9 
! jurisdiction ( ! committee conc]n$  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (       
,vet]ans ,affairs to resolve ! backlog (
 disability claims ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,end+ ,,va ,claims ,disability        
,backlog & ,acc\ntability ,act4  #b4    
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,!
 ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs is       
/atutorily obligat$ to provide to       
individuals :o s]v$ 9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces &   
su/a9$ an injury z a direct result ( su*
 s]vice ) heal? c>e1 disability         

comp5sation1 & relat$ res\rces4  7#b7   
,disability comp5sation paym5ts are     
int5d$ to provide relief = "s ( !       
socioeconomic & o!r losses vet]ans      
exp]i5ce z a result ( s]vice-connect$   
diseases & injuries4  7#c7 ,a rec5t     
review by ! ,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability    
,(fice f\nd t ! backlog ( disability    
claims at ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs has m ?an tripl$ s9ce #bjji & !
 av]age l5g? ( "t to complete a claim   
has increas$ f #afa days 9 #bjji to #bfj
 days 9 #bjab4  7#d7 ,9 ,augu/ #bjab1   
approximately #efh1jdc claims or        
two-?irds ( all comp5sation rat+ claims 
are backlogg$4  7#e7 ,! ,gov]nm5t       
,acc\ntability ,(fice f\nd t delays 9   
obta9+ s]vice & m$ical records = vet]ans
 :o s]v$ 9 ! ,national ,gu>d or ,res]ve 
is a significant factor 9 l5g!n+ !      
claims process = ^! vet]ans ev5 ?\gh !y 
make up #dc p]c5t ( vet]ans :o s]v$ dur+
 ! ,global ,w> on ,t]rorism4  7#f7 ,!   
,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice f\nd t  
if a vet]an submits a disability claim &

 reports receiv+ disability b5efits f ! 
,social ,security ,adm9i/ration1 !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs is requir$
 to help ! vet]an obta9 relevant ,f$]al 
records1 includ+ m$ical records f !     
,social ,security ,adm9i/ration to      
process ! claim4  7#g7 ,!re is an       
int]ag5cy agreem5t betwe5 ! ,dep>tm5t ( 
,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,social ,security 
,adm9i/ration1 b ! protocols ( !        
,dep>tm5t & ! response "t ( !           
,adm9i/ration c take a ye> be=e !       
,dep>tm5t has obta9$ ! reque/$          
in=mation4  7#h7 ,! ,gov]nm5t           
,acc\ntability ,(fice f\nd t            
approximately #ej p]c5t ( claims        
process+ /aff h be5 9 _! curr5t role =  
less ?an two ye>s & are n yet pr(ici5t 9
 _! duties requir+ sup]vision & review f
 m exp]i5c$ claims process+ /aff1 div]t+
 !m f _! claims process+                
responsibilities4  7#i7 ,vet]ans & _!   
families h already selflessly & will+ly 
sacrific$ = our nation & fac$ num]\s    
h>d%ips2 !y %\ld n h to cont9ue to face 

undue & avoidable h>d%ips aft] _! s]vice
 z !y seek ! b5efits !y e>n$4  7#aj7 ,on
 ,m>* #bd1 #bjac1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs ,eric ,k4 ,%9seki /at$ 9 an   
int]view on ,/ate ( ! ,union television 
%[1 no vet]an %\ld h to wait = claims z 
!y are today4 ,we h a fix = ?is4 ,we're 
op5 = bus9ess4 ,& we w end ! backlog 9  
#bjae44  7#aa7 ,on ,april #ae1 #bjac1 ! 
,secret>y1 9 writt5 te/imony be=e !     
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,s5ate1 aga9 /at$ t ! ,,va rema9s focus$
 on elim9at+ ! disability claims backlog
 9 #bjae & process+ all claims )9 #abe  
days at a #ih-p]c5t accuracy level44    
7#ab7 ,on ,april #ai1 #bjac1 ! ,secret>y
 aga9 /at$ 9 a ,new ,york ,times article
 titl$ ,v4,a4 ,aims to ,r$uce ,its      
,backlog ( ,claims1 t ! ,dep>tm5t w     
elim9ate ! backlog by #bjae44  7#ac7    
,num]\s congressional inquiries =       
progress reports & detail$ in=mation    
reg>d+ ! disability claims backlog rema9
 unansw]$1 :ile ! ,secret>y cont9ues to 
/ate ! claims backlog w be elim9at$ by  

#bjae1 claims process+ accuracy w be    
increas$ to #ih p]c5t1 & claims process+
 w take no long] ?an #abe days z a      
direct result ( ! ,/rategic ,plan to    
,elim9ate ! ,comp5sation ,claims        
,backlog ( ! ,dep>tm5t4  7#ad7 ,!       
,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice f\nd t !
 ,/rategic ,plan to ,elim9ate !         
,comp5sation ,claims ,backlog ( !       
,dep>tm5t does n adequately articulate  
h[ ! ,dep>tm5t w meet its goals1 &      
plann+ docum5ts t ! ,dep>tm5t provid$   
does n meet ! e/abli%$ crit]ia ( !      
,gov]nm5t ,acc\ntability ,(fice = s\nd  
plann+1 pot5tially lead+ to conc]ns ab\t
 ! ability ( ! ,dep>tm5t to r$uce claims
 backlogs4  #c4 ,timel9e & metrics to   
resolve backlog ( disability claims  7a7
 ,implem5tation ( ,/rategic ,plan ,to   
,elim9ate ! ,comp5sation ,claims        
,backlog ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs %all implem5t ! ,/rategic ,plan
 to ,elim9ate ! ,comp5sation ,claims    
,backlog1 publi%$ by ! ,secret>y on     
,janu>y #be1 #bjac1 to ensure t by      

,memorial ,day 7,may #be71 #bjae1 ea*   
claim = disability comp5sation "u ! laws
 adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y 79 ?is ,act    
ref]r$ to z a claim7 is approv$ or d5i$ 
by n lat] ?an #abe days aft] ! date on  
:i* ! claim is submitt$ ) an accuracy   
rate ( #ih p]c5t4  7b7 ,supplem5tal     
report ,n lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (  
,vet]ans ,affairs %all submit to        
,congress a supplem5tal report to !     
,/rategic ,plan to ,elim9ate !          
,comp5sation ,claims ,backlog t includes
 ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,specific measures1    
proc$ures1 & metrics to assess !        
implem5tation ( ! plan pursuant to      
subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,a detail$ timel9e
 to implem5t ea* initiative conta9$ 9 ! 
,/rategic ,plan to ,elim9ate !          
,comp5sation ,claims ,backlog4  #d4     
,exp$ition ( transf] ( c]ta9 records    
7a7 ,,ssa records ,n lat] ?an #fj days  
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !  
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all ent] 
into an agreem5t ) ! ,commission] ( !   

,social ,security ,adm9i/ration to      
ensure t ! ,commission] transf]s to !   
,secret>y disability or m$ical records (
 ! ,commission] t ! ,secret>y w use to  
evaluate a claim by n lat] ?an #cj days 
aft] ! ,secret>y reque/s su* records4   
7b7 ,,dod records ,n lat] ?an #fj days  
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !  
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all ent] 
into an agreem5t ) ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se
 to ensure t ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se      
transf]s to ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs m$ical records ( memb]s or =m] 
memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces t ! ,secret>y w  
use to evaluate a claim by n lat] ?an   
#cj days aft] ! ,secret>y reque/s su*   
records4  7c7 ,national ,gu>d records ,n
 lat] ?an #fj days aft] ! date ( !      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (      
,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,secret>y (       
,def5se %all jo9tly--  7#a7 submit to   
,congress a plan to r$uce to #cj days ! 
am\nt ( "t ne$$ to provide memb]s ( !   
,national ,gu>d & ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs ) ! m$ical records ( su*      

memb]s1 includ+ by p>tn]+ ) appropriate 
(ficials ( ,f$]al or ,/ate dep>tm5ts or 
ag5cies2 &  7#b7 implem5t su* plan4  #e4
 ,claims processors tra9+  7a7          
,e/abli%m5t ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs %all e/abli% a tra9+ program to
 provide newly hir$ claims processors ( 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs ) tra9+ 
= a p]iod ( n less ?an ?ree ye>s4 ,9    
c>ry+ out su* program1 ! ,secret>y %all 
id5tify successful claims processors ( !
 ,dep>tm5t :o c assi/ 9 ! tra9+ ( newly 
hir$ claims processors4  7b7 ,ability to
 process claims ,! ,secret>y %all c>ry  
out ! tra9+ program e/abli%$ "u         
subsection 7a7 )\t increas+ ! am\nt ( "t
 9 :i* claims are process$ by !         
,dep>tm5t4  #f4 ,reports by ,comptroll] 
,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates  7a7 ,reports  
,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( !    
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & ea* #ij-;day     
p]iod !reaft]1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! 
,unit$ ,/ates %all submit to ,congress a
 report on ! progress ( ! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs 9 implem5t+ !         

,/rategic ,plan to ,elim9ate !          
,comp5sation ,claims ,backlog pursuant  
to section #c7;a74  7b7 ,matt]s includ$ 
,ea* report "u subsection 7a7 %all      
include ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,:e!r !         
,secret>y is meet+ ! timel9e ( !        
,/rategic ,plan to ,elim9ate !          
,comp5sation ,claims ,backlog4  7#b7 ,an
 analysis ( ! implem5tation by !        
,secret>y ( su* plan4  7#c7             
,adm9i/rative or regulatory             
recomm5dations ( ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ) 
respect to improv+ ! ability ( !        
,secret>y to c>ry out section #c7;a74