Editorials

Ideas for the VA

7/28/2013

The backlog at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been a national disgrace for at least two decades. Although the number of veterans who have been waiting on a disability claim for more than 125 days has begun to shrink, 523,000 wounded warriors are still affected. This is unacceptable.

Sens. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) and Dean Heller (R., Nev.), are seeking ways to cut the waiting list. They plan to issue an “idea report” that could turn into legislative action to alleviate the wait time dramatically. Veterans groups pledge to support their efforts.

The VA says it will be happy to hear the senators’ suggestions. That’s good, because 65 percent of veterans who are disabled and need financial help have been waiting more than four months for aid.

Americans ask the men and women who defend their country to make sacrifices that many citizens would never consider. These veterans shouldn’t be asked to forgo adequate medical services and financial support on top of all their other sacrifices. No decent society would ask that of those who have given so much.