Schumer: Bureaucratic Red Tape Is Preventing Disabled Veteran From Getting The Vital Wheelchair Accessible Home Improvements He Needs; Vet Suffers From Serious illness Sustained While Serving In Iraq And Kuwait - Schumer Demands Timeline & Answers From The Veterans Administration; Says Delay Is Denying Basic Quality Of Life

Press Release

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today urged the Veterans Administration (VA) to cut through bureaucratic red tape and promptly provide answers and a project timeline for Dale Dart and his family, who have been awaiting construction on a wheelchair accessible addition to their home following serious illness Dart suffered while serving his country. Dart is a Western New Yorker and Gulf War veteran who suffers from multiple sclerosis, linked to the use of depleted uranium in weapons used by U.S. Armed Forces during his time in Iraq. Two years ago, the VA approved both internal and external home improvements to the Dart home in order to construct a wheelchair accessible addition to their home, for which Schumer lauded the VA. However, lack of internal communications in the VA has resulted in the project being delayed time-and-time again.

"The VA is doing the right thing; they are just not doing it in the right way," said Senator Schumer. "The right had does not know what the left hand is doing and the result is interminable delays, poor communication, and no wheelchair accessible home for Mr. Dart -- which is something he needs and deserves in thanks for his service to this nation. It's been two years: Enough already. The VA must cut through this morass of red tape once and for all and provide the hard-and-fast timeline the Dart family has been waiting on for years. The Dart family must not have to wait another two years for this essential project to be completed."

"It is a travesty that a man who suffered serious illness after serving our country, now has to suffer at the hands of government bureaucracy over critical wheelchair accessible additions to his home that will greatly improve his quality of life," Schumer continued.

Specifically, after two years of planning, the VA approved Kaz Construction as the sole contractor for the project; they broke ground last month. Around the same time, however, the VA notified the family that the project actually required an additional contractor for the interior work on the home because the project involves two different government programs. Schumer said the Dart family made multiple calls to the VA and was not provided any answers in regards the second contractor. As a result, the family continues to wait while the process becomes mired in red tape.

That is why Schumer is demanding the VA provide the family answers and a timeline in order to break up the bureaucratic red tape so the home addition can begin and Dart's basic quality of life can be restored. Currently, Dart spends most days in the basement of the Dart family home because it is the only space in the house that is accessible for his wheelchair. What's worse, Schumer said, is that due to the lack of communication on the part of the VA, the first contractor doing the building work cannot communicate with the unknown second contractor who will be doing the interior work. Schumer said these grinding gears of bureaucracy have delayed the process that has already taken too long.

Schumer explained that, when this project originally began, two VA programs -- Independent Living and Specially Adjusted Housing (SAH) -- both agreed that the contractor for the entire project would be KAZ Construction. It was only a few weeks ago that the VA, however, told the family a second contractor for the interior work would be needed as it involved these two different government programs. Schumer said the issue now is that the VA has not yet designated a second contractor for the interior work on the project, which includes hardwood floors, electrical wiring, plumbing, and other related work. Schumer said that to make matters worse, the contractor doing the initial work cannot communicate with the second contractor who will be doing the interior work. As a result, the project and construction of the wheelchair accessible home addition completely halted on June 9th.

Schumer said the family should have been made well aware of any additional requirements and it is not fair to a disabled veteran who suffered after serving the U.S. overseas to wait any longer. As a result, Schumer demanded the VA immediately finalize the decision on the second contractor and spell out a timeline with real deadlines so construction can get underway and the project can finally be completed. Schumer said Dart has waited long enough for this work to his home, which will vastly improve his quality of life when it is complete.

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