OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Durbin: Win for Veterans as Ill-Advised Review of 72,000 PTSD Cases is Suspended

Date: Nov. 10, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Veterans


DURBIN: WIN FOR VETERANS AS ILL-ADVISED REVIEW OF 72,000 PTSD CASES IS SUSPENDED

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced a positive step forward for Illinois Veterans after the Department of Veterans' Affairs suspended an unfair review of 72,000 cases where veterans were awarded 100 percent disability for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

"This is a victory for veterans in Illinois suffering from PTSD. On the day before we commemorate Veterans Day we have something Illinois Veterans can celebrate. Soldiers who have endured the psychological wounds of the battlefields should not have to struggle through an ill-advised and costly review by the VA. I worked closely with Senator Obama to stop the VA from moving forward, and I am pleased we were successful."

In December, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Illinois ranked 50th among the states in receipt of disability pay. In reaction to the report, Durbin, Obama and other members of the Illinois delegation requested an investigation of the discrepancy. As a result of these efforts, the VA released the Inspector General report in May which indicated that a major contributing factor to this discrepancy was that the number of veterans in Illinois being rated at 100 percent for PTSD was far below the national average. After the release of that report, the VA proposed a nationwide review of the 72,000 veterans who have received a 100% PTSD rating to determine if they are unjustly receiving benefits.

"The initial decision by the VA to review all 72,000 PTSD cases would have caused undue stress and uncertainty for thousands of veterans in Illinois and tens of thousands more across the country. Today's change of course shows that Secretary Nicholson now understands that the best thing the VA can do to help disabled veterans is to improve training for VA personnel who process disability claims and improve the administration of the disabilty program."

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=248641&&

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