Study on Disparities Associated with Race and Ethnicity with Respect to Certain Benefits Administered By the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1031) to require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on disparities associated with race and ethnicity with respect to certain benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: S. 1031

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY ON DISPARITIES ASSOCIATED WITH RACE AND ETHNICITY WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN BENEFITS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Study Required.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study--

(1) to assess whether there are disparities associated with race and ethnicity with respect to--

(A) compensation benefits administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;

(B) disability ratings determined by the Secretary, with specific consideration of disability evaluations based on pain; and

(C) the rejection of fully developed claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary; and

(2) to develop recommendations to facilitate better data collection on the disparities described in paragraph (1).

(b) Initial Briefing.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall brief Congress on the initial results of the study conducted under subsection (a).

(c) Final Report.--Not later than 240 days after the date on which the briefing required by subsection (b) is conducted, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a final report setting forth the results of the study conducted under subsection (a), including the recommendations developed under paragraph (2) of such subsection.

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Mr. TAKANO. 1031.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1031. To build a better, more welcoming, and more equitable Department of Veterans Affairs, we must take a hard look at how VA can earn back trust. Too many veterans have experienced barriers to receiving the benefits that they have earned from service to our country.

I believe that VA care and benefits must be distributed fairly to all eligible veterans, regardless of social or physical disparities. That is why we must look back to document whether veterans have been unjustly denied benefits, address the root causes of disparities, and ensure equitable treatment moving forward.

Such an important evaluation will certainly require digging into vast datasets, evaluating agency processes, and laying the framework for meaningful recommendations to effectively make any needed course corrections at VA. That is why this bill mandates that the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office perform this examination.

Under Senator Raphael Warnock's legislation passed by the Senate, GAO would study racial and ethnic disparities regarding VA compensation benefits, including VA disability ratings and rejections of fully developed claims for benefits under laws administered by VA.

The VA Secretary would brief Congress within a year after passage of the bill and then prepare a report that includes recommendations to address identified disparities.

The companion legislation I sponsored, H.R. 3856, was approved by the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and I am pleased to support Senator Warnock's legislation today. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close.

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I, again, ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 1031, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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