Letter to Secretary Shinseki

Letter

Dear Secretary Shinseki:

I write to call your attention to an unfortunate situation which has prevented more than a hundred Long Island veterans and their families from receiving timely review and potential benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA). These veterans submitted claims to an individual in the Nassau County government via the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency, which apparently failed to forward their paperwork to the VA. Given that the mishap is entirely the fault of local government officials, and not of the veterans, who acted appropriately and in good faith, I ask that the VA promptly take all possible steps to review these cases and pay these veterans the benefits they are due, from the date of their original submission to the Nassau office.

Many veterans rely on local government agencies and nonprofit organizations to help them prepare documents and navigate through the process of applying for benefits. Unfortunately, it appears that a county staffer who was responsible for helping such veterans has in fact inflicted substantial harm on them by not following through with the claims that were submitted to that county office. When veterans are unable to prepare and submit claims on their own behalf, they should not be penalized for relying on officials who fail to do their job. I urge you to help these veterans by expediting their claims, and where appropriate, by paying claims based on the date they were originally prepared. Further, I urge that the VA thoroughly investigate this incident, get to the bottom of the problem and propose changes that will safeguard similar mistakes from happening in the future.

On behalf of all New Yorkers, thank you for your continued service on behalf of our nations' heroes. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist on this matter.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator

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