Hoyer Herald - A Message From Congressman Steny H. Hoyer

Statement

I'm proud to represent over 76,000 veterans in the Fifth District, and I was pleased to join many yesterday at the annual Leonardtown Veterans Day Parade -- the largest parade in the state of Maryland. I want to thank the St. Mary's County Commissioners, Mayor Dan Burris, and others for organizing this wonderful event, as well as all of the community members who came together to join in honoring the brave men and women who have served our nation in uniform. During the event, students from Leonardtown Elementary School read essays they wrote on what Veterans Day means to them, and one student asked the crowd, "What do you do to celebrate Veterans Day?" One way we can honor veterans on Veterans Day and each day is by working to ensure they have the benefits and resources needed to successfully transition to civilian life following their service.

One veterans issue I'm closely monitoring is the unacceptable backlog of disability claims. While the Department of Veterans Affairs is making progress in bringing down the backlog -- which has decreased by approximately 41% in Maryland since March 2013 -- there is more work we must do to ensure Marylanders receive their benefits in a timely manner and with fewer errors. The Baltimore Regional Office, which serves all Maryland veterans, has had additional training, seen an increase in staff, and received a new digital processing system, and I'm working closely with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and the rest of the Maryland Congressional Delegation to ensure additional steps are taken to end the VA backlog for veterans in Maryland and across the country. If you are having trouble with your claim, I encourage you to contact my District Offices in Greenbelt and Waldorf with questions regarding casework. As always, thank you for allowing me to share this update with you.

With warmest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Steny H. Hoyer

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