Press Releases
Kuster Reacts to OIG Report on Failure of VA to Properly Administer VA Benefits**Kuster: Veterans in New Hampshire and Across the Country Deserve Better**
Washington, DC,
March 20, 2019
Today The Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report on the failure of the Department of Veterans Affairs to properly administer GI Bill benefits to veterans. The report found that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) “failed to modify their electronic systems” and that, “VA lacked an accountable official to oversee the project during most of the effort. This resulted in unclear communication of implementation progress and inadequately defined expectations, roles, and responsibilities of the various VA business lines and contractors involved.” Kuster wrote to Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie and Under Secretary for Benefits Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., calling on VA to promptly address GI benefit payment issues and provide effective leadership. “The OIG report confirms what we all suspected: a clear failure in leadership to properly oversee administration of GI benefits,” said Kuster. “Veterans in New Hampshire and across the country deserve better. This is unfortunately an all too familiar problem at the VA and we must ensure senior leadership act proactively and with the urgency necessary to effectively support our men and women who have served in uniform. I was proud to support the Forever GI Act and will continue to push VA to ensure every veteran receives the benefits they’ve earned.” Kuster backed the Forever GI Bill Housing Payment Fulfillment Act of 2018, which created a rapid response team to ensure veterans got their benefits as quickly as possible while VA continued to address the issue. ### |