Republican Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced legislation Wednesday that would help protect disabled veterans and aim to make the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) more transparent.
The Daily Caller first obtained a copy of the legislation, which is titled the “Send Them Treat Them Act.” The bill would specifically require the VA to update their Disability Claim Form to include information on the value of public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQ).
If the bill is passed, the Disability Claim Form will be required to state how veterans have the opportunity to submit the DBQ form, completed by any physician of their choice, as part of their supporting medical evidence.
The form would state how veterans can get access to this form online and offline. The bill also requires the VA to update their website. On the page titled “How to file a disability claim,” the bill requires the VA to include the same information provided on the claim form so veterans can find the information more easily. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Introduces Resolution To Remove Adam Schiff From The House)
READ THE LEGISLATION HERE:
(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers
“As a veteran myself, the lack of transparency coming from the VA has always been very concerning to me, especially when wounded veterans are trying to file disability claims. Those who have served our nation courageously should be receiving the best care possible and we shouldn’t settle for anything less. My legislation ensures that those who are wounded in the service of our country have access to the highest quality of care which they rightfully deserve,” Luna told the Caller before introducing the bill.(RELATED: ‘That Doesn’t Fly’: GOP Rep Rips Dems For Invoking ‘Race’ During Hunter Biden Hearing)
Alabama Republican Rep. Barry Moore is co-sponsoring the bill and it has been endorsed by Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).
“The VFW supports the Send Them Treat Them Act that revises laws administered by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to clarify information about the use of Disability Benefits Questionnaire forms and instructions on veterans’ rights when using them to file disability claims. The information provided to veterans on how to file claims should be clear and complete, making it easy for veterans to receive compensation for any disability they have resulting from their service to this country. The VFW thanks Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna for introducing this important piece of legislation,” Quandrea Patterson, the Associate Director of VFW’s National Legislative Service, said in a statement.
The VA was ranked as Americans’ least favorite government agency in a survey conducted in 2018.