As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session S. R. No. 22
2025-2026
Senator Schaffer
Cosponsors: Senators Brenner, Koehler, Cirino, DeMora, O'Brien, Weinstein,
Smith, Wilson, Wilkin
A R E S O L U T I O N
To urge the President of the United States, the United
States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the United
States Congress to take prompt action to reduce the
processing time for veterans' disability benefit
claims.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
WHEREAS, The service members of the United States armed
forces have bravely and selflessly served our country; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs
disability benefits program provides monetary support to
veterans whose military service has caused or aggravated a
disabling medical condition; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Center for Veterans
Analysis and Statistics, the total number of veterans with a
service-connected disability has increased every year since 1991
and was 4,944,275 in 2019; and
WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, the Department took an average of 139.3 days to
complete disability-related claims in November 2024; and
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As Introduced
WHEREAS, The U.S. Government Accountability Office made
several recommendations directed toward improving the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs' capacity to manage workload
risks, monitor and assess performance, and plan for further
development of information technology; and
WHEREAS, The "Veterans Appeals Improvement and
Modernization Act of 2017," 38 U.S.C. 7113, made changes to
improve the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' appeals process
and also required the U.S. Government Accountability Office to
assess the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' original plan to
improve the veterans benefits claim appeals process; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has failed
to comply with the Veterans Appeals Improvement and
Modernization Act of 2017; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 136th General
Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the President of the United
States, the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the
Congress of the United States to take prompt action to reduce
the processing time for veterans' disability benefit claims; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 136th General
Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs to adopt policies to ensure that, for each
applicant, the disability benefits program appeals process
concludes not later than three months following the date on
which an applicant receives an initial determination letter from
the Department; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President of the
United States, the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of the United States
Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of
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As Introduced
Representatives, each member of the Ohio Congressional
delegation, and the news media of Ohio.
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