John Scott Duarte: “I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Clear…”

“I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act. I am proud that the House is considering my bill on the floor today and for the support of Democrats and Republicans so that veterans can obtain the benefits they have earned in service to our Nation. I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) for his support of this bill and my Democrat co-lead, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Budzinski), for joining me on this important legislation. This bill is a testament to what Congress can achieve when working across party lines. Since coming to office, I have led several veterans' townhalls across California's Central Valley. One topic that continues to come up is the daunting challenge that our veterans, young and old, face when applying for and receiving benefits through the VA after their service to our Nation, and this is unacceptable. Currently, when a veteran applies for benefits or files a claim with the VA, the VA responds in writing and often provides updates in writing. At a Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing in March 2024, it became clear that the VA's effort to make these letters easy to understand, to guide veterans through the process, have failed. We learned the VA letters are often lengthy, packed with indecipherable legal jargon, sometimes omit crucial information needed to advance a claim, and can be over 20 pages long.…”