(136th General Assembly)

(Senate Resolution Number 22)

A resolution

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

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 Representatives, each member of the Ohio Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio.

President _________________ of the Senate.

Adopted ____________________, 20____