Luttrell Sends Letter Addressing Delays and Under Staffing at the VA
WASHINGTON – Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) led a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, along with 16 of his Texas colleagues, addressing significant delays in response time to claims inquiries due to depleted staff levels, specifically at the Houston Regional office, which is responsible for 20 Congressional districts.
Read the letter here and below.
“It is our understanding that across Texas and the United States veterans are exponentially experiencing longer wait times on inquiries regarding their claims. Specifically, we are concerned about the capacity of the Houston Regional office in assisting congressional offices with veteran casework. Currently, there are only two full-time congressional liaisons that handle congressional casework, with only three others capable of assisting part time if delays exceed 30 days. It is worth noting that the three part-time staff have multiple duties that prevent them from fully assisting with inquiries and casework.
“The Houston Regional Office has informed our offices that it is responsible for more than one million veterans, representing 20 congressional districts. The volume of inquiries can vary, but we have been informed by the Houston Regional Office that there can be between 10-15 inquiries per day. The complexity of these inquiries varies -- simple inquiries can take half a day, whereas complex inquiries can take a handful of days or weeks. Our offices have also been informed that response times have gone from 1-2 days to 3-4 weeks.
“It is abundantly clear that two liaisons cannot feasibly meet this workload, and with a growing veteran population, these delays and backlogs will only get worse, further exacerbating the issue. We ask that the Department of Veterans Affairs consider increasing the number of congressional liaisons in order to decrease our veterans’ wait times. There should not be two liaisons for the number of veterans and districts represented. Our caseworkers need timely responses to help our veteran constituents. Further, delayed responses mean that our veterans will have to wait longer to get the help they need.
“Thank you for your timely attention to this important matter.”
The letter was signed by Representatives John Carter (R-TX), Kay Granger (R-TX), Troy Nehls (R-TX), Randy Weber (R-TX), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX), Brian Babin (R-TX), Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX), Wesley Hunt (R-TX), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), and Slyvia Garcia (D-TX).