North Carolina HR 1780: Veterans Benefits.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001
H Simple
Resolution
Adopted
HOUSE RESOLUTION 1780
Adopted 8/28/02

Sponsors: Representatives Nye; Warwick and Justus.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.
July 31, 2002

A HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED 1
STATES AND THE PRESIDENT TO ENACT LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH 2
A FEDERAL/STATE PARTNERSHIP TO USE LOCAL COUNTY VETERANS 3
SERVICE OFFICERS TO ASSIST THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 4
VETERANS AFFAIRS IN ELIMINATING THE VETERANS CLAIMS 5
PROCESSING BACKLOG. 6
Whereas, the United States presently has a population of over 25 million 7
veterans from its previous wars, with the majority of that veteran population from 8
World War II and the Korean War; and 9
Whereas, the World War II and Korean War veteran population is presently 10
over 70 years of age, and that group is passing away at the rate of 1,000 veterans per 11
day; and 12
Whereas, the United States government has acknowledged its responsibility 13
to provide medical care or compensation for medical problems, as well as other 14
benefits, to those veterans who served their country in time of war; and 15
Whereas, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is charged with 16
administering the federal benefits program for veterans; and 17
Whereas, there presently exists a backlog of over 601,000 claims, some of 18
which have been outstanding for one year or more; and 19
Whereas, a significant portion of these claims involve World War II and 20
Korean War veterans, and despite determined efforts by the United States Department 21
of Veterans Affairs to eliminate this backlog, the backlog continues; and 22
Whereas, there exists a trained group of individuals known as county veterans 23
service officers located in 37 of the 50 states, representing 700 counties and a workforce 24
of over 2,400 full-time local government employees; and 25
Whereas, these county veterans service officers were established in 1945 after 26
World War II for the purpose of helping returning veterans reenter civilian life, and 27
have continued to do so for all veterans of all wars since then; and 28

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2001
Page 2 House Resolution 1780
Whereas, these county veterans service officers are highly trained individuals 1
who have continued to provide assistance to all veterans for over 50 years and are 2
already familiar with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs claim policies 3
and procedures; and 4
Whereas, for example, in North Carolina county veterans service officers 5
annually assist North Carolina veterans obtain monetary benefits in excess of 6
$812,000,000 by assisting these veterans in filing over 50,000 claims annually with the 7
United States Department of Veterans Affairs; and 8
Whereas, this claims processing backlog needs to be urgently reduced while 9
our World War II and Korean War veterans are still with us; and 10
Whereas, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs could enter into a 11
partnership with state and local governments to utilize these highly trained county 12
veterans service officers to eliminate the present claims processing backlog by 13
expanding the county veterans service officers' roles; and 14
Whereas, this would be a cost-effective way of reducing the claims 15
processing backlog by eliminating the need for a substantial increase in federal 16
employees; and 17
Whereas, these county veterans service officers, as represented by the North 18
Carolina Association of County Veterans Service Officers and the National Association 19
of County Veterans Service Officers, have offered to assist the United States 20
Department of Veterans Affairs in exchange for block grants to the various states based 21
upon each state's veteran population to compensate county veterans service officers for 22
their expanded role; Now, therefore, 23
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives: 24
SECTION 1. The House of Representatives urges the Congress of the 25
United States and the President to support and enact legislation that would establish a 26
federal/state partnership to use the knowledge and skills of the local county veterans 27
service officers to assist the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in eliminating 28
the veterans claims processing backlog in order that America's veterans can take 29
advantage of the benefits that the United States has authorized for them for their faithful 30
and loyal service to a grateful nation. 31
SECTION 2. The Principal Clerk shall transmit copies of this resolution to 32
the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of 33
Representatives, the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and 34
Representative from North Carolina in the Congress of the United States. 35
SECTION 3. This resolution is effective upon adoption. 36