Veterans deserve to retain their right to use third-party consultation as they navigate the complexities involved in securing disability benefits. The VA benefit process is laborious, confusing, and complicated. Hundreds of thousands of veterans have sought to engage the system on their own, only to fail to obtain the benefits they deserve or give up trying. In droves, veterans seek professional consultants, whether through Veteran Services Organizations (VSOs) or the private sector, to help them pursue their benefit claims. Sadly, the demand is often too great for the VSOs and private consultants to manage, leaving veterans without the resources they need.
Veterans’ rights should not be restricted by limiting how they approach their benefit claims. More organizations are needed to help our veterans, not fewer. We support the bi-partisan Preserving Lawful Utilization of Services for Veterans Act (aka, PLUS Act), as it empowers veterans to choose how they navigate and receive their hard-earned benefits. Further, the bill expands the options available to veterans underneath the VA’s accredited system to ensure the third-party consultants maintain the highest standards.
We thank Representatives Bergman (R-MI), Correa (D-CA), and Mace (R-SC) for their ongoing service and advocacy for Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families, and call on members of congress to co-sponsor this important bi-partisan legislation that helps veterans maintain the right to choose how they pursue their benefits.
