House-passed bill would speed payments to veterans

WASHINGTON — A bill passed by the House on Tuesday would speed federal payments to veterans with complex claims for benefits.

The "pay as you rate" bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to make payments to veterans as components of their claims are processed rather than waiting for the entire case to be completed.

Bill sponsor Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., said the average benefits claim for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan contains eight components. She said the bill "will allow veterans to receive at least some of the benefits they earned in a timely manner."

The measure passed 419-0 in a bundle of other veterans-related legislation, including a 2016 cost-of-living increase for benefits paid by the VA.

Another bill in the group would establish a nationwide practice of observing two minutes of silence on Veterans Day "in honor of the service and sacrifice of veterans throughout the history of the nation."

Contact Review-Journal Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@reviewjournal.com or 202-783-1760. Find him on Twitter: @STetreaultDC