Pulaski Times

U.S. Senators John Boozman, Mazie Hirono, Tommy Tuberville, and Ruben Gallego have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at expediting benefits access for veterans who have been victims of fraud. The proposed Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act seeks to remove bureaucratic obstacles that currently delay the reimbursement process for defrauded former servicemembers.

The legislation allows the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) to bypass the requirement of completing a full internal negligence investigation before restoring benefits. "Disabled veterans who are victims of benefit fraud should not have to endure bureaucratic delays in order to receive reimbursement," stated Senator Boozman. He emphasized the importance of established protocols to reinstate veterans' hard-earned benefits.

Senator Hirono highlighted the sacrifices made by veterans and stressed that they should not face hurdles when seeking financial restoration after being defrauded. "Due to the oversight in the VBA fiduciary program, some veterans are dying before they ever receive their reimbursements—that is unacceptable," she said.

Senator Tuberville expressed disappointment over instances where veterans are taken advantage of and underscored his commitment to improving government services for them. "This bill attempts to help right that wrong by ensuring veterans with disabilities are made financially whole if they are defrauded of their benefits," he remarked.

Senator Gallego pointed out the prolonged wait times faced by defrauded veterans, stating, "It’s unacceptable that the veterans who put their lives on the line for this country could be defrauded out of the benefits they earned."

A July 2021 report from the VA Office of Inspector General noted significant delays due to a universal negligence determination requirement within the VA fiduciary program. The new act proposes allowing VBA to perform a statistically valid analysis on misuse cases as part of quality assurance without affecting reimbursement timelines.

In addition, companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Representatives Gerry Connolly and Juan Ciscomani.