Government Shutdown May Delay Veterans' Claims, DAV Still on the Job Offering Help to Vets

WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- DAV (Disabled American Veterans) knows that a government shutdown hurts veterans. And unless a resolution to the current situation is reached soon, the Department of Veterans Affairs says it may have to close its doors to veterans seeking VA benefits. This will have major consequences for veterans nationwide. 

WHAT: Should the government shutdown that began at midnight on Monday result in veterans not having access to our professional advocates at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, DAV is finalizing contingency plans to continue providing benefits counseling and claims assistance to veterans and their families. Those plans include deploying mobile services offices to strategic locations and setting up shop in secondary locations. Government shutdown or not, DAV is going to make sure veterans have access to the benefits they've earned.

WHO: Last year, DAV assisted with 300,000 claims. Many ill or injured veterans we help rely on VA funding to supplement their living expenses, and for some, it is their only income. DAV is the nationwide leader in representing veterans before the VA.

WHEN: DAV hopes VA funding is restored soon to avoid any interruptions in benefits our nation's heroes have earned. Meanwhile, DAV has been working hard in Washington for weeks preparing support for a bill that would ensure compensation payments for veterans are protected from any future shutdown by funding the entire VA budget a year in advance. Advance appropriations have shielded VA health care from most of the harmful effects of the current government shutdown as well as prior continuing resolutions.  Approval of this legislation would provide the same protections to all remaining discretionary and mandatorily funded veterans programs, including disability compensation processing and payments. 

DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America's injured heroes on Capitol Hill; and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a non-profit organization with 1.2 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at www.dav.org.

SOURCE DAV