During a hearing of the House Appropriations Committee, 1st District U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree told the Veterans Affairs Inspector General, Michael Missal, that she is tired of seeing reports from his office that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) is doing a poor job of handling claims for sexual assaults in the military.
“This isn’t the first time the VBA has been shown to be improperly adjudicating these claims and have agreed to mandate additional training,” Pingree says. “Back in 2012 at a hearing the VA conceded that they were improperly applying guidance on claims.”
The Inspector General has issued several critical reports over the last few years, and Pingree says she wants to see recommendations for improving the handling of complaints.
