Congress passed a bill this week that puts into law what the Department of Veterans Affairs has been doing for a long time – helping our nation’s veterans file claims for benefits.

Thursday, July 27, 2000

Congress passed a bill this week that puts into law what the Department of Veterans Affairs has been doing for a long time – helping our nation’s veterans file claims for benefits.

The court system prohibited the VA last summer from assisting veterans until the veterans themselves established solid evidence for claims, which was ludicrous at best. Veterans deserve help and what better agency to help than the VA?

The House agreed unanimously Tuesday, passing by 414-0 a measure that granted the VA legal status to involve itself in claims.

Many people will likely overlook such a decision that seems so obvious, yet the importance of the vote should be ever-present.

Our government, we the people, asked veterans to serve their country. Now, they rely on the government, and us, for help sometimes.

The agencies, programs and many groups that help them are based in Washington, D.C., where our elected representatives work. And many of those legislators control the purse-strings of the agencies.

Yes, we should never forget our veterans.

We should also not let our legislators forget veterans, either.

Remind them.