At a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal and representatives from several Veterans Service Organizations challenged claims that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation process is excessively generous. The hearing addressed recent media coverage suggesting widespread fraud and unnecessary expansion of benefits for veterans.
Blumenthal responded to these allegations during the hearing, stating: “I also want to hear your response to those who believe that VA disability compensation is too generous—not my view. That’s how the system has been portrayed by some opponents of the system in past years. These articles fail to understand or capture the purpose of the benefit. Instead, they cherry pick anecdotes to wrongly claim that disability benefits is fraught with widespread fraud. There is, in fact, some wrongdoing and fraud. We need to root it out, investigate, and prosecute it, but not abandon a system of compensation that is deserved and needed by veterans, our heroes who serve and sacrifice for our country.”
Recent reports from The Washington Post were cited as contributing to misconceptions about the VA system by linking stories of fraudulent claims with expanded benefits under the PACT Act. These reports have questioned whether certain disabilities are sufficiently related to military service to qualify for compensation.
Blumenthal further criticized proposals from Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought regarding means-testing veterans' benefits: “And I'm struck by statements from the Administration, including the top levels of the Office of Management and Budget, [Director] Russell Vought, that means testing is maybe a reform that should be adopted. He suggested that the Administration should, quote, target significant cost savings from revising disability rating awards. I haven't heard the Secretary criticize or refute that potential course of action.”
Advocates from organizations such as Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) supported Blumenthal's stance. They emphasized that most fraudulent activity comes not from veterans but from unaccredited individuals known as “claims sharks” who charge illegal fees or provide inadequate services for filing claims.
Cheryl Mason, Inspector General at VA, stated: “There is no mass fraud going on [in VA’s disability compensation system]. I take issue with that.”
VFW Executive Director Ryan Gallucci commented on recent media narratives: “…[W]e have witnessed an appalling resurgence of old, poisonous rhetoric. Recently, The Washington Post has smeared America’s veterans as freeloaders, insinuating that their hard-earned benefits are too generous and are part of a system plagued by fraud. They talk about the cost of veterans’ health care as if it were some line item to be trimmed, rather than the moral obligation of a nation that has been at war for a quarter of century…What truly drives bad behavior is not veterans, it’s bad policy…If you want to crack down on exploitation, start with the real predators—the claim sharks who charge illegal fees, falsify paperwork, and profit from veterans’ confusion and pain.”
The hearing was notable for taking place during a government shutdown—the first time such an event coincided with a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee session during a shutdown period. Blumenthal criticized both Secretary Collins and then-President Trump's administration over alleged violations involving political activities within VA leadership: “I want to say finally that the current VA leadership has repeatedly violated the Hatch Act by blurring the lines between governance and political campaigning. That is unacceptable. And there used to be bipartisan pushback to such behavior, I hope there will be again. Veterans deserve a VA that works for them, whether they are Democrats or Republicans, and avoids pushing partisan messages.”
Testimony from DAV and VFW noted disruptions caused by barring their officers from working in VA Regional Offices during the shutdown—a move they said limited support available to veterans seeking help with benefits access.
Gallucci added: “These disruptions not only create uncertainty but also compound the challenges veterans face in accessing benefits and health care should a critical date be missed.”
In his opening remarks at the hearing—also included in full text—Blumenthal acknowledged problems within VA systems but called for improvements rather than cutbacks or policy changes based on isolated incidents.
He concluded: “I will continue to fight for improvement and expansion of earned VA benefits, and I appreciate all of you here who are advocating for that cause.”
