Senators press nominee on PACT Act implementation and growing VA claims backlog
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Summary
Committee members asked nominee Paul Lawrence how he would reduce the claims backlog and improve outreach under the PACT Act. Lawrence said he would revisit processes, invest in measurement, and expand communication to reach eligible veterans.
Senators at the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs pressed Paul R. Lawrence on the VA's implementation of the PACT Act and a rising claims backlog, asking what he would do to reduce delays and increase outreach to newly eligible veterans.
Committee members said the department is processing hundreds of thousands of claims and that veterans still lack awareness of newly available benefits. Senator Marsha Blackburn and others cited a figure of roughly 954,000 pending claims across categories; Lawrence said he would review the causes and work with the undersecretary for benefits to reduce processing times. "That will be one of the key, critical factors they focus on," he said, referring to claims processing if confirmed.
Lawrence highlighted three levers from his prior tenure at the Veterans Benefits Administration: measurement, accountability and technology improvements that accelerate development work so adjudicators can decide claims faster. He also emphasized outreach, saying low‑tech approaches such as telephone town halls and in‑person events were vital in previous efforts to reach veterans: "We probably can't over communicate on this," he said.
Why it matters: The PACT Act expanded presumptions for care tied to toxic exposures; committee members warned that staffing changes, hiring freezes or mass dismissals could impede timely processing and outreach, potentially delaying benefits for large numbers of veterans.
Additional concerns raised: Senators asked about fiduciary program failures, citing an Office of Inspector General report that documented missing records and about $24,000,000 disbursed without oversight. Lawrence acknowledged oversight challenges and committed to reviewing processes and accountability measures if confirmed.
Next steps and commitments: Lawrence committed to reviewing budget and staffing questions at VA and to working with the committee's members on congressional affairs and communications. He pledged to work with the secretary and the VA chief financial officer to assess advance appropriations and resource needs for the PACT Act's continued implementation.
