CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE LEADS BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO SUPPORT VETERANS

(Washington, D.C.) — Today, Congressman Joe Morelle announced he has introduced legislation to make it easier for veterans to receive their well-deserved Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. The Fred Hamilton Veterans’ Lost Records Act would open additional application pathways for veterans whose military records were lost by the U.S. government through no fault of their own.

“It’s shameful many of our brave veterans and their families are being denied the benefits they’ve rightfully earned from their services because of records lost by the U.S. government,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “This legislation will help make it easier for veterans to gain access to these benefits and ensure they can receive the care and support they need. I’m proud to lead my colleagues in the House and Senate in support of this important legislation, and I look forward to working with them to see it passed swiftly into law.”

Nick Stefanovic, Director of Monroe County Veteran Services, said: “At the Monroe County Veterans Service Agency we submit thousands of claims on behalf of Veterans, and we often have to dispute the VA regarding reasons for denial. The government losing a Veteran’s records should never be a reason for denial. We owe our Veterans more respect than that. I’m grateful for Congressman Morelle’s support on this bill and as always for his vigilance and continued support of the Veteran community here in Monroe County.”

Laura Heltz, Executive Director of Veterans Outreach Center, Inc. and a US Army Veteran, said: "The Fred Hamilton Veterans’ Lost Records Act stands as a beacon of justice, ensuring that those who served our nation, like Fred, are not abandoned by lost paperwork. It offers veterans a path to the benefits they earned, restoring dignity and honoring their sacrifices. The Congressman's leadership in all things that support our military veterans is a constant that we not only rely on in this community, but it's something for which we are tremendously grateful.  As a veteran myself and a former Veterans Service Officer, I know the magnitude of a bill like this and the impact it will make on those who swore to defend the Constitution of the United States."

Commander John Compitello of the Monroe County American Legion said: “We see and share the frustration veterans and their families endure while trying to obtain earned and needed benefits from injuries and illness that occurred while serving.  We appreciate Congressman Morelle and the sponsors of this important legislation to help those who need assistance through no fault of their own.”

After a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO destroyed the records of nearly 16 million Army and Air Force veterans, the VA established a regulatory process to allow veterans whose records were lost to use the next closest medical record or a buddy statement to meet the burden of proof required for VA health care and benefits. The bipartisan Fred Hamilton Veterans’ Lost Records Act would authorize VA to grant disability compensation claims using other documentation in place of military treatment records for veterans whose records were lost after being transmitted to VA by the Department of Defense (DoD).

The Fred Hamilton Veterans’ Lost Records Act is named for Fred Hamilton, an Air Force veteran from Columbia Falls, Montana who was exposed to toxins during his military service in Vietnam and other countries. Like countless others, Fred’s military treatment records were lost through no fault of his own after being transmitted from DoD to VA when he retired from military service.

Joining Congressman Morelle in introducing this legislation is a bipartisan group of Representatives including Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11), Congressman Morgan McGarvey (KY-3), and Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24). The bill is also led in the Senate by Senators Tester (MT), Coons (DE), Merkley (OR), Whitehouse (RI), and Rosen (NV).

“Veterans have already put on the uniform and sacrificed for our country — they shouldn’t have to go through endless hoops to prove their service or disability when their records are lost by no fault of their own,” said Rep. Morgan McGarvey. “My office has assisted local veterans with retrieving their lost records, but it shouldn't have to be this hard. This commonsense bill simply gives the VA the authority to use alternative sources of evidence to prove service without placing the burden on veterans. As a proud member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, I'm fighting so every veteran who is eligible receives their benefits.”

"Throughout our nation, veterans find themselves unjustly denied the benefits they have rightfully earned, not through any fault of their own, but due to errors within the VA," said Congresswoman Tenney. "This bill aims to rectify these injustices, providing our veterans with the resources to receive the benefits they sacrificed so much to obtain. We must correct these errors to ensure that all our courageous servicemen and women receive the recognition and assistance they have earned."

For more information on this legislation, read the full text of the bill here.

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