Tuberville Calls for Reform as Veterans Face Barriers to Disability Benefits

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In a Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing this week, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) pressed for solutions to longstanding challenges veterans face when seeking disability benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Joined by Inspector General Cheryl Mason, Veterans of Foreign Wars Executive Director Ryan Gallucci, and Lt. Col. Dr. Daniel Gade, Tuberville spotlighted systemic hurdles and called for renewed accountability.

A Call for a Commission to Reform VBA

Tuberville, a member of multiple Senate committees including Veterans' Affairs, opened the hearing by referencing the 2014 Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, which created a commission to improve the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). He proposed a similar commission to evaluate the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA).

"Don't our veterans deserve a system like this with a commission?" Tuberville asked. "Right benefits for the right veterans.

Inspector General Mason agreed, stating that a commission focused on VBA would be "very well placed" and necessary to mirror the oversight provided to VHA.

Gallucci, while cautious, acknowledged the value of the conversation but warned of past failures. "We were champions of the care commission, and it couldn't make it past the first marker," he said. "Now we're seeing the repercussions."

⚖️ PACT Act Strains and Moral Concerns

The hearing also addressed the impact of the PACT Act, which expanded presumptive conditions for veterans exposed to toxic substances. Tuberville asked how the system could be simplified to ensure benefits reach the right people.

Dr. Gade raised concerns about the moral implications of certain presumptive conditions, specifically hypertension for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange.

"We're compensating for something that-pardon the expression-but old fat people get," Gade said. "Taxpayers are taking a bath on that."

Gallucci emphasized the need to accelerate scientific research to better identify toxic exposures and their long-term effects. He cited the example of Karshi-Khanabad (K-2) in Uzbekistan, where veterans developed rare cancers after service but struggled to receive benefits due to delayed diagnoses.

"One of the greatest detriments is the time it takes to identify when a toxic exposure has happened and then make that veteran whole," Gallucci said.

Tuberville: "Urgency Doesn't Work Up Here"

Tuberville closed his remarks with a candid reflection on bureaucratic inertia.

"Urgency doesn't work up here in federal government. I'll tell you that. We wish it did."

As Alabama's representative on the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans' Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees, Tuberville continues to advocate for reforms that ensure veterans receive timely and appropriate care.