The Department of Veterans Affairs says it processed more than 3.1 million disability compensation claims in fiscal 2026. It also plans to hire more than 2,000 employees to handle rising demand.
A faster answer matters when a veteran is waiting on a decision that affects the household budget. An error can send that same veteran back through the process. Congress should ask VA to report how often decisions require correction, how long those corrections take, and where claims keep getting stuck.
The department should get credit for moving more claims. The test for the hiring plan is whether it helps veterans get accurate decisions sooner, including people whose claims are complicated.