North Houston News

In an effort to address the significant delays and under staffing issues at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) and 16 of his Texas colleagues have sent a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough. The letter specifically focuses on the depleted staff levels at the Houston Regional office, which is responsible for 20 Congressional districts.

The letter highlights the concerns regarding the capacity of the Houston Regional office in assisting congressional offices with veteran casework. Currently, there are only two full-time congressional liaisons available to handle casework, with three others assisting on a part-time basis if delays exceed 30 days. However, the part-time staff have multiple duties that limit their ability to fully assist with inquiries and casework.

The Houston Regional Office, which serves over one million veterans across 20 congressional districts, has reported an increase in wait times for inquiries. On average, there can be between 10-15 inquiries per day, with the complexity of these inquiries varying. Simple inquiries can take half a day, while more complex ones can take several days or even weeks. As a result, the response times have gone from 1-2 days to 3-4 weeks.

It is clear that the current staffing level of two congressional liaisons is insufficient to meet the workload, especially considering the growing veteran population. The delays and backlogs are expected to worsen, further exacerbating the issue. The letter urges the Department of Veterans Affairs to consider increasing the number of congressional liaisons in order to decrease wait times for veterans. The representatives assert that there should not be just two liaisons for the number of veterans and districts represented.

The letter concludes by emphasizing the importance of timely responses for caseworkers to effectively assist veteran constituents. Delayed responses only prolong the wait for veterans to receive the help they urgently need.

In addition to Congressman Morgan Luttrell, the letter was signed by Representatives John Carter, Kay Granger, Troy Nehls, Randy Weber, Michael McCaul, Dan Crenshaw, Vicente Gonzalez, Brian Babin, Lizzie Fletcher, Wesley Hunt, Monica De La Cruz, Henry Cuellar, Pete Sessions, and Slyvia Garcia – all representing Texas.

The issue of delays and under staffing at the VA has gained attention from members of Congress, who have raised their concerns to the VA Secretary. It remains to be seen how the Department of Veterans Affairs will respond to the letter and address the pressing issues highlighted by Congressman Luttrell and his colleagues.