CINCINNATI (AP) — U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (BAY'-nur) says the system for handling veterans' disability claims is broken and he wants the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs to explain what is being done to fix it.
The Ohio Republican said in a letter this week to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki that the benefit delivery system hasn't shown any noticeable improvement in Shinseki's four years heading the department.
Boehner also says the compensation claims backlog remains alarmingly high nationally and in Ohio. He says the system's failures reported by Ohio veterans are "shameful."
Boehner is asking for a response within 30 days to his questions about what is being done to fix the system.
A VA spokesman says the department received the letter and is preparing a formal response.
