Six years ago, the Obama administration set the ambitious goal of ending veteran homelessness in 2015 and ending the backlog in disability claims.
Now it appears likely the Department of Veterans Affairs will miss both targets.
The latest count available showed about 50,000 homeless veterans on a single night in January 2014. Results from the January 2015 count are expected later this month.
The disability and pension claims backlog is on a downward path, but not before the claims processing system became so overwhelmed that lawmakers and veterans groups demanded changes at the VA.
The number of claims pending for more than 125 days soared from about 180,000 at the start of 2010 to more than 611,000 by March of 2013. It now stands at about 76,000.
Yet, as one crisis began to fade at the VA, another blossomed.
Reports of thousands of veterans waiting months and sometimes years for VA health care have taken priority and colored the way all other issues are viewed. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton faced significant criticism recently when she tried to downplay the wait times that veterans have been complaining about for years.
The VA has been focused on getting homeless veterans into housing immediately and paying for it with a voucher that subsidizes most or all of the rent. The VA then works to provide the veterans with counseling, health care and other benefits.
VA Secretary Robert McDonald said last week that the end of the year was still the goal for ending veteran homelessness. McDonald said his focus is now on Los Angeles with an estimated 4,200 homeless veterans.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Obama will bring hundreds of thousands of dirty muslim killers into our country that most of us don’t want but won’t take care of our vets who have gave life and limb to protect this country . !! He is a piece of filth himself. When can we run him out of the country with his family too . He makes my blood boil every time I see his lying , traitorous face !!!
Amen. This racist, lying, traitor should be impeached before he does anymore damage to this once great nation. Lets provide safe haven for illegals, terrorists, and his own unlawful cronies (including himself) while our BRAVE SOLDIERS come home and struggle, shame on this administration. I wonder what our forefathers think of our weaselly politicians. The people (citizens) need to stand up TOGETHER and get rid of these weasels 1 by 1. 1st agenda remove all lobbyists from Washington, (they are American terrorists) stop paying off politicians, their job is to listen too and informing their constituents of bills and policy. Not making decisions for there own personal gains. How many politicians past and present are millionaires? I’m sure they weren’t when they started their 1st term. We need to stand up and be heard.
Hello Merle and Francis I see exactly what your saying through your bitter ‘eyes’ I hate Obama &and Clinton, as much as any one , all we have in Washington is jerks? they should have rid of them years ago. But why are they so full of TEFLON? I WILL NEVER NO. Look at this you cant believe, I am a Korean conflict VET. (1955) I was a medic at the time stationed in Fort Sam Houston Texas,while training I was poisoned by unknown matter? and hospitalized. this is 60 years ago, I filed dozens of claims& appeals, I am still waiting for help, it never came.I have many correspondence ,All I can do is say it was not worth it,they should all suffer the way I did ,love you guys.jerry’
Will someone please prove to me that Obama ever came through on his promises other than the fundamental change of america? like if you like your medical plan you can keep it, or how about the one about the premium paid for your insurance will go down by $1000. a year.
Say what you will, but the main point is that the Veterans Administration is severely underfunded, has been for years. This agency has been tasked with health care for millions of veterans over those years since its inception. Various members of Congress, at “Federal Budget Times” have chosen to cut funding for the VA in order to provide “Tax Cuts” and promises to the Big Corporations, Big Banks, “Big Oil”, Wall Street, wealthy investors, CEO “Golden Parachutes”, “Big AG”, “Pork Barrel” acts, and many other forms of “Give Backs”, meanwhile maintaining these moves are neccessary for the economy. Then, the VA is told it must do its job, even with that reduced funding. For one thing, the VA is forced to provide pharmaceutical medications to those millions of vets at a set copay, but has to pay a non-negotiable higher price to the US only pharmaceutical corporations for those medications. That’s just one of many of the costs that the VA has to deal with while attempting to do its job with less funds. The results of that is in the article, like “Longer Wait Times” for earned benefits. Thousands of vets “Came Home” from foreign wars, but the funding didn’t increase to allow for the increase of vets needing that care!
But plenty of money for vacations and campaigning for the Liberal /socialist Democrats just not enough money to take care of our Veterans who have risked their lives for us all.
THROWING MORE MONEY AT IT HUH?? TYPICAL AMERICAN ATTITUDE!!! HOW BOUT EXAMINING YOUR THEORY FOR A MINUTE – – – IF YOU RAN A BANK – AND GOT A PHONE CALL THAT ROBBERS WERE HEADED YOUR WAY YOU FIGURE YOU SHOULD PUT MORE CASH IN THE DRAWERS???
WAKE UP – – – CATCH THE CROOKS (GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND YOUR ELECTED GENIUSES) FIRST!!!
QUIT THINKING LIKE AN AMERICAN!!!!!!!! LOOK WHERE IT HAS GOTTEN YOU!!!!!!!!!!
We should put our vets ahead of illegal immigrants. The illegals are coming here to enjoy the American lifestyle. The vets served to protect our lifestyle. The vets should be moved to the front of the line of those receiving help.
It appears that “”Promises were only Made to Be Broken ” At First Opportunity …once the Objective for The Promise has been Met, That is ! Usually, This has been known to turn out badly. And Rightly so. It is Shameful that this administration Could even consider ”Admitting ‘Hundreds of Thousands of Middle Eastern >>people into This Country..( Most all of them Young Men >>Who Hate Us for Destroying their Homes..And families ) This is An act of Total madness If this Idea Is Allowed to go forward. To Place The possibility of Our Demise into our Midst…With Obamas` ridiculous Plan. Now Why Would HE Do THIS ?? Is it Because he Knows < No Way under the Sun.,..Is It Ever going to Be Possible TO Turn Any Action From Our Military..Against This Country ?? BUT. Foreigners Who Really Hate us, Deep down.. And Don`t require much ( If any ) Coaxing to Turn their Hate Against US…living here among us..NOW..That Would Be so much easier to Contemplate, For Obama and his Z- owners… BUT.. Not As Easy as It Would BE…IF The Gun owners In this Country Could BE Coaxed into Giving up Our Guns And Ammo !! But..We Know THAT is Something This Country of Patriots ARE Never going TO DO. So.. Think About How Nasty IT Could Become..If Obama Has his Way..And All these ""'unfriendlies' are Brought into Our Country. It simply Can`t be allowed. Is Impeachment the Only Answer to avert This Nightmare from Coming into fruition ?? Think about THIS<<But..Not Much Longer.