‘A betrayal of the government’: Congressional leaders say VA needs to better serve families of veterans who die by suicide

The leading Democrat on the Senate Veterans Affairs’ Committee vowed to fix the system for approving benefits to the families of veterans who die by suicide after a CNN investigation revealed how the VA had rejected hundreds of applications from widows and other relatives.

The leading Democrat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee vowed to fix the system for approving benefits to the families of veterans who die by suicide after a CNN investigation revealed how the VA had rejected hundreds of applications from widows and other relatives. “Denying benefits to veteran families who lose their lives to suicide is absolutely unconscionable — in fact, sickening,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal said, adding he intends to “fight to overturn any such practice or policy.” Blumenthal’s frustration with the VA was echoed on both sides of the aisle. “Veterans’ survivors should not have to navigate a complicated VA system to access the benefits their veteran loved one has earned,” said Mike Bost, Republican congressman and House VA Committee chairman. Sen. Ruben Gallego, an Iraq War veteran and Blumenthal’s fellow Democrat on the Senate VA Committee, characterized the denial of benefits as “a betrayal of the government.” CNN’s investigation found that even as the VA has invested hundreds of millions of dollars addressing the veteran suicide crisis, agency officials have for decades denied crucial benefits to the families of veterans who killed themselves after being discharged from active duty.