Takano Leads Congressional Push to Stop VA Rule to Cut Veteran Disability Ratings

WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano led a comment letter, signed by over 60 Members of Congress, to the Federal Register demanding Secretary Collins fully rescind VA’s recently published Interim Final Rule (IFR) that changed how veteran disability ratings would be evaluated.

This letter follows the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) interim final rule, issued without advance notice or meaningful consultation with Veterans Service Organizations or Congress, that directed VA to reduce disability compensation ratings based on how a veteran functions while medicated, requiring disability compensation to be reduced when medications suppress symptoms.

“The IFR makes sweeping and unprecedented changes to how VA will evaluate functional impairment when medication or treatment affects symptoms. This rule unequivocally negatively impacts veterans’ earned benefits. The way it was promulgated, the questionable rationale offered, and the lack of evidence for its need make clear that this rule is harmful and VA should desist from promulgating similar rules in the futurewithout proper consultation with and notification to stakeholders and Congress,” wrote the lawmakers.

The lawmakers made their concerns clear, continuing, “Medication and treatment can alleviate symptoms; they do not erase service-connected injury and illness. Veterans should never be forced to weigh medical stability against financial stability. VA must rescind this IFR and end all ill-considered and harmful actions that would decrease the earned benefits of veterans.”

This comment letter to the Federal Register follows a joint letter led by the Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and cosigned by 19 Democrats opposing this rule. That letter was sent to Secretary Collins earlier this week, urging him to carry out a complete and permanent rescission of the rule.

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