Kifowit-Backed Law Creates the Veterans’ Ailments Task Force

AURORA, Ill. – Continuing her efforts to protect Veterans and provide much needed resources to Veterans who have service-related ailments, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, worked to pass a new law that creates an official task force to help solve disparities between state and federal issues regarding service-related ailments and disability compensation.

“Too many Veterans fall through the cracks because of difficult jurisdiction disputes about who should be supporting and protecting a Veteran with a service-related ailment,” said Kifowit. “This task force will take a deep dive into the many disability claims that have been stagnant for far too long and work to come up with solutions that will improve the daily lives of Veterans in Illinois.”

After learning about the backlog of unpaid Veterans Affairs (VA) medical claims dating back years, Kifowit introduced legislation to create the Illinois Veterans’ Service-Related Ailments Task Force to asses ways the state can improve the rate at which disability compensation claims are approved by the federal government and help solve disparities between state and federal jurisdictions. The Task force will be required to meet at least once every 2 months and consists of 15 members.

“I am honored to be part of the solution that will help the many Veterans who are struggling to make ends meet due to no fault of their own receive the much-needed care and assistance they deserve,” said Kifowit. “This important task force will take on very difficult challenges as we work to provide our Veterans with the correct resources.”

House Bill 1815 was signed into law by Gov. Pritzker late last week. For more information on HB 1815 or any other legislative questions, please contact Kifowit’s full-time constituent office at 630-585-1308 or email Stephanie.Kifowit@att.net.