{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://rodneydavis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399140", "Reps. Davis and Yoho Bill to Improve VA Claims Process Headed to House Floor for Vote", "2016-09-22", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "IL", "Rodney Davis", "D000619", "rodneydavis.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) today announced that his bill, introduced with U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), to improve the Veterans Affairs (VA) claims process passed the House VA Committee and is expected to be voted on by the full House next week. Davis and Yoho introduced H.R. 5166, the WINGMAN Act in May to improve veterans' access to the VA claims process. This bill is similar to legislation Davis announced at his Veterans Resource Fair in Springfield last August.Veterans should not have to go through their member of Congress to get answers from the VA but the fact is, we are oftentimes a last resort for many veterans, said Davis. Our bill will allow my office, and other congressional offices, to better assist veterans by creating more transparency within the claims process and hopefully allow the VA to be more efficient. By moving this legislation forward, we are another step closer to getting veterans the answers they need and deserve in a timely manner. Our Veterans have put their lives on the line for our nation and they deserve the very best. Today we are one step closer in improving their benefits claims process. It is unacceptable that the brave men and women who stepped up to serve and protect our freedoms, should wait extended periods of time to receive the care and benefits they so rightly deserve, Yoho said. The WINGMAN Act will grant certified congressional staff access to the files they already have permission to, but eliminates the burdensome step of having to use the VA as a middle-man to receive them. Advocates will be able to access the status of a pending claim, medical records, comp and pen records, rating decisions, statement of the case, supplementary statement of the case, notice of disagreement, and Form-9 files.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://rodneydavis.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399140"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5906759072095156, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}