WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner sent a letter to each of his Senate colleagues today encouraging them to consider an innovative program developed by the College of William & Mary Law School as a national model in efforts to reduce the processing backlog for military veterans with complicated disability claims. William & Mary’s Lewis B. Puller, Jr., Veterans Benefits Clinic puts law students to work gathering historical documentation and medical records that are required in support of many of the most complicated cases currently pending at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The V-A has acknowledged a backlog of nearly 600,000 claims.  Last month, Sen. Warner also urged U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to consider the Puller Clinic model as part of a national network of pro bono legal help for military veterans with complicated disability claims.

Sen. Warner’s letter to his 99 Senate colleagues is below: