Senators: Let Veterans Hire Lawyers

Senators Larry Craig, R-Idaho, and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., are introducing a bill (S. 2694) that would let veterans hire lawyers for assistance in obtaining benefits from the Veterans Affairs Department. The bill would overturn a 150-year old restriction designed to protect members of the armed services from legal practitioners who at the time were deemed “ill trained and unscrupulous,” according to a Craig press release. So what’s changed since then? "I suppose that some would still warn that lawyers are not to be trusted, but the reality is that the laws are complex and I want veterans to have the option of hiring an attorney to help navigate the system, if they choose," says Craig, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.--Jenny Mandel