Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., introduced a new bill on Tuesday that would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use blockchain technology to improve how veterans receive their benefits and services.
Rep. Mace – who chairs the House Oversight Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation – introduced the Veterans Affairs Distributed Ledger Innovation Act of 2024 to help modernize the VA’s legacy systems.
“Our veterans deserve nothing less than the best,” Rep. Mace said in a statement. “We need to bring the Federal government into the 21st century. This bill will open the door to research on improving outdated systems that fail our veterans because we owe it to them to use every tool at our disposal to improve their lives.”
According to the press release, the congresswoman’s bill will require a comprehensive report on how distributed ledger technology – more commonly known as blockchain – could modernize VA systems.
The VA’s fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget request features a “maintenance” IT budget that is focused on maintaining legacy systems, according to VA Secretary Denis McDonough.
Members of the House VA Committee, including Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., have expressed their concern that the proposed budget is “focused on maintaining legacy systems over modernizing them.”
Rep. Mace’s bill aims to utilize blockchain tech to help the VA modernize its systems, which she said “are not only slow and inefficient, but also pose significant security risks.” Additionally, Rep. Mace said the VA’s antiquated systems contribute to the “backlogs in claims processing and appointment scheduling, leaving many veterans waiting months or even years for critical care and benefits.”
“Blockchain technology can significantly improve the lives of our veterans by ensuring they receive the benefits and services they deserve in a transparent and secure manner,” said Cody Carbone, chief policy officer at The Digital Chamber.
“Veterans have sacrificed so much for our country, and it is crucial that we leverage innovative technologies to provide them with the highest level of care and service. We are grateful to Congresswoman Mace for her leadership dedicated to exploring these cutting-edge solutions,” Carbone added.
