Digital GI bill delays are a reflection of VA’s IT management problem, lawmakers say

Rep. Tom Barrett (R-MI) speaks during a GOP Caucus presser on Capitol Hill on Tuesday September 9, 2025. Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

The Department of Veterans Affairs “has made tremendous advancements” in processing claims through its new digital GI Bill system, a VA official said on Wednesday, even as House lawmakers said issues with the project were symptomatic of the department’s larger challenges with undertaking major IT modernization efforts.

VA awarded a $453 million contract to Accenture Federal Services in March 2021 to develop and implement a new system that could enhance claims processing for its education benefits programs. Since then, however, the project faced notable deployment delays, with an August 2024 report from VA’s Office of Inspector General finding that “insufficient planning” helped contribute to about $479 million in additional costs.

During a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, Kenneth Smith — executive director for ...