From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

The worst backlog in Washington.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Barack Obama, Mitt Romney,

and every other American politician wants lifetime benefits to reward veterans for military service.

But the Veterans Administration has been infamous for its backlog in processing claims going back

to before September 11th. Despite 4,000 new workers since 2008, less than 80% of the work has been done,

frustrating veterans of Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Korea, even World War II. Are still more

workers needed? How about shifting from paper files to computers? We'll look at the problem and some

proposed solutions. On the Porter's notebook later later on preparing a president for presidential debate.

First, the news.

Support for To the Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio International Program Fund.

Hello again, Warren Alney, back with To the Point.

Here's the kind of decision required of the Veterans

Administration. Is that traumatic brain injury from a high school football or a roadside bomb in Iraq?

Questions like that are just one reason the VA is so far behind in processing claims. Today,

we'll hear why so many veterans are so frustrated despite bipartisan promises

that they will get what they deserve. On reporter's notebook, when surrogates help presidents

prepare for debates, they are taking their chances. We hear how one president turned on his

acting opponent. First this news update, voters in Pennsylvania can still be asked for voter ID

in November's election, but if they don't have it, they can vote anyway.

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