Official Summaries

Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to assess notices that the VA sends to claimants applying for or submitting claims for VA benefits. The VA must report on the findings of the assessment and implement recommendations in the assessment.

The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through June 23, 2034, under the VA's home loan program.

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1039 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1039


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 8, 2025

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an 
 agreement with a federally funded research and development center for 
 an assessment of notice letters that the Secretary sends to claimants 
 for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other 
                               purposes.


 


    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Clear Communication for Veterans 
Claims Act''.

SEC. 2. INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF NOTICES THAT THE SECRETARY OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS SENDS TO CLAIMANTS.

    (a) Agreement.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to 
enter into an agreement with an FFRDC for an assessment of notices that 
the Secretary sends to claimants.
    (b) Assessment.--An FFRDC that enters to an agreement under 
subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary a written assessment of 
such notices. The assessment shall include the following:
            (1) The determination of the FFRDC, made in consultation 
        with covered entities, whether each such notice may be feasibly 
        altered to reduce paper consumption by, and costs to, the 
        Federal Government.
            (2) The recommendations of the FFRDC regarding how the 
        Secretary may make such notices clearer to claimants, better 
        organized, and more concise.
    (c) Report; Implementation.--Not later than 90 days after the 
Secretary receives the assessment under subsection (b), the Secretary 
shall--
            (1) submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
        Senate and House of Representatives a copy of such assessment; 
        and
            (2) implement the recommendations in the assessment that 
        are in compliance with the laws administered by the Secretary.
    (d) Deadline for Implementation.--The Secretary shall complete the 
implementation of such recommendations pursuant to subsection (c)(2) by 
not later than one year after the date on which the Secretary commences 
such implementation.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``FFRDC'' means a federally funded research 
        and development center.
            (2) The term ``covered entities'' includes--
                    (A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
                    (B) an expert in laws administered by the Secretary 
                of Veterans Affairs;
                    (C) a veterans service organization recognized 
                under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code;
                    (D) an entity that advocates for veterans; and
                    (E) an entity that advocates for the survivors of 
                veterans.
            (3) The terms ``claimant'' and ``notice'' have the meanings 
        given such terms in section 5100 of title 38, United States 
        Code.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.

    Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``November 30, 2031'' and inserting ``December 31, 2031''.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 7, 2025.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.