[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4975 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4975

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to promote assistance from 
     entities recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for 
  individuals who file certain claims under laws administered by the 
                   Secretary, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 28, 2022

 Mr. Blumenthal (for himself and Mr. Boozman) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to promote assistance from 
     entities recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for 
  individuals who file certain claims 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 ``Veterans Claims Education Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. PROMOTION OF ASSISTANCE FROM ENTITIES RECOGNIZED BY THE 
              SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO FILE 
              CERTAIN CLAIMS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY.

    (a) Notice to Claimants of Available Assistance From Recognized 
Entities.--Section 5103A of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as 
        subsections (h) through (j), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new 
        subsection (g):
    ``(g)(1) Upon receipt of an initial claim by a claimant not 
represented in such claim by an accredited entity, the Secretary shall 
provide notice to the claimant that--
            ``(A) such an accredited entity may assist the claimant;
            ``(B) provides the web address of an online search tool 
        that lists entities that assist in the filing of such claims; 
        and
            ``(C) provides the web address of an appropriate and 
        publicly accessible website of the Department through which a 
        claimant may report--
                    ``(i) an entity, which is not an accredited entity, 
                that filed a claim on the behalf of such claimant or 
                assisted a claimant in such filing; and
                    ``(ii) any fee charged by such entity to such 
                claimant.
    ``(2) In this subsection:
            ``(A) The term `accredited entity' means--
                    ``(i) a veterans service organization recognized 
                under section 5902 of this title; or
                    ``(ii) an attorney, agent, or other entity 
                recognized under section 5904 of this title.
            ``(B) The term `represent' means to prepare, present, or 
        prosecute a claim under a law administered by the Secretary.''.
    (b) Online Information Regarding Entities That Assist Claimants.--
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall include, in each web portal of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, through which an individual may 
file a claim for a benefit administered by the Under Secretary for 
Benefits or the Under Secretary for Health, a warning regarding fees an 
agent or attorney may charge such individual for assistance in filing 
such claim. Such warning shall include the following:
            (1) A link to the search tool described in subparagraph (B) 
        of section 5103A(g)(1) of such title, as amended by subsection 
        (a).
            (2) A link to the website of the Department described in 
        subparagraph (C) of section 5103A(f)(1) of such title, as 
        amended by subsection (a).
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