Senate - 09/15/2020 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 539. (All Actions)
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This bill has the status Introduced
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Introduced
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[actionDate] => 2020-09-15
[displayText] => Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
[externalActionCode] => 14000
[description] => Introduced
[chamberOfAction] => Senate
)
SHIELD for Veterans Act of 2020 Stopping Harm and Implementing Enhanced Lead-time for Debts for Veterans Act of 2020 Veteran Debt Fairness Act of 2019
Short Title(s) as Introduced
Veteran Debt Fairness Act of 2019
Official Titles
Official Titles - Senate
Official Titles as Introduced
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the processing of veterans benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs, to limit the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recover overpayments made by the Department and other amounts owed by veterans to the United States, to improve the due process accorded veterans with respect to such recovery, and for other purposes.
Actions Overview (2)
Date
Actions Overview
09/15/2020
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
03/14/2019
Introduced in Senate
09/15/2020 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
03/14/2019 Introduced in Senate
All Actions (5)
Date
All Actions
09/15/2020
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 539. Action By: Senate
09/15/2020
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
08/05/2020
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
05/22/2019
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
03/14/2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Action By: Senate
09/15/2020 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 539.
09/15/2020 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Moran with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
08/05/2020 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
05/22/2019 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
03/14/2019 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Committees, subcommittees and links to reports associated with this bill are listed here, as well as the nature and date of committee activity and Congressional report number.
Committee / Subcommittee
Date
Activity
Related Documents
Senate Veterans' Affairs
03/14/2019
Referred to
05/22/2019
Hearings by
08/05/2020
Markup by
09/15/2020
Reported by
Related Bills (0)
No related bill information was received for S.805.
This bill limits the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recover overpayments of benefits from veterans. Among other requirements, the VA must update its information technology systems to allow for expedited notification when a veteran incurs a debt via participation in a VA benefits program.
The VA may only deduct the amount of debt of any veteran who is in debt because of participation in a VA benefits program from future benefit payments if the debt is the result of the following:
failure to report correct, required information to the VA by the veteran (or other party such as a spouse);
fraud or misrepresentation perpetrated by the veteran (or other party);
a reduction in or termination of pursuit of a program of education, in the case of a recipient of educational assistance; or
failure to complete a service agreement, in the case of the transfer of education assistance.
Additionally, the bill requires the VA to prescribe an administrative process for the dispute of the existence or amount of debt.
The bill also prohibits the VA from recovering certain debt that is more than five years old or withholding more than 25% of certain benefit payments.
Finally, the bill prescribes procedures by which the VA and debt collectors shall correct errors submitted to consumer reporting agencies.
All Summaries (1)
Shown Here: Introduced in Senate (03/14/2019)
Veteran Debt Fairness Act of 2019
This bill limits the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recover overpayments of benefits from veterans. Among other requirements, the VA must update its information technology systems to allow for expedited notification when a veteran incurs a debt via participation in a VA benefits program.
The VA may only deduct the amount of debt of any veteran who is in debt because of participation in a VA benefits program from future benefit payments if the debt is the result of the following:
failure to report correct, required information to the VA by the veteran (or other party such as a spouse);
fraud or misrepresentation perpetrated by the veteran (or other party);
a reduction in or termination of pursuit of a program of education, in the case of a recipient of educational assistance; or
failure to complete a service agreement, in the case of the transfer of education assistance.
Additionally, the bill requires the VA to prescribe an administrative process for the dispute of the existence or amount of debt.
The bill also prohibits the VA from recovering certain debt that is more than five years old or withholding more than 25% of certain benefit payments.
Finally, the bill prescribes procedures by which the VA and debt collectors shall correct errors submitted to consumer reporting agencies.
