I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 1286
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement
with a federally funded research and development center for an assess-
ment of forms that the Secretary sends to claimants for benefits under
laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY13, 2025
Mr. B
RESNAHAN(for himself, Mr. DAVISof North Carolina, Mr. BOST, Mr.
P
ANETTA, Mr. VALADAO, and Mr. HARDERof California) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
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 forms 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 Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Simplifying Forms for 4
Veterans Claims Act’’. 5
VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Mar 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1286.IH H1286
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 2
•HR 1286 IH
SEC. 2. INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF FORMS THAT THE 1
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SENDS 2
TO CLAIMANTS. 3
(a) A
GREEMENT.—Not later than 30 days after the 4
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-5
erans Affairs shall seek to enter into an agreement with 6
an FFRDC for an assessment of forms that the Secretary 7
sends to claimants. 8
(b) A
SSESSMENT.—An FFRDC that enters to an 9
agreement under subsection (a) shall submit to the Sec-10
retary a written assessment, made in consultation with 11
covered entities, of such forms. The assessment shall in-12
clude the recommendations of the FFRDC regarding how 13
the Secretary may make such forms clearer to claimants 14
and better organized. 15
(c) R
EPORT; IMPLEMENTATION.—Not later than 90 16
days after the Secretary receives the assessment under 17
subsection (b), the Secretary shall— 18
(1) submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af-19
fairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a 20
copy of such assessment; and 21
(2) implement the recommendations in the as-22
sessment that are in compliance with the laws ad-23
ministered by the Secretary. 24
(d) D
EADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The Sec-25
retary shall complete the implementation of such rec-26
VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Mar 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1286.IH H1286
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB 3
•HR 1286 IH
ommendations pursuant to subsection (c)(2) by not later 1
than two years after the date on which the Secretary com-2
mences such implementation. 3
(e) D
EFINITIONS.—In this section: 4
(1) The term ‘‘FFRDC’’ means a federally 5
funded research and development center. 6
(2) The term ‘‘covered entities’’ includes— 7
(A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 8
(B) an expert in laws administered by the 9
Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 10
(C) a veterans service organization recog-11
nized under section 5902 of title 38, United 12
States Code; and 13
(D) an entity that advocates for veterans 14
and survivors of veterans. 15
(3) The term ‘‘claimant’’ has the meaning given 16
such term in section 5100 of title 38, United States 17
Code. 18
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:32 Mar 10, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1286.IH H1286
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB