| 1 | 1 | | I |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | 119THCONGRESS |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | 1 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | STSESSION H. R. 1746 |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | the laws relating to the recognition of agents, attorneys, organizations |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | and their representatives, and other individuals for the purposes of assist- |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | ing in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for bene- |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | fits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | and for other purposes. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | FEBRUARY27, 2025 |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Mr. S |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | TANTON(for himself and Mr. HAMADEHof Arizona) introduced the |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | A BILL |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | improvements to the laws relating to the recognition |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | of agents, attorneys, organizations and their representa- |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | tives, and other individuals for the purposes of assisting |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | claims for benefits under the laws administered by the |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:20 Mar 17, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1746.IH H1746 |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 2 |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | •HR 1746 IH |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Standardizing Accredi-2 |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | tation information for Veteran Ease Act’’ or the ‘‘SAVE 3 |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | Act’’. 4 |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT. 5 |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (a) I |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | NGENERAL.—Chapter 59 of title 38, United 6 |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-7 |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | lowing new sections: 8 |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | ‘‘§ 5907. Annual submission of information on rec-9 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | ognition of agents, attorneys, organiza-10 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | tions and their representatives, and other 11 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | individuals 12 |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | ‘‘The Secretary shall include in the annual report re-13 |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | quired to be submitted to Congress under section 529 of 14 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | this title information on agents, attorneys, organizations 15 |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | and their representatives, and any other individuals recog-16 |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | nized under this chapter. Such information shall include, 17 |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | for the year covered by the report, the following: 18 |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | ‘‘(1) A description of the type and frequency of 19 |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | training that is required to be recognized, or to con-20 |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | tinue to be recognized, under this chapter and of 21 |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | any review or audit conducted of such training. 22 |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | ‘‘(2) A description of the type of information 23 |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | the Secretary collects from individuals who request 24 |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | to be recognized, or to continue to be recognized, 25 |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | under this chapter. 26 |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:20 Mar 17, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1746.IH H1746 |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 3 |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | •HR 1746 IH |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | ‘‘(3) A description of the method the Secretary 1 |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | uses to gather personal and qualifying information 2 |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | from individuals and organizations recognized or 3 |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | seeking recognition under this chapter. 4 |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | ‘‘(4) An identification of the frequency with 5 |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | which the Secretary receives updated personal and 6 |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | qualifying information from individuals and organi-7 |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | zations recognized under this chapter. 8 |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | ‘‘(5) A description of the method the Secretary 9 |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | uses to verify personal and qualifying information 10 |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | received from individuals and organizations recog-11 |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | nized or seeking recognition under this chapter. 12 |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | ‘‘(6) An identification of the frequency with 13 |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | which individuals and organizations recognized 14 |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | under this chapter are required to comply with ongo-15 |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | ing reporting requirements. 16 |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | ‘‘(7) An identification of the number of Depart-17 |
|---|
| 76 | 76 | | ment employees responsible for the administration of 18 |
|---|
| 77 | 77 | | this chapter. 19 |
|---|
| 78 | 78 | | ‘‘(8) An identification of the frequency with 20 |
|---|
| 79 | 79 | | which the VA Accreditation Search database, or any 21 |
|---|
| 80 | 80 | | successor to such database, is— 22 |
|---|
| 81 | 81 | | ‘‘(A) updated; and 23 |
|---|
| 82 | 82 | | ‘‘(B) checked for accuracy, including with 24 |
|---|
| 83 | 83 | | respect to the accuracy of contact information 25 |
|---|
| 84 | 84 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:20 Mar 17, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1746.IH H1746 |
|---|
| 85 | 85 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 4 |
|---|
| 86 | 86 | | •HR 1746 IH |
|---|
| 87 | 87 | | and the removal of individuals and organiza-1 |
|---|
| 88 | 88 | | tions no longer recognized to assist veterans in 2 |
|---|
| 89 | 89 | | the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of 3 |
|---|
| 90 | 90 | | claims under laws administered by the Sec-4 |
|---|
| 91 | 91 | | retary. 5 |
|---|
| 92 | 92 | | ‘‘(9) A description of the steps the Secretary 6 |
|---|
| 93 | 93 | | has taken to ensure such database is updated. 7 |
|---|
| 94 | 94 | | ‘‘(10) An identification of any additional re-8 |
|---|
| 95 | 95 | | sources the Department may need to ensure that— 9 |
|---|
| 96 | 96 | | ‘‘(A) any published information regarding 10 |
|---|
| 97 | 97 | | individuals and organizations recognized under 11 |
|---|
| 98 | 98 | | this chapter is accurate and up-to date; and 12 |
|---|
| 99 | 99 | | ‘‘(B) individuals who are recognized under 13 |
|---|
| 100 | 100 | | this chapter are of good moral character and in 14 |
|---|
| 101 | 101 | | good repute, are qualified to render claimants 15 |
|---|
| 102 | 102 | | valuable service, and are otherwise competent to 16 |
|---|
| 103 | 103 | | assist claimants in presenting claims under laws 17 |
|---|
| 104 | 104 | | administered by the Secretary. 18 |
|---|
| 105 | 105 | | ‘‘(11) An identification of the costs of proc-19 |
|---|
| 106 | 106 | | essing applications for recognition under this chap-20 |
|---|
| 107 | 107 | | ter. 21 |
|---|
| 108 | 108 | | ‘‘(12) A description of the timeline for proc-22 |
|---|
| 109 | 109 | | essing applications for recognition under this chap-23 |
|---|
| 110 | 110 | | ter. 24 |
|---|
| 111 | 111 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:20 Mar 17, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1746.IH H1746 |
|---|
| 112 | 112 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 5 |
|---|
| 113 | 113 | | •HR 1746 IH |
|---|
| 114 | 114 | | ‘‘(13) An identification of how frequently indi-1 |
|---|
| 115 | 115 | | viduals seeking recognition under this chapter are 2 |
|---|
| 116 | 116 | | denied such recognition and for what reasons. 3 |
|---|
| 117 | 117 | | ‘‘(14) An identification of how frequently rec-4 |
|---|
| 118 | 118 | | ognition is rescinded from individuals recognized 5 |
|---|
| 119 | 119 | | under this chapter and for what reasons. 6 |
|---|
| 120 | 120 | | ‘‘§ 5908. Certification mark for identification of recog-7 |
|---|
| 121 | 121 | | nized individuals 8 |
|---|
| 122 | 122 | | ‘‘(a) I |
|---|
| 123 | 123 | | NGENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-9 |
|---|
| 124 | 124 | | fairs shall establish and maintain a certification mark, 10 |
|---|
| 125 | 125 | | which may be used to identify individuals who are recog-11 |
|---|
| 126 | 126 | | nized under this chapter for the purposes of assisting in 12 |
|---|
| 127 | 127 | | the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims 13 |
|---|
| 128 | 128 | | for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary. 14 |
|---|
| 129 | 129 | | Such certification mark shall be registered with the United 15 |
|---|
| 130 | 130 | | States Patent and Trademark Office. 16 |
|---|
| 131 | 131 | | ‘‘(b) C |
|---|
| 132 | 132 | | IVILPENALTY FORVIOLATION.—(1) A person 17 |
|---|
| 133 | 133 | | who displays or otherwise uses the certification mark es-18 |
|---|
| 134 | 134 | | tablished under subsection (a) for the fraudulent purpose 19 |
|---|
| 135 | 135 | | of inducing the belief that the person is recognized under 20 |
|---|
| 136 | 136 | | this chapter for the purposes of assisting in the prepara-21 |
|---|
| 137 | 137 | | tion, presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits 22 |
|---|
| 138 | 138 | | under the laws administered by the Secretary shall be 23 |
|---|
| 139 | 139 | | fined in accordance with title 18, imprisoned, or both. 24 |
|---|
| 140 | 140 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:20 Mar 17, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1746.IH H1746 |
|---|
| 141 | 141 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 6 |
|---|
| 142 | 142 | | •HR 1746 IH |
|---|
| 143 | 143 | | ‘‘(2) This subsection shall not make unlawful the use 1 |
|---|
| 144 | 144 | | of any such emblem, sign, insignia or words which was 2 |
|---|
| 145 | 145 | | lawful on the date of enactment of this section. 3 |
|---|
| 146 | 146 | | ‘‘(3) Amounts collected as civil penalties pursuant to 4 |
|---|
| 147 | 147 | | this subsection shall remain available for the Department 5 |
|---|
| 148 | 148 | | of Veterans Affairs, without fiscal year limitation, for the 6 |
|---|
| 149 | 149 | | purpose of enforcing paragraph (1).’’. 7 |
|---|
| 150 | 150 | | (b) C |
|---|
| 151 | 151 | | LERICALAMENDMENT.—The table of sections 8 |
|---|
| 152 | 152 | | at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 9 |
|---|
| 153 | 153 | | after the item relating to section 5906 the following new 10 |
|---|
| 154 | 154 | | items: 11 |
|---|
| 155 | 155 | | ‘‘5907. Annual submission of information on recognition of agents, attorneys, |
|---|
| 156 | 156 | | organizations and their representatives, and other individuals. |
|---|
| 157 | 157 | | ‘‘5908. Certification mark for identification of recognized individuals.’’. |
|---|
| 158 | 158 | | SEC. 3. BIANNUAL DATABASE ACCURACY. |
|---|
| 159 | 159 | | 12 |
|---|
| 160 | 160 | | Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 13 |
|---|
| 161 | 161 | | Secretary submits the first report under section 529 of 14 |
|---|
| 162 | 162 | | title 38, United States Code, that includes the information 15 |
|---|
| 163 | 163 | | required to be submitted under section 5907 of title 38, 16 |
|---|
| 164 | 164 | | United States Code, as added by section 2, and annually 17 |
|---|
| 165 | 165 | | thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— 18 |
|---|
| 166 | 166 | | (1) provide to each individual recognized under 19 |
|---|
| 167 | 167 | | chapter 59 of title 38, United States Code, a notice 20 |
|---|
| 168 | 168 | | that includes a request to update the contact infor-21 |
|---|
| 169 | 169 | | mation of the individual provided to the Department 22 |
|---|
| 170 | 170 | | of Veterans Affairs; 23 |
|---|
| 171 | 171 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:20 Mar 17, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1746.IH H1746 |
|---|
| 172 | 172 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS 7 |
|---|
| 173 | 173 | | •HR 1746 IH |
|---|
| 174 | 174 | | (2) make publicly available instructions such in-1 |
|---|
| 175 | 175 | | dividuals may use to update such contact informa-2 |
|---|
| 176 | 176 | | tion; and 3 |
|---|
| 177 | 177 | | (3) ensure the VA Accreditation Search Data-4 |
|---|
| 178 | 178 | | base is updated to include updated contact informa-5 |
|---|
| 179 | 179 | | tion. 6 |
|---|
| 180 | 180 | | Æ |
|---|
| 181 | 181 | | VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:20 Mar 17, 2025 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1746.IH H1746 |
|---|
| 182 | 182 | | ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS |
|---|