Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3854) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan to expand the use of certain automation tools in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3854
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 ``Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act''. SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT ON CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Subchaper II of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: ``Sec. 534. Annual report on causes of death among veterans
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate an annual report that contains data and information on causes of death among veterans.
``(b) Elements.--Such report shall include--
``(1) for each veteran that died during the period covered by the report an identification of--
``(A) whether such veteran had a service-connected disability rated as total;
``(B) the primary cause of death;
``(C) the secondary cause of death, if applicable; and
``(D) the manner of death;
``(2) for each primary cause of death identified pursuant to paragraph (1), a statement of the total number of veterans that died from such primary cause of death during the period covered by the report; and
``(3) for each manner of death identified pursuant to paragraph (1), a statement of the total number of veterans that died in such manner during the period covered by the report.
``(c) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date of the enactment of the Justice for America's Veterans and Survivors Act of 2025.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 5 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 533 the following new item: ``534. Annual report on causes of death among veterans''. SEC. 3. PLAN FOR USE OF AUTOMATION TOOLS TO PROCESS CLAIMS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives the plan of the Secretary to make available, to the maximum extent practicable, an automation tool described in subsection (b) to elements of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of processing claims under laws administered by the Secretary.
(b) Automation Tool Described.--An automation tool described in this subsection is a technology developed for the Compensation Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration that--
(1) automates the retrieval of the service record or health records of a veteran;
(2) compiles evidence relevant to the determination of a claim for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary;
(3) provides automated decision support relevant to such a determination;
(4) automates information sharing between Federal agencies; and
(5) assists in generating correspondence regarding such a claim.
(c) Analysis.--In developing the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct an analysis of each of the following:
(1) The feasibility and benefits of the use of an automation tool described in subsection (b) by elements of the Department for the purpose of processing claims under laws administered by the Secretary.
(2) Any modification to an existing automation tool that could render such tool usable for such purpose by such an element.
(3) Any requirement of any such element pertaining to such purpose that cannot be addressed by using an automation tool.
(4) The extent to which the technology offices of such elements may need to collaborate with the technology office responsible for developing an automation tool in the course of the development and use of the tool by the element for such purpose.
(5) A timeline for modifying and implementing any automation tool for use by such elements for such purpose.
(d) Priority.--In providing an automation tool described in subsection (b) to elements of the Department pursuant to the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to the following elements:
(1) The Pension and Fiduciary Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration.
(2) The Education Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration.
(3) Program offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration, as determined by the Secretary.
(4) The Debt Management Center.
(5) The Board of Veterans' Appeals. SEC. 4. OTHER REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Automatic Notices Regarding Benefits for Certain Children of Veterans.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement policies, processes, and technological capabilities, including in the National Work Queue (or successor system), to ensure that, in the case of any covered situation, a claims processors is made aware of, and assigned to address, such covered situation.
(2) Definitions.--In this subsection:
(A) The term ``covered situation'' means--
(i) any increase in the amount of dependency compensation paid to a beneficiary for a child under the laws administered by the Secretary; and
(ii) any educational assistance paid to the child of a veteran under the laws administered by the Secretary.
(B) The term ``child'' has the meaning given such term in section 101(4)(A)(iii) of title 38, United States Code.
(b) Correct Labeling of Documents.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a plan to ensure that documents in the Veterans Benefits Management System (or any successor system) are correctly labeled when such documents are uploaded, including when such documents are labeled using automation tools.
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Mr. BOST. 3854, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3854, as amended, sponsored by Representative Valadao.
This bill would require the VA to review existing claims, automation tools, and submit a plan to Congress on improving, modifying, or creating new tools to support claims processors.
These improvements would, in return, help the VA automatically retrieve veterans' records, compile evidence, automate Federal Government data sharing, and generate notice letters to veterans. These improvements are common sense and would lead to more efficient and accurate decisions on benefit claims.
This bill would require the VA to detail how it would provide these improvements to other benefit programs in the Veterans Benefits Administration.
This bill also includes Representative Edwards' bill, the Justice for American Veterans and Survivors Act of 2025. Importantly, this provision would require the VA to publish an annual report for the next 5 years on the cause and manner of death among veterans rated 100 percent, our totally disabled veteran community.
The VA currently supports over 506,000 surviving spouses. However, the VA does not track the cause and manner of death among recently deceased totally disabled veterans. Data like this is critical to ensuring that the VA programs for surviving family members meet their needs.
The report would also require the VA to publish the total number of prevalent causes and manners of death among these veterans to better identify trends.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their work to ensure that the VA continues to develop the tools it needs to effectively deliver benefits. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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