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Veterans Claims Education Act of 2025
Summary
This act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to notify claimants filing benefits claims that they may be represented by accredited persons or veterans service organizations, some of which provide representation at no charge. The department must maintain an easily accessible online tool listing accredited representatives, updated quarterly, to help claimants find assistance. The act also requires the VA to add warnings on its claim-filing websites about fees that agents or attorneys may charge for representation assistance, with links to the online tool and reporting websites. Within 180 days, the Secretary must review existing regulations and procedures for recognizing representative persons and submit recommendations to Congress. The act also extends a pension payment deadline from November 30, 2031 to March 31, 2032.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
9 cosponsors
- Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large] (R-AS)
- Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2] (D-GA)
- Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17] (D-PA)
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA)
- Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9] (D-CA)
- Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47] (D-CA)
- Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3] (R-IA)
- Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA)
- Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3] (D-NY)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Scott H. Peters’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- RA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT $19,800
- BLACKSTONE $17,500
- GENERAL ATOMICS $15,400
- QUALCOMM $13,300
- RA CAPITAL $13,200
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Scott H. Peters → · Outside spending →
Actions (15)
- May 20, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · senate
- May 19, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
- May 19, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2133-2134) · house
- May 19, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2133-2134)
- May 19, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1578. · house
- May 19, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2133-2135) · house
- May 19, 2025 Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. · house
- May 19, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 75. · house
- May 19, 2025 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-102. · house
- May 6, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Apr 9, 2025 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote. · house
- Apr 9, 2025 Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Mar 21, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. · house
- Feb 25, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · house
- Feb 25, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Text versions (4)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
Full text
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to promote assistance from persons recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for individuals who file certain claims under laws administered by the Secretary.
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 2025”.
SEC. 2. PROMOTION OF ASSISTANCE FROM PERSONS 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 Persons.—Section 5103A of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
(1) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) as subsections (i) through (k), respectively;
(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsections:
“(g) Upon receipt of an initial claim by a claimant not represented by an accredited person, the Secretary shall provide notice to the claimant that—
“(1) an accredited person may be able to represent the claimant;
“(2) a veterans service organization recognized under section 5902 of this title may represent the claimant at no charge to the claimant;
“(3) provides the web address of the online tool maintained under subsection (h); and
“(4) provides the web address of an appropriate and publicly accessible website of the Department through which a claimant may report—
“(A) a person, who is not an accredited person, who represented the claimant; and
“(B) any fee charged by such person for such representation.
“(h)(1) The Secretary shall maintain an online tool that allows a claimant to search a list of accredited persons who represent claimants.
“(2) The Secretary shall ensure that such list is current at least once each calendar quarter.
“(3) The Secretary shall ensure that such tool is easily accessible to a claimant.”; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
“(l) In this section:
“(1) The term ‘accredited person’ means—
“(A) a veterans service organization recognized under section 5902 of this title; or
“(B) an attorney, agent, or other person recognized under section 5904 of this title.
“(2) The term ‘represent’ means to prepare, present, or prosecute a claim under a law administered by the Secretary on behalf of a claimant.”.
(b) Online Information Regarding Persons 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 online tool maintained under subsection
(h) of section 5103A of such title, as amended by subsection
(a).
(2) A link to the website of the Department described in subparagraph (D) of section 5103A(f)(1) of such title, as amended by subsection (a).
(c) Report.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall—
(1) complete a review the regulations, processes, and procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs that pertain to recognition under section 5904 of title 38, United States Code;
(2) develop recommendations for legislative or administrative action to improve such regulations, processes, and procedures; and
(3) submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report containing the findings of the Secretary with respect to the review completed under paragraph (1) and the recommendations developed under paragraph (2).
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN LIMITS ON PAYMENTS OF PENSION.
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking “November 30, 2031” and inserting “March 31, 2032”.
Passed the House of Representatives May 19, 2025.
Attest:
Clerk. 119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1578
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to promote assistance from persons recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for individuals who file certain claims under laws administered by the Secretary.
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