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Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors
Summary
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit several reports and plans for modernizing its benefits claims processing systems. The bill mandates annual reports on causes of death among veterans, including data on service-connected disabilities and manner of death, with this requirement expiring five years after enactment. The bill requires the VA to develop a plan within one year for expanding automation tools to process veterans' benefits claims across multiple VA offices, prioritizing certain departments. The bill also requires the VA to implement technology within one year to automatically notify claims processors when dependent children become eligible for increased benefits or educational assistance, and to submit a plan for properly labeling documents in the Veterans Benefits Management System.
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)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to David G. Valadao’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for David G. Valadao → · Outside spending →
Actions (15)
- Sep 16, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · senate
- Sep 15, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
- Sep 15, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4290) · house
- Sep 15, 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 H4290-4291: 1)
- Sep 15, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3854. · house
- Sep 15, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4290) · house
- Sep 15, 2025 Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. · house
- Sep 9, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 216. · house
- Sep 9, 2025 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-260. · house
- Jul 23, 2025 Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote. · house
- Jul 3, 2025 Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged · house
- Jun 24, 2025 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Jun 23, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. · house
- Jun 9, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. · house
- Jun 9, 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).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
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.
Full text
AN ACT
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.
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.
Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2025.
Attest:
Clerk. 119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3854
AN ACT
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.
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