An act to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve low-vision benefits matters, matters relating to burial and memorial affairs, and other matters under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Summary: Dr. James Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act of 2007 - Title I: Low-Vision Benefits Matters - (Sec. 101) Modifies the standard for awarding disability compensation to veterans for loss of vision to require payment of compensation for impairment of vision due to a service-connected disability resulting in 20/200 (currently, 5/200) visual acuity or less.

(Sec. 102) Modifies the above standard in the case of impairment of vision (currently, blindness) involving both eyes due to a service-connected disability in one eye and a non-service-connected disability in the other eye to require payment in the case of impairment resulting in a visual acuity of 20/200 or less or of a peripheral field of 20 degrees or less in each eye.

Title II: Matters Relating to Burial and Memorial Affairs - (Sec. 201) Authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker for the grave of certain individuals buried in a private cemetery, to furnish a medallion or other device to signify the deceased's status as a veteran, to be attached to a headstone or marker furnished at private expense.

(Sec. 202) Repeals, as of October 1, 2006, the time limit for a state's filing of a request for reimbursement for interment costs for veterans buried in cemeteries other than national cemeteries.

Authorizes the Secretary to make a grant to a state for operating and maintaining a veterans' cemetery owned by such state. Limits to $5 million the amount of such grants awarded in a fiscal year.

(Sec. 203) Makes permanent the authority of the Secretary to furnish government headstones or markers for the burial of veterans at private cemeteries.

Title III: Other Matters - (Sec. 301) Requires the Secretary to provide the Secretary of Health and Human Services with information for comparison with the National Directory of New Hires for income verification purposes in order to determine eligibility for certain veteran benefits and services. Requires the Secretary to: (1) seek only the minimum information necessary to make such determination; (2) receive prior written consent of the individual before seeking, using, or disclosing any such information; (3) independently verify any information received prior to terminating, denying, or reducing a benefit or service; and (4) allow an opportunity for an individual to contest negative findings. Terminates such authority at the end of FY2011.

(Sec. 302) Extends, through June 30, 2010, the Secretary's authority to provide an educational allowance to persons performing qualifying work-study activities.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. James Allen 
Veteran Vision Equity Act of 2007''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

                  TITLE I--LOW-VISION BENEFITS MATTERS

Sec. 101. Modification of rate of visual impairment for payment of 
          disability compensation.
Sec. 102. Improvement in compensation for veterans in certain cases of 
          impairment of vision involving both eyes.

        TITLE II--MATTERS RELATING TO BURIAL AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

Sec. 201. Provision of medallion or other device for privately-purchased 
          grave markers.
Sec. 202. Improvement in provision of assistance to States relating to 
          the interment of veterans in cemeteries other than national 
          cemeteries.
Sec. 203. Modification of authorities on provision of Government 
          headstones and markers for burials of veterans at private 
          cemeteries.

                        TITLE III--OTHER MATTERS

Sec. 301. Use of national directory of new hires for income verification 
          purposes for certain veterans benefits.
Sec. 302. Extension of authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
          provide an educational assistance allowance to persons 
          performing qualifying work-study activities.

                  TITLE I--LOW-VISION BENEFITS MATTERS

    SEC. 101. MODIFICATION OF RATE OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT FOR PAYMENT OF 
      DISABILITY COMPENSATION.
    Section 1114(o) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``5/200'' and inserting ``20/200''.
    SEC. 102. IMPROVEMENT IN COMPENSATION FOR VETERANS IN CERTAIN CASES 
      OF IMPAIRMENT OF VISION INVOLVING BOTH EYES.
    Section 1160(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
        (1) by striking ``blindness'' both places it appears and 
    inserting ``impairment of vision'';
        (2) by striking ``misconduct;'' and inserting ``misconduct 
    and--''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
            ``(A) the impairment of vision in each eye is rated at a 
        visual acuity of 20/200 or less; or
            ``(B) the peripheral field of vision for each eye is 20 
        degrees or less;''.

       TITLE II--MATTERS RELATING TO BURIAL AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS

    SEC. 201. PROVISION OF MEDALLION OR OTHER DEVICE FOR PRIVATELY-
      PURCHASED GRAVE MARKERS.
    Section 2306(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(5) In lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker under this 
subsection, the Secretary may furnish, upon request, a medallion or 
other device of a design determined by the Secretary to signify the 
deceased's status as a veteran, to be attached to a headstone or marker 
furnished at private expense.''.
    SEC. 202. IMPROVEMENT IN PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO STATES RELATING 
      TO THE INTERMENT OF VETERANS IN CEMETERIES OTHER THAN NATIONAL 
      CEMETERIES.
    (a) Repeal of Time Limitation for State Filing for Reimbursement 
for Interment Costs.--
        (1) In general.--The second sentence of section 3.1604(d)(2) of 
    title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, shall have no further force 
    or effect as it pertains to unclaimed remains of a deceased 
    veteran.
        (2) Retroactive application.--Paragraph (1) shall take effect 
    as of October 1, 2006 and apply with respect to interments and 
    inurnments occurring on or after that date.
    (b) Grants for Operation and Maintenance of State Veterans' 
Cemeteries.--
        (1) In general.--Subsection (a) of section 2408 of title 38, 
    United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a)(1) Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may make a grant 
to any State for the following purposes:
        ``(A) Establishing, expanding, or improving a veterans' 
    cemetery owned by the State.
        ``(B) Operating and maintaining such a cemetery.
    ``(2) A grant under paragraph (1) may be made only upon submission 
of an application to the Secretary in such form and manner, and 
containing such information, as the Secretary may require.''.
        (2) Limitation on amounts awarded.--Subsection (e) of such 
    section is amended--
            (A) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Amounts''; and
            (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) In any fiscal year, the aggregate amount of grants awarded 
under this section for the purposes specified in subsection (a)(1)(B) 
may not exceed $5,000,000.''.
        (3) Conforming amendments.--Such section is further amended--
            (A) in subsection (b)--
                (i) by striking ``Grants under this section'' and 
            inserting ``A grant under this section for a purpose 
            described in subsection (a)(1)(A)''; and
                (ii) by striking ``a grant under this section'' each 
            place it appears and inserting ``such a grant'';
            (B) in subsection (d), by striking ``to assist such State 
        in establishing, expanding, or improving a veterans' 
        cemetery''; and
            (C) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting ``, or in operating 
        and maintaining such cemeteries,'' after ``veterans' 
        cemeteries''.
        (4) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
    enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
    prescribe regulations to carry out the amendments made by this 
    subsection.
    SEC. 203. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITIES ON PROVISION OF GOVERNMENT 
      HEADSTONES AND MARKERS FOR BURIALS OF VETERANS AT PRIVATE 
      CEMETERIES.
    (a) Repeal of Expiration of Authority.--Subsection (d) of section 
2306 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 201, is 
further amended--
        (1) by striking paragraph (3); and
        (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5), as added by that 
    section, as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively.
    (b) Retroactive Effective Date.--Notwithstanding subsection (d) of 
section 502 of the Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 
2001 (Public Law 107-103; 115 Stat. 995; 38 U.S.C. 2306 note) or any 
other provision of law, the amendments made by that section and by 
subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), and (f) of section 402 of the Veterans 
Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006 (Public 
Law 109-461; 120 Stat. 3429) shall take effect as of November 1, 1990, 
and shall apply with respect to headstones and markers for the graves 
of individuals dying on or after that date.

                        TITLE III--OTHER MATTERS

    SEC. 301. USE OF NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF NEW HIRES FOR INCOME 
      VERIFICATION PURPOSES FOR CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS.
    (a) Authority for Information Comparisons and Disclosures of 
Information to Assist in Administration of Certain Veterans Benefits.--
Section 453(j) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
        ``(11) Information comparisons and disclosures to assist in 
    administration of certain veterans benefits.--
            ``(A) Furnishing of information by secretary of veterans 
        affairs.--Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish to the Secretary, 
        on such periodic basis as determined by the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs in consultation with the Secretary, 
        information in the custody of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
        for comparison with information in the National Directory of 
        New Hires, in order to obtain information in such Directory 
        with respect to individuals who are applying for or receiving--
                ``(i) needs-based pension benefits provided under 
            chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, or under any 
            other law administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
            Affairs;
                ``(ii) parents' dependency and indemnity compensation 
            provided under section 1315 of title 38, United States 
            Code;
                ``(iii) health care services furnished under 
            subsections (a)(2)(G), (a)(3), or (b) of section 1710 of 
            title 38, United States Code; or
                ``(iv) compensation paid under chapter 11 of title 38, 
            United States Code, at the 100 percent rate based solely on 
            unemployability and without regard to the fact that the 
            disability or disabilities are not rated as 100 percent 
            disabling under the rating schedule.
            ``(B) Requirement to seek minimum information.--The 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek information pursuant 
        to this paragraph only to the extent necessary to verify the 
        employment and income of individuals described in subparagraph 
        (A).
            ``(C) Duties of the secretary.--
                ``(i) Information disclosure.--The Secretary, in 
            cooperation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall 
            compare information in the National Directory of New Hires 
            with information provided by the Secretary of Veterans 
            Affairs with respect to individuals described in 
            subparagraph (A), and shall disclose information in such 
            Directory regarding such individuals to the Secretary of 
            Veterans Affairs, in accordance with this paragraph, for 
            the purposes specified in this paragraph.
                ``(ii) Condition on disclosure.--The Secretary shall 
            make disclosures in accordance with clause (i) only to the 
            extent that the Secretary determines that such disclosures 
            do not interfere with the effective operation of the 
            program under this part.
            ``(D) Use of information by secretary of veterans 
        affairs.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use information 
        resulting from a data match pursuant to this paragraph only--
                ``(i) for the purposes specified in subparagraph (B); 
            and
                ``(ii) after removal of personal identifiers, to 
            conduct analyses of the employment and income reporting of 
            individuals described in subparagraph (A).
            ``(E) Reimbursement of hhs costs.--The Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall reimburse the Secretary, in accordance 
        with subsection (k)(3), for the costs incurred by the Secretary 
        in furnishing the information requested under this paragraph.
            ``(F) Consent.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall not 
        seek, use, or disclose information under this paragraph 
        relating to an individual without the prior written consent of 
        such individual (or of a person legally authorized to consent 
        on behalf of such individual).
            ``(G) Expiration of authority.--The authority under this 
        paragraph shall expire on September 30, 2011.''.
    (b) Amendments to Veterans Affairs Authority.--
        (1) In general.--Chapter 53 of title 38, United States Code, is 
    amended by inserting after section 5317 the following new section:
``Sec. 5317A. Use of income information from other agencies: 
     independent verification required before termination or reduction 
     of certain benefits and services
    ``(a) Independent Verification Required.--The Secretary may 
terminate, deny, suspend, or reduce any benefit or service specified in 
section 5317(c), with respect to an individual under age 65 who is an 
applicant for or recipient of such a benefit or service, by reason of 
information obtained from the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
under section 453(j)(11) of the Social Security Act, only if the 
Secretary takes appropriate steps to verify independently information 
relating to the individual's employment and income from employment.
    ``(b) Opportunity to Contest Findings.--The Secretary shall inform 
each individual for whom the Secretary terminates, denies, suspends, or 
reduces any benefit or service under subsection (a) of the findings 
made by the Secretary under such subsection on the basis of verified 
information and shall provide to the individual an opportunity to 
contest such findings in the same manner as applies to other 
information and findings relating to eligibility for the benefit or 
service involved.
    ``(c) Source of Funds for Reimbursement to Secretary of Health and 
Human Services.--The Secretary shall pay the expense of reimbursing the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services in accordance with section 
453(j)(11)(E) of the Social Security Act, for the cost incurred by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services in furnishing information 
requested by the Secretary under section 453(j)(11) of such Act, from 
amounts available to the Department for the payment of compensation and 
pensions.
    ``(d) Expiration of Authority.--The authority under this section 
shall expire on September 30, 2011.''.
        (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning 
    of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
    section 5317 the following new item:

``5317A. Use of income information from other agencies: independent 
          verification required before termination or reduction of 
          certain benefits and services.''.
    SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
      TO PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCE TO PERSONS 
      PERFORMING QUALIFYING WORK-STUDY ACTIVITIES.
    Section 3485(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``June 30, 2007'' each place it appears and inserting ``June 
30, 2010''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.