II 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4975 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to promote assistance from entities 

recognized by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for individuals who 

file certain claims under laws administered by the Secretary, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself and Mr. BOOZMAN) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to promote assistance 

from entities recognized by the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs for individuals who file certain claims under laws 

administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Claims Edu5 cation Act of 2022’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROMOTION OF ASSISTANCE FROM ENTITIES REC2 OGNIZED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS 

3 AFFAIRS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO FILE CER4 TAIN CLAIMS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED 

5 BY THE SECRETARY. 

6 (a) NOTICE TO CLAIMANTS OF AVAILABLE ASSIST7 ANCE FROM RECOGNIZED ENTITIES.—Section 5103A of 

8 title 38, United States Code, is amended— 

9 (1) by redesignating subsections (g) through (i) 

10 as subsections (h) through (j), respectively; and 

11 (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the fol12 lowing new subsection (g): 

13 ‘‘(g)(1) Upon receipt of an initial claim by a claimant 

14 not represented in such claim by an accredited entity, the 

15 Secretary shall provide notice to the claimant that— 

16 ‘‘(A) such an accredited entity may assist the 

17 claimant; 

18 ‘‘(B) provides the web address of an online 

19 search tool that lists entities that assist in the filing 

20 of such claims; and 

21 ‘‘(C) provides the web address of an appro22 priate and publicly accessible website of the Depart23 ment through which a claimant may report— 

24 ‘‘(i) an entity, which is not an accredited 

25 entity, that filed a claim on the behalf of such 


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1 claimant or assisted a claimant in such filing; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(ii) any fee charged by such entity to 

4 such claimant. 

5 ‘‘(2) In this subsection: 

6 ‘‘(A) The term ‘accredited entity’ means— 

7 ‘‘(i) a veterans service organization recog8 nized under section 5902 of this title; or 

9 ‘‘(ii) an attorney, agent, or other entity 

10 recognized under section 5904 of this title. 

11 ‘‘(B) The term ‘represent’ means to prepare, 

12 present, or prosecute a claim under a law adminis13 tered by the Secretary.’’. 

14 (b) ONLINE INFORMATION REGARDING ENTITIES

15 THAT ASSIST CLAIMANTS.—The Secretary of Veterans 

16 Affairs shall include, in each web portal of the Department 

17 of Veterans Affairs, through which an individual may file 

18 a claim for a benefit administered by the Under Secretary 

19 for Benefits or the Under Secretary for Health, a warning 

20 regarding fees an agent or attorney may charge such indi21 vidual for assistance in filing such claim. Such warning 

22 shall include the following: 

23 (1) A link to the search tool described in sub24 paragraph (B) of section 5103A(g)(1) of such title, 

25 as amended by subsection (a). 


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1 (2) A link to the website of the Department de2 scribed in subparagraph (C) of section 5103A(f)(1) 

3 of such title, as amended by subsection (a). 

Æ 


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