I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7340 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 

the laws relating to the recognition of agents, attorneys, organizations 

and their representatives, and other individuals for the purposes of assisting in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 13, 2024 

Mr. STANTON (for himself and Mrs. LESKO) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain 

improvements to the laws relating to the recognition 

of agents, attorneys, organizations and their representatives, and other individuals for the purposes of assisting 

in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of 

claims for benefits under the laws administered by the 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accurate VA Accredi3 tation Information Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 59 of title 38, United 

6 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol7 lowing new sections: 

8 ‘‘§ 5907. Annual submission of information on rec9 ognition of agents, attorneys, organiza10 tions and their representatives, and other 

11 individuals 

12 ‘‘The Secretary shall include in the annual report re13 quired to be submitted to Congress under section 529 of 

14 this title information on agents, attorneys, organizations 

15 and their representatives, and any other individuals recog16 nized under this chapter. Such information shall include, 

17 for the year covered by the report, the following: 

18 ‘‘(1) A description of the type and frequency of 

19 training that is required to be recognized, or to con20 tinue to be recognized, under this chapter and of 

21 any review or audit conducted of such training. 

22 ‘‘(2) A description of the type of information 

23 the Secretary collects from individuals who request 

24 to be recognized, or to continue to be recognized, 

25 under this chapter. 


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1 ‘‘(3) A description of the method the Secretary 

2 uses to gather personal and qualifying information 

3 from individuals and organizations recognized or 

4 seeking recognition under this chapter. 

5 ‘‘(4) An identification of the frequency with 

6 which the Secretary receives updated personal and 

7 qualifying information from individuals and organi8 zations recognized under this chapter. 

9 ‘‘(5) A description of the method the Secretary 

10 uses to verify personal and qualifying information 

11 received from individuals and organizations recog12 nized or seeking recognition under this chapter. 

13 ‘‘(6) An identification of the frequency with 

14 which individuals and organizations recognized 

15 under this chapter are required to comply with ongo16 ing reporting requirements. 

17 ‘‘(7) An identification of the number of Depart18 ment employees responsible for the administration of 

19 this chapter. 

20 ‘‘(8) An identification of the frequency with 

21 which the VA Accreditation Search database, or any 

22 successor to such database, is— 

23 ‘‘(A) updated; and 

24 ‘‘(B) checked for accuracy, including with 

25 respect to the accuracy of contact information 


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1 and the removal of individuals and organiza2 tions no longer recognized to assist veterans in 

3 the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of 

4 claims under laws administered by the Sec5 retary. 

6 ‘‘(9) A description of the steps the Secretary 

7 has taken to ensure such database is updated. 

8 ‘‘(10) An identification of any additional re9 sources the Department may need to ensure that— 

10 ‘‘(A) any published information regarding 

11 individuals and organizations recognized under 

12 this chapter is accurate and up-to date; and 

13 ‘‘(B) individuals who are recognized under 

14 this chapter are of good moral character and in 

15 good repute, are qualified to render claimants 

16 valuable service, and are otherwise competent to 

17 assist claimants in presenting claims under laws 

18 administered by the Secretary. 

19 ‘‘(11) An identification of the costs of proc20 essing applications for recognition under this chap21 ter. 

22 ‘‘(12) A description of the timeline for proc23 essing applications for recognition under this chap24 ter. 


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1 ‘‘(13) An identification of how frequently indi2 viduals seeking recognition under this chapter are 

3 denied such recognition and for what reasons. 

4 ‘‘(14) An identification of how frequently rec5 ognition is rescinded from individuals recognized 

6 under this chapter and for what reasons. 

7 ‘‘§ 5908. Certification mark for identification of recog8 nized individuals 

9 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Af10 fairs shall establish and maintain a certification mark, 

11 which may be used to identify individuals who are recog12 nized under this chapter for the purposes of assisting in 

13 the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims 

14 for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary. 

15 Such certification mark shall be registered with the United 

16 States Patent and Trademark Office. 

17 ‘‘(b) CIVIL PENALTY FOR VIOLATION.—(1) A person 

18 who displays or otherwise uses the certification mark es19 tablished under subsection (a) for the fraudulent purpose 

20 of inducing the belief that the person is recognized under 

21 this chapter for the purposes of assisting in the prepara22 tion, presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits 

23 under the laws administered by the Secretary shall be 

24 fined in accordance with title 18, imprisoned, or both. 


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1 ‘‘(2) This subsection shall not make unlawful the use 

2 of any such emblem, sign, insignia or words which was 

3 lawful on the date of enactment of this section. 

4 ‘‘(3) Amounts collected as civil penalties pursuant to 

5 this subsection shall remain available for the Department 

6 of Veterans Affairs, without fiscal year limitation, for the 

7 purpose of enforcing paragraph (1).’’. 

8 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

9 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

10 after the item relating to section 5906 the following new 

11 items: 

‘‘5907. Annual submission of information on recognition of agents, attorneys, 

organizations and their representatives, and other individuals. 

‘‘5908. Certification mark for identification of recognized individuals.’’. 

12 SEC. 3. BIANNUAL DATABASE ACCURACY. 

13 Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 

14 Secretary submits the first report under section 529 of 

15 title 38, United States Code, that includes the information 

16 required to be submitted under section 5907 of title 38, 

17 United States Code, as added by section 2, and annually 

18 thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— 

19 (1) provide to each individual recognized under 

20 chapter 59 of title 38, United States Code, a notice 

21 that includes a request to update the contact infor22 mation of the individual provided to the Department 

23 of Veterans Affairs; 


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1 (2) make publicly available instructions such in2 dividuals may use to update such contact informa3 tion; and 

4 (3) ensure the VA Accreditation Search Data5 base is updated to include updated contact informa6 tion. 

7 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

8 There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 

9 2024 and each of the next four fiscal years for the Depart10 ment of Veterans Affairs such sums as may be necessary 

11 to— 

12 (1) carry out this Act and the amendments 

13 made by this Act; and 

14 (2) employ four additional full-time employees 

15 of the Department of Veterans Affairs to perform 

16 functions to carry out this Act and the amendments 

17 made by this Act. 

Æ 


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