I

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1482

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve certain veterans programs

and benefits.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 7, 1995

Mr. EVANS (for himself, Mr. MONTGOMERY, Mr. MASCARA, Mr. FILNER, and

Mr. GUTIERREZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

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

veterans programs and benefits.

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 Programs

5 Amendments of 1995’’.

6 SEC. 2. EXTENSION TO ALL BENEFITS OF CERTAIN EXCEP7 TIONS TO SERVICE REQUIREMENT.

8 Section 5303A(b)(3)(F) is amended by striking out

9 ‘‘benefits under chapter 30 or chapter 37 of this title’’
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1 and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘any other benefits under this

2 title’’.

3 SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM FOR USE OF CONTRACT PHYSI4 CIANS FOR DISABILITY EXAMINATIONS.

5 (a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs

6 may conduct a pilot program under this section under

7 which examinations with respect to medical disability of

8 applicants for benefits under laws administered by the

9 Secretary that are carried out through the Under Sec10 retary for Benefits may be made by persons other than

11 employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant

12 to contracts entered into with those persons.

13 (b) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may carry out the

14 pilot program under this section through not more than

15 10 regional offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

16 (c) SOURCE OF FUNDS.—Payments for contracts

17 under the pilot program under this section shall be made

18 from amounts available to the Secretary of Veterans Af19 fairs for payment of examinations of applicants for bene20 fits.

21 (d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than three

22 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec23 retary shall submit to Congress a report on the effect of

24 the use of the authority provided by subsection (a) on the
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1 timeliness and thoroughness of medical disability examina2 tions.

3 SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE OF DISCONTINUANCE OF COM4 PENSATION UPON DEATH OF CERTAIN VET5 ERANS.

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5112 of title 38, United

7 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow8 ing new subsection:

9 ‘‘(d) The effective date of the discontinuance of com10 pensation by reason of the death of a veteran, in the case

11 of a veteran who, at time of death, was in receipt of com12 pensation for a disability rated as totally disabling with

13 an additional amount being paid for a spouse, shall be the

14 last day of the month in which such death occurred if the

15 surviving spouse of the veteran is not eligible for depend16 ency and indemnity compensation.’’.

17 (b) COORDINATION OF BENEFITS.—Section 5310 of

18 such title is amended by adding at the end the following

19 new sentence: ‘‘This section shall not apply in a case to

20 which section 5112(d) of this title applies.’’.

21 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by

22 subsections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to deaths

23 occurring after September 30, 1995.
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1 SEC. 5. INCREASE IN AUTOMOBILE ALLOWANCE.

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3902(a) of title 38,

3 United States Code, is amended by striking out ‘‘$5,500’’

4 and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘$6,000’’.

5 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by

6 subsection (a) shall apply with respect to purchases of

7 automobiles and other conveyances after October 1, 1995.

8 SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION FOR

9 PENSION RECIPIENTS.

10 Section 1524(a)(3) of title 38, United States Code,

11 is amended by striking out ‘‘December 31, 1995’’ and in12 serting in lieu thereof ‘‘December 31, 1997’’.

13 SEC. 7. INCREASE IN PERIOD FOR WHICH ACCRUED BENE14 FITS PAYABLE.

15 Section 5121(a) of title 38, United States Code, is

16 amended by striking out ‘‘one year’’ in the matter preced17 ing paragraph (1) and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘two

18 years’’.

19 SEC. 8. RECOVERY OF COSTS OF DEBT COLLECTION.

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Chapter 53 of title 38, United

21 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow22 ing new section:

23 ‘‘§ 5320. Debt collection: recovery of costs

24 ‘‘The Secretary may retain from any amount recov25 ered by the Secretary on an indebtedness owed to the

26 United States by any person by virtue of such person’s
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1 participation in a benefits program administered by the

2 Secretary a sum equivalent to the costs incurred by the

3 Secretary in recovering such amount. Sums retained under

4 this section shall be credited to the account from which

5 such costs were incurred.’’.

6 (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such

7 chapter is amended by adding at the end the following

8 new item:

‘‘5320. Debt collection: recovery of costs.’’.

9 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Section 5320 of title 38,

10 United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall

11 apply with respect to amounts collected on or after Octo12 ber 1, 1995.

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