I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2139 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs to provide notice of average times for processing claims and 

percentage of claims approved, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 30, 2015 

Mr. O’ROURKE (for himself, Ms. KUSTER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. RUSH, Mr. 

JONES, Ms. GABBARD, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Miss RICE of New 

York, Mr. YOHO, and Mr. TAKANO) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide notice of average 

times for processing claims and percentage of claims 

approved, 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 ‘‘Veteran’s Benefits 

5 Claims Faster Filing Act of 2015’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS NOTICE OF 

2 AVERAGE TIMES FOR PROCESSING CLAIMS 

3 AND PERCENTAGE OF CLAIMS APPROVED. 

4 (a) PUBLIC NOTICE.—The Secretary of Veterans Af5 fairs shall post the information described in subsection 

6 (c)— 

7 (1) in a conspicuous place in each regional of8 fice and claims intake facilities of the Department of 

9 Veterans Affairs; and 

10 (2) on the Internet Web site of the Department. 

11 (b) NOTICE TO APPLICANTS.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 

13 to each person who submits a claim for benefits 

14 under the laws administered by the Secretary before 

15 the person submits such claim— 

16 (A) notice of the information described in 

17 subsection (c); and 

18 (B) notice that the person is eligible to re19 ceive up to an extra year of benefits payments 

20 if the person files a claim that is fully devel21 oped. 

22 (2) ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT OF NO23 TICE.—Each person who submits a claim for bene24 fits under the laws administered by the Secretary 

25 shall include in such application a signed form acVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:57 May 08, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2139.IH H2139

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1 knowledging that the person received the informa2 tion described in subsection (c). 

3 (c) INFORMATION DESCRIBED.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—The information described in 

5 this subsection is the following: 

6 (A) The average processing time of the 

7 claims described in paragraph (2) and the per8 centage of such submitted claims for which ben9 efits are awarded. 

10 (B) The percentage of each of the fol11 lowing types of submitted claims for benefits 

12 under the laws administered by the Secretary of 

13 Veterans Affairs for which benefits are award14 ed: 

15 (i) Claims filed by veterans who au16 thorized a veterans service organization to 

17 act on the veterans’ behalf under a durable 

18 power of attorney. 

19 (ii) Claims filed by veterans who au20 thorized a person other than a veterans 

21 service organization to act on the veterans’ 

22 behalf under a durable power of attorney. 

23 (iii) Claims filed by veterans who did 

24 not authorize a person to act on the vetVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:57 May 08, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2139.IH H2139

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1 erans’ behalf under a durable power of at2 torney. 

3 (2) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—The claims described 

4 in this paragraph are each of the following types of 

5 claims for benefits under the laws administered by 

6 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs: 

7 (A) A fully developed claim that is sub8 mitted in standard electronic form. 

9 (B) A fully developed claim that is sub10 mitted in standard paper form. 

11 (C) A claim that is not fully developed that 

12 is submitted in standard electronic form. 

13 (D) A claim that is not fully developed 

14 that is submitted in standard paper form. 

15 (E) A claim that is not fully developed that 

16 is submitted in non-standard paper form. 

17 (3) UPDATE OF INFORMATION.—The informa18 tion described in this subsection shall be updated not 

19 less frequently than once each fiscal quarter. 

Æ 


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