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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4183 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4183

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 18, 2019

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
  To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
  study on disability and pension benefits provided to members of the 
National Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by 
      the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Identifying Barriers and Best 
Practices Study Act''.

SEC. 2. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON DISABILITY AND PENSION BENEFITS 
              PROVIDED TO MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND MEMBERS OF 
              RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED FORCES BY THE DEPARTMENT 
              OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 36 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall complete a study on disability and pension benefits provided to 
members of the National Guard and members of reserve components of the 
Armed Forces by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In conducting such 
study, the Comptroller General shall review, for the period beginning 
on January 1, 2008, and ending on December 31, 2018, each of the 
following:
            (1) The number of members of the National Guard and the 
        number of members of reserve components of the Armed Forces who 
        received disability compensation or pension provided by the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) A comparison of each of the following between veterans 
        who served only in the National Guard or reserve components and 
        veterans who served in the regular components of the Armed 
        Forces:
                    (A) The percentage of each group of such veterans 
                with service-connected disabilities.
                    (B) The number of veterans in each group with each 
                disability rating.
                    (C) The number of veterans in each group with a 
                service-connected disability, including the number of 
                each of the following types of such veterans in each 
                group:
                            (i) Pilots.
                            (ii) Veterans who served in the special 
                        forces.
                            (iii) Veterans who participated in the 
                        Personnel Reliability Program.
                            (iv) Veterans who underwent diving or 
                        flight physicals as a regular component of 
                        their service in the Armed Forces and who have 
                        a muscular-skeletal or mental health condition.
                    (D) The number of total claims for disability 
                compensation and pension submitted, approved, and 
                disapproved for each group of veterans.
            (3) An identification of common barriers for members of the 
        National Guard and members of reserve components in obtaining 
        disability benefits under the laws administered by the 
        Secretary of Veterans Affairs, including barriers relating to 
        documentation of injuries incurred while serving, such as line 
        of duty letters.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) Preliminary report.--Not later than 18 months after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
        shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
        Senate and House of Representatives a preliminary report on the 
        findings of the study required by subsection (a).
            (2) Final report.--Upon completion of the study, the 
        Comptroller General shall submit to such Committees a final 
        report on such study.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 17, 2019.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.
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