I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5155 

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

Affairs from collecting certain debts to the United States in the case 

of veterans who die as a result of a service-connected disability incurred 

or aggravated on active duty in a combat zone, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 29, 2008 

Ms. SHEA-PORTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain debts 

to the United States in the case of veterans who die 

as a result of a service-connected disability incurred or 

aggravated on active duty in a combat zone, 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 ‘‘Combat Veterans Debt 

5 Elimination Act of 2008’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON COLLECTION OF CERTAIN IN2 DEBTEDNESS OF VETERANS WHO DIE OF 

3 SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITIES ARISING 

4 FROM SERVICE ON ACTIVE DUTY IN A COM5 BAT ZONE. 

6 (a) AUTHORITY.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 53 of title 38, 

8 United States Code, is amended by inserting after 

9 section 5302 the following new section: 

10 ‘‘§ 5302A. Prohibition on collection of indebtedness: 

11 certain debts of veterans who die of serv12 ice-connected disability incurred or ag13 gravated on active duty in a combat zone 

14 ‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary may not collect 

15 all or any part of an amount owed to the United States 

16 by a veteran described in subsection (b) under any pro17 gram under the laws administered by the Secretary (other 

18 than a program referred to in subsection (c)) if the Sec19 retary determines, in the Secretary’s discretion, that the 

20 termination of collection is in the best interest of the 

21 United States. 

22 ‘‘(b) COVERED VETERANS.—A veteran described in 

23 this subsection is any veteran who dies as a result of a 

24 service-connected disability incurred or aggravated while 

25 serving in a theater of combat operations (as determined 

26 by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of DeVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:35 Jan 30, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H5155.IH H5155

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1 fense) in a war after the Persian Gulf War or in combat 

2 against a hostile force during a period of hostilities (as 

3 that term is defined in section 1712A(a)(2)(B) of this 

4 title) after September 11, 2001. 

5 ‘‘(c) INAPPLICABILITY TO HOUSING AND SMALL

6 BUSINESS BENEFIT PROGRAMS.—The authority in sub7 section (a) shall not apply to any amounts owed the 

8 United States under any program carried out under chap9 ter 37 of this title.’’. 

10 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec11 tions at the beginning of chapter 53 of such title is 

12 amended by inserting after the item relating to sec13 tion 5302 the following new item: 

‘‘5302A. Prohibition on collection of indebtedness: certain debts of veterans who 

die of service-connected disability incurred or aggravated on active duty in a combat zone.’’. 

14 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

15 this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment 

16 of this Act, and shall apply with respect to collections of 

17 indebtedness of veterans who die on or after September 

18 11, 2001. 

Æ 


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