I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6131 

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

Affairs to send electronic notice to claimants under laws administered 

by the Secretary. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 2, 2021 

Mrs. LURIA (for herself and Mr. NEHLS) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the 

Secretary of Veterans Affairs to send electronic notice 

to claimants under laws administered by the Secretary. 

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 Disability 

5 Claims Notification Improvement Act of 2021’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF ELECTRONIC NOTICE IN 

2 CLAIMS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE 

3 SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 

4 (a) AUTHORIZATION.—Title 38, United States Code, 

5 is amended as follows: 

6 (1) By striking section 5100 and inserting the 

7 following: 

8 ‘‘§ 5100. Definitions 

9 ‘‘In this chapter: 

10 ‘‘(1) The term ‘claimant’ means any individual 

11 applying for, or submitting a claim for, any benefit 

12 under the laws administered by the Secretary. 

13 ‘‘(2) The term ‘notice’ means a communication 

14 issued through means (including electronic means) 

15 prescribed by the Secretary.’’. 

16 (2) In section 5104, by adding at the end the 

17 following new subsection: 

18 ‘‘(c) The Secretary may provide notice under sub19 section (a) electronically if a claimant (or the claimant’s 

20 representative) elects to receive such notice electronically. 

21 A claimant (or the claimant’s representative) may revoke 

22 such an election at any time, by means prescribed by the 

23 Secretary. 

24 ‘‘(d) The Secretary shall annually— 

25 ‘‘(1) solicit recommendations from stakeholders 

26 on how to improve notice under this section; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) publish such recommendations on a pub2 licly available website of the Department.’’. 

3 (3) In section 5104B(c), in the matter pre4 ceding paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘in writing’’ and 

5 inserting ‘‘to the claimant (and any representative of 

6 such claimant)’’. 

7 (4) In section 7104— 

8 (A) in the heading, by adding ‘‘; deci9 sions; notice’’ at the end; and 

10 (B) by striking subsection (e) and insert11 ing the following: 

12 ‘‘(e) After reaching a decision on an appeal, the 

13 Board shall promptly issue notice (as that term is defined 

14 in section 5100 of this title) of such decision to the fol15 lowing: 

16 ‘‘(1) The appellant. 

17 ‘‘(2) Any other party with a right to notice of 

18 such decision. 

19 ‘‘(3) Any authorized representative of the appel20 lant or party described in paragraph (2). 

21 ‘‘(f) The Secretary may provide notice under sub22 section (e) electronically if a claimant (or the claimant’s 

23 representative) elects to receive such notice electronically. 

24 A claimant (or the claimant’s representative) may revoke 


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1 such an election at any time, by means prescribed by the 

2 Secretary.’’. 

3 (5) In section 7105(b)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘mail4 ing’’ and inserting ‘‘issuance’’. 

5 (6) In section 7105A(a), by striking ‘‘mailed’’ 

6 and inserting ‘‘issued’’. 

7 (7) In section 7266(a), by striking ‘‘mailed’’ 

8 and inserting ‘‘issued’’. 

9 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

10 (1) CHAPTER 51.—The table of sections at the 

11 beginning of chapter 51 of such title is amended by 

12 striking the item relating to section 5100 and insert13 ing the following: 

‘‘5100. Definitions.’’. 

14 (2) CHAPTER 71.—The table of sections at the 

15 beginning of chapter 71 of such title is amended by 

16 striking the item relating to section 7104 and insert17 ing the following: 

‘‘7104. Jurisdiction of the Board; decisions; notice.’’. 

Æ 


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