H. Res. 855 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

December 11, 2007. 

Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution the 

bill (H.R. 797) entitled ‘‘An Act to amend title 38, United 

States Code, to improve compensation benefits for veterans in 

certain cases of impairment of vision involving both eyes, to 

provide for the use of the National Directory of New Hires 

for income verification purposes, to extend the authority of 

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide an educational 

assistance allowance for qualifying work study activities, and 

to authorize the provision of bronze representations of the letter ‘V’ for the graves of eligible individuals buried in private 

cemeteries in lieu of Government-provided headstones or 

markers’’, with the Senate amendment thereto, shall be considered to have been taken from the Speaker’s table to the 

end that the Senate amendment thereto be, and the same is 

hereby, agreed to with the following amendments: 

In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the 

amendment of the Senate, insert the following: 
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

2 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dr. 

3 James Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act of 2007’’. 

4 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

5 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—LOW-VISION BENEFITS MATTERS 

Sec. 101. Modification of rate of visual impairment for payment of disability 

compensation. 

Sec. 102. Improvement in compensation for veterans in certain cases of impairment of vision involving both eyes. 

TITLE II—MATTERS RELATING TO BURIAL AND MEMORIAL 

AFFAIRS 

Sec. 201. Provision of medallion or other device for privately-purchased grave 

markers. 

Sec. 202. Improvement in provision of assistance to States relating to the interment of veterans in cemeteries other than national cemeteries. 

Sec. 203. Modification of authorities on provision of Government headstones and 

markers for burials of veterans at private cemeteries. 

TITLE III—OTHER MATTERS 

Sec. 301. Use of national directory of new hires for income verification purposes 

for certain veterans benefits. 

Sec. 302. Extension of authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide an 

educational assistance allowance to persons performing qualifying work-study activities. 

6 TITLE I—LOW-VISION BENEFITS 

7 MATTERS 

8 SEC. 101. MODIFICATION OF RATE OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT 

9 FOR PAYMENT OF DISABILITY COMPENSA10 TION. 

11 Section 1114(o) of title 38, United States Code, is 

12 amended by striking ‘‘5/200’’ and inserting ‘‘20/200’’. 
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1 SEC. 102. IMPROVEMENT IN COMPENSATION FOR VET2 ERANS IN CERTAIN CASES OF IMPAIRMENT 

3 OF VISION INVOLVING BOTH EYES. 

4 Section 1160(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is 

5 amended— 

6 (1) by striking ‘‘blindness’’ both places it ap7 pears and inserting ‘‘impairment of vision’’; 

8 (2) by striking ‘‘misconduct;’’ and inserting 

9 ‘‘misconduct and—’’; and 

10 (3) by adding at the end the following new sub11 paragraphs: 

12 ‘‘(A) the impairment of vision in each eye 

13 is rated at a visual acuity of 20/200 or less; or 

14 ‘‘(B) the peripheral field of vision for each 

15 eye is 20 degrees or less;’’. 

16 TITLE II—MATTERS RELATING 

17 TO BURIAL AND MEMORIAL 

18 AFFAIRS 

19 SEC. 201. PROVISION OF MEDALLION OR OTHER DEVICE 

20 FOR PRIVATELY-PURCHASED GRAVE MARK21 ERS. 

22 Section 2306(d) of title 38, United States Code, is 

23 amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

24 ‘‘(5) In lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker under 

25 this subsection, the Secretary may furnish, upon request, 

26 a medallion or other device of a design determined by the 
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1 Secretary to signify the deceased’s status as a veteran, to 

2 be attached to a headstone or marker furnished at private 

3 expense.’’. 

4 SEC. 202. IMPROVEMENT IN PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO 

5 STATES RELATING TO THE INTERMENT OF 

6 VETERANS IN CEMETERIES OTHER THAN NA7 TIONAL CEMETERIES. 

8 (a) REPEAL OF TIME LIMITATION FOR STATE FILING

9 FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR INTERMENT COSTS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The second sentence of section 

11 3.1604(d)(2) of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, 

12 shall have no further force or effect as it pertains to 

13 unclaimed remains of a deceased veteran. 

14 (2) RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.—Paragraph (1) 

15 shall take effect as of October 1, 2006 and apply with 

16 respect to interments and inurnments occurring on or 

17 after that date. 

18 (b) GRANTS FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF

19 STATE VETERANS’ CEMETERIES.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 2408 

21 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as 

22 follows: 

23 ‘‘(a)(1) Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may 

24 make a grant to any State for the following purposes: 
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1 ‘‘(A) Establishing, expanding, or improving a 

2 veterans’ cemetery owned by the State. 

3 ‘‘(B) Operating and maintaining such a ceme4 tery. 

5 ‘‘(2) A grant under paragraph (1) may be made only 

6 upon submission of an application to the Secretary in such 

7 form and manner, and containing such information, as the 

8 Secretary may require.’’. 

9 (2) LIMITATION ON AMOUNTS AWARDED.—Sub10 section (e) of such section is amended— 

11 (A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Amounts’’; 

12 and 

13 (B) by adding at the end the following new 

14 paragraph: 

15 ‘‘(2) In any fiscal year, the aggregate amount of grants 

16 awarded under this section for the purposes specified in sub17 section (a)(1)(B) may not exceed $5,000,000.’’. 

18 (3) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is 

19 further amended— 

20 (A) in subsection (b)— 

21 (i) by striking ‘‘Grants under this sec22 tion’’ and inserting ‘‘A grant under this 

23 section for a purpose described in subsection 

24 (a)(1)(A)’’; and 
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1 (ii) by striking ‘‘a grant under this 

2 section’’ each place it appears and inserting 

3 ‘‘such a grant’’; 

4 (B) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘to assist 

5 such State in establishing, expanding, or im6 proving a veterans’ cemetery’’; and 

7 (C) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting ‘‘, or 

8 in operating and maintaining such cemeteries,’’ 

9 after ‘‘veterans’ cemeteries’’. 

10 (4) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days 

11 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec12 retary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations 

13 to carry out the amendments made by this subsection. 

14 SEC. 203. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITIES ON PROVISION 

15 OF GOVERNMENT HEADSTONES AND MARK16 ERS FOR BURIALS OF VETERANS AT PRIVATE 

17 CEMETERIES. 

18 (a) REPEAL OF EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—Sub19 section (d) of section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, 

20 as amended by section 201, is further amended— 

21 (1) by striking paragraph (3); and 

22 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5), as 

23 added by that section, as paragraphs (3) and (4), re24 spectively. 
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1 (b) RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE.—Notwith2 standing subsection (d) of section 502 of the Veterans Edu3 cation and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 (Public Law 

4 107–103; 115 Stat. 995; 38 U.S.C. 2306 note) or any other 

5 provision of law, the amendments made by that section and 

6 by subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), and (f) of section 402 of 

7 the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Tech8 nology Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–461; 120 Stat. 3429) 

9 shall take effect as of November 1, 1990, and shall apply 

10 with respect to headstones and markers for the graves of 

11 individuals dying on or after that date. 

12 TITLE III—OTHER MATTERS 

13 SEC. 301. USE OF NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF NEW HIRES 

14 FOR INCOME VERIFICATION PURPOSES FOR 

15 CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS. 

16 (a) AUTHORITY FOR INFORMATION COMPARISONS AND

17 DISCLOSURES OF INFORMATION TO ASSIST IN ADMINISTRA18 TION OF CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS.—Section 453(j) of 

19 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)) is amended by 

20 adding at the end the following new paragraph: 

21 ‘‘(11) INFORMATION COMPARISONS AND DISCLO22 SURES TO ASSIST IN ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN

23 VETERANS BENEFITS.— 

24 ‘‘(A) FURNISHING OF INFORMATION BY SEC25 RETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.—Subject to the 
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1 provisions of this paragraph, the Secretary of 

2 Veterans Affairs shall furnish to the Secretary, 

3 on such periodic basis as determined by the Sec4 retary of Veterans Affairs in consultation with 

5 the Secretary, information in the custody of the 

6 Secretary of Veterans Affairs for comparison 

7 with information in the National Directory of 

8 New Hires, in order to obtain information in 

9 such Directory with respect to individuals who 

10 are applying for or receiving— 

11 ‘‘(i) needs-based pension benefits pro12 vided under chapter 15 of title 38, United 

13 States Code, or under any other law admin14 istered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 

15 ‘‘(ii) parents’ dependency and indem16 nity compensation provided under section 

17 1315 of title 38, United States Code; 

18 ‘‘(iii) health care services furnished 

19 under subsections (a)(2)(G), (a)(3), or (b) of 

20 section 1710 of title 38, United States Code; 

21 or 

22 ‘‘(iv) compensation paid under chapter 

23 11 of title 38, United States Code, at the 

24 100 percent rate based solely on 

25 unemployability and without regard to the 
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1 fact that the disability or disabilities are 

2 not rated as 100 percent disabling under 

3 the rating schedule. 

4 ‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT TO SEEK MINIMUM IN5 FORMATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

6 shall seek information pursuant to this para7 graph only to the extent necessary to verify the 

8 employment and income of individuals described 

9 in subparagraph (A). 

10 ‘‘(C) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 

11 ‘‘(i) INFORMATION DISCLOSURE.—The 

12 Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary 

13 of Veterans Affairs, shall compare informa14 tion in the National Directory of New Hires 

15 with information provided by the Secretary 

16 of sVeterans Affairs with respect to individ17 uals described in subparagraph (A), and 

18 shall disclose information in such Directory 

19 regarding such individuals to the Secretary 

20 of Veterans Affairs, in accordance with this 

21 paragraph, for the purposes specified in this 

22 paragraph. 

23 ‘‘(ii) CONDITION ON DISCLOSURE.— 

24 The Secretary shall make disclosures in ac25 cordance with clause (i) only to the extent 
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1 that the Secretary determines that such dis2 closures do not interfere with the effective 

3 operation of the program under this part. 

4 ‘‘(D) USE OF INFORMATION BY SECRETARY

5 OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.—The Secretary of Vet6 erans Affairs may use information resulting 

7 from a data match pursuant to this paragraph 

8 only— 

9 ‘‘(i) for the purposes specified in sub10 paragraph (B); and 

11 ‘‘(ii) after removal of personal identi12 fiers, to conduct analyses of the employment 

13 and income reporting of individuals de14 scribed in subparagraph (A). 

15 ‘‘(E) REIMBURSEMENT OF HHS COSTS.— 

16 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall reimburse 

17 the Secretary, in accordance with subsection 

18 (k)(3), for the costs incurred by the Secretary in 

19 furnishing the information requested under this 

20 paragraph. 

21 ‘‘(F) CONSENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 

22 Affairs shall not seek, use, or disclose informa23 tion under this paragraph relating to an indi24 vidual without the prior written consent of such 
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1 individual (or of a person legally authorized to 

2 consent on behalf of such individual). 

3 ‘‘(G) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—The au4 thority under this paragraph shall expire on 

5 September 30, 2011.’’. 

6 (b) AMENDMENTS TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AUTHOR7 ITY.— 

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

9 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 

10 5317 the following new section: 

11 ‘‘§ 5317A. Use of income information from other agen12 cies: independent verification required be13 fore termination or reduction of certain 

14 benefits and services 

15 ‘‘(a) INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION REQUIRED.—The 

16 Secretary may terminate, deny, suspend, or reduce any ben17 efit or service specified in section 5317(c), with respect to 

18 an individual under age 65 who is an applicant for or re19 cipient of such a benefit or service, by reason of information 

20 obtained from the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

21 under section 453(j)(11) of the Social Security Act, only 

22 if the Secretary takes appropriate steps to verify independ23 ently information relating to the individual’s employment 

24 and income from employment. 
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1 ‘‘(b) OPPORTUNITY TO CONTEST FINDINGS.—The Sec2 retary shall inform each individual for whom the Secretary 

3 terminates, denies, suspends, or reduces any benefit or serv4 ice under subsection (a) of the findings made by the Sec5 retary under such subsection on the basis of verified infor6 mation and shall provide to the individual an opportunity 

7 to contest such findings in the same manner as applies to 

8 other information and findings relating to eligibility for the 

9 benefit or service involved. 

10 ‘‘(c) SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO

11 SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.—The Sec12 retary shall pay the expense of reimbursing the Secretary 

13 of Health and Human Services in accordance with section 

14 453(j)(11)(E) of the Social Security Act, for the cost in15 curred by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in 

16 furnishing information requested by the Secretary under 

17 section 453(j)(11) of such Act, from amounts available to 

18 the Department for the payment of compensation and pen19 sions. 

20 ‘‘(d) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority 

21 under this section shall expire on September 30, 2011.’’. 

22 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec23 tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 

24 inserting after the item relating to section 5317 the 

25 following new item: 
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‘‘5317A. Use of income information from other agencies: independent verification 

required before termination or reduction of certain benefits and 

services.’’. 

1 SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF 

2 VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE AN EDU3 CATIONAL ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCE TO PER4 SONS PERFORMING QUALIFYING WORK5 STUDY ACTIVITIES. 

6 Section 3485(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is 

7 amended by striking ‘‘June 30, 2007’’ each place it appears 

8 and inserting ‘‘June 30, 2010’’. 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘An Act to amend 

title 38, United States Code, to improve low-vision benefits matters, matters relating to burial and memorial affairs, and other matters under the laws administered by 

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.’’. 

Attest: 

Clerk.