II 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3286 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot program 

on the award of grants to State and local government agencies and 

nonprofit organizations to provide assistance to veterans with their submittal of claims to the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 29, 2010 

Mr. SPECTER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out 

a pilot program on the award of grants to State and 

local government agencies and nonprofit organizations 

to provide assistance to veterans with their submittal 

of claims to the Veterans Benefits Administration, 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, 


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•S 3286 IS

1 SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM ON GRANTS TO STATE AND 

2 LOCAL AGENCIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANI3 ZATIONS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO VET4 ERANS WITH SUBMITTAL OF CLAIMS FOR 

5 VETERANS BENEFITS. 

6 (a) GRANT PROGRAM.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days 

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec9 retary of Veterans Affairs shall commence a pilot 

10 program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 

11 awarding grants to eligible entities to provide assist12 ance to veterans with their submittal of claims to 

13 the Veterans Benefits Administration for purposes 

14 of facilitating reduction in the amount of time re15 quired by the Veterans Benefits Administration to 

16 process such claims. 

17 (2) DURATION OF PROGRAM.—The pilot pro18 gram shall be carried out during the two-year period 

19 beginning on the date of the commencement of the 

20 pilot program. 

21 (3) AMOUNT OF GRANT AWARDS.—The amount 

22 of a grant awarded to an eligible entity under the 

23 pilot program shall be such amount as the Secretary 

24 considers appropriate after considering the number 

25 of veterans expected to receive assistance from the 

26 eligible entity under the pilot program. 


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•S 3286 IS

1 (b) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—For purposes of this sec2 tion, an eligible entity is any State or local government 

3 agency or nonprofit organization that the Secretary con4 siders appropriate to provide assistance under the pilot 

5 program. 

6 (c) APPLICATION.—An eligible entity seeking a grant 

7 under the pilot program shall submit to the Secretary an 

8 application therefor in such form and in such manner as 

9 the Secretary considers appropriate. 

10 (d) ASSISTANCE.—The assistance provided to a vet11 eran by an eligible entity under the pilot program shall 

12 include assistance with the following: 

13 (1) Collecting evidence in support of the claim 

14 of a veteran. 

15 (2) Submitting a claim to the Veterans Benefits 

16 Administration. 

17 (3) Such other matters as the Secretary con18 siders 

19 (e) MODEL.—To the degree practicable, the Sec20 retary shall model the pilot program on the comprehensive 

21 service programs under subchapter II of chapter 20 of title 

22 38, United States Code. 

Æ 


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