In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
December 11, 2007. 
Resolved, That the House agree to the amendment of the 
Senate to 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 ac-
tivities, and to authorize the provision of bronze representa-
tions of the letter ‘V’ for the graves of eligible individuals 
buried in private cemeteries in lieu of Government-provided 
headstones or markers’’, with the following 
HOUSE AMENDMENTS TO SENATE AMENDMENT: 
In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the 
amendment of the Senate, insert the following: 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dr. 
James Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act of 2007’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
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 impair-
ment 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 inter-
ment 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 quali-
fying work-study activities. 
TITLE I—LOW-VISION BENEFITS 
MATTERS 
SEC. 101. MODIFICATION OF RATE OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT 
FOR PAYMENT OF DISABILITY COMPENSA-
TION. 
Section 1114(o) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘5/200’’ and inserting ‘‘20/200’’. 
SEC. 102. IMPROVEMENT IN COMPENSATION FOR VET-
ERANS IN CERTAIN CASES OF IMPAIRMENT 
OF VISION INVOLVING BOTH EYES. 
Section 1160(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘blindness’’ both places it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘impairment of vision’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘misconduct;’’ and inserting 
‘‘misconduct and—’’; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraphs: 
‘‘(A) the impairment of vision in each eye 
is rated at a visual acuity of 20/200 or less; or 
‘‘(B) the peripheral field of vision for each 
eye is 20 degrees or less;’’. 
TITLE 
II—MATTERS 
RELATING 
TO BURIAL AND MEMORIAL 
AFFAIRS 
SEC. 201. PROVISION OF MEDALLION OR OTHER DEVICE 
FOR PRIVATELY-PURCHASED GRAVE MARK-
ERS. 
Section 2306(d) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) In lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker under 
this subsection, the Secretary may furnish, upon request, 
a medallion or other device of a design determined by the 
Secretary to signify the deceased’s status as a veteran, to 
be attached to a headstone or marker furnished at private 
expense.’’.
SEC. 202. IMPROVEMENT IN PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO 
STATES RELATING TO THE INTERMENT OF 
VETERANS IN CEMETERIES OTHER THAN NA-
TIONAL CEMETERIES. 
(a) REPEAL OF TIME LIMITATION FOR STATE FILING 
FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR INTERMENT COSTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The second sentence of section 
3.1604(d)(2) of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, 
shall have no further force or effect as it pertains to 
unclaimed remains of a deceased veteran. 
(2) RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.—Paragraph (1) 
shall take effect as of October 1, 2006 and apply with 
respect to interments and inurnments occurring on or 
after that date. 
(b) GRANTS FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF 
STATE VETERANS’ CEMETERIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 2408 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(a)(1) Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may 
make a grant to any State for the following purposes: 
‘‘(A) Establishing, expanding, or improving a 
veterans’ cemetery owned by the State. 
‘‘(B) Operating and maintaining such a ceme-
tery.
‘‘(2) A grant under paragraph (1) may be made only 
upon submission of an application to the Secretary in such 
form and manner, and containing such information, as the 
Secretary may require.’’. 
(2) LIMITATION ON AMOUNTS AWARDED.—Sub-
section (e) of such section is amended— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Amounts’’; 
and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) In any fiscal year, the aggregate amount of grants 
awarded under this section for the purposes specified in sub-
section (a)(1)(B) may not exceed $5,000,000.’’. 
(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Such section is 
further amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Grants under this sec-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘A grant under this 
section for a purpose described in subsection 
(a)(1)(A)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘a grant under this 
section’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘such a grant’’;
(B) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘to assist 
such State in establishing, expanding, or im-
proving a veterans’ cemetery’’; and 
(C) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting ‘‘, or 
in operating and maintaining such cemeteries,’’ 
after ‘‘veterans’ cemeteries’’. 
(4) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall prescribe regulations 
to carry out the amendments made by this subsection. 
SEC. 203. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITIES ON PROVISION 
OF GOVERNMENT HEADSTONES AND MARK-
ERS FOR BURIALS OF VETERANS AT PRIVATE 
CEMETERIES. 
(a) REPEAL OF EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—Sub-
section (d) of section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, 
as amended by section 201, is further amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5), as 
added by that section, as paragraphs (3) and (4), re-
spectively. 
(b) 
RETROACTIVE
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Notwith-
standing subsection (d) of section 502 of the Veterans Edu-
cation and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 (Public Law 
107–103; 115 Stat. 995; 38 U.S.C. 2306 note) or any other
provision of law, the amendments made by that section and 
by subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), and (f) of section 402 of 
the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Tech-
nology Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–461; 120 Stat. 3429) 
shall take effect as of November 1, 1990, and shall apply 
with respect to headstones and markers for the graves of 
individuals dying on or after that date. 
TITLE III—OTHER MATTERS 
SEC. 301. USE OF NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF NEW HIRES 
FOR INCOME VERIFICATION PURPOSES FOR 
CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS. 
(a) AUTHORITY FOR INFORMATION COMPARISONS AND 
DISCLOSURES OF INFORMATION TO ASSIST IN ADMINISTRA-
TION OF CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS.—Section 453(j) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 653(j)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(11) INFORMATION COMPARISONS AND DISCLO-
SURES TO ASSIST IN ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN 
VETERANS BENEFITS.— 
‘‘(A) FURNISHING OF INFORMATION BY SEC-
RETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.—Subject to the 
provisions of this paragraph, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall furnish to the Secretary, 
on such periodic basis as determined by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs in consultation with
the Secretary, information in the custody of the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for comparison 
with information in the National Directory of 
New Hires, in order to obtain information in 
such Directory with respect to individuals who 
are applying for or receiving— 
‘‘(i) needs-based pension benefits pro-
vided under chapter 15 of title 38, United 
States Code, or under any other law admin-
istered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; 
‘‘(ii) parents’ dependency and indem-
nity compensation provided under section 
1315 of title 38, United States Code; 
‘‘(iii) health care services furnished 
under subsections (a)(2)(G), (a)(3), or (b) of 
section 1710 of title 38, United States Code; 
or 
‘‘(iv) compensation paid under chapter 
11 of title 38, United States Code, at the 
100 
percent 
rate 
based 
solely 
on 
unemployability and without regard to the 
fact that the disability or disabilities are 
not rated as 100 percent disabling under 
the rating schedule.
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT TO SEEK MINIMUM IN-
FORMATION.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall seek information pursuant to this para-
graph only to the extent necessary to verify the 
employment and income of individuals described 
in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(C) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 
‘‘(i) INFORMATION DISCLOSURE.—The 
Secretary, in cooperation with the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, shall compare informa-
tion in the National Directory of New Hires 
with information provided by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs with respect to individ-
uals described in subparagraph (A), and 
shall disclose information in such Directory 
regarding such individuals to the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, in accordance with this 
paragraph, for the purposes specified in this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(ii) CONDITION
ON
DISCLOSURE.— 
The Secretary shall make disclosures in ac-
cordance with clause (i) only to the extent 
that the Secretary determines that such dis-
closures do not interfere with the effective 
operation of the program under this part.
‘‘(D) USE OF INFORMATION BY SECRETARY 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs may use information resulting 
from a data match pursuant to this paragraph 
only— 
‘‘(i) for the purposes specified in sub-
paragraph (B); and 
‘‘(ii) after removal of personal identi-
fiers, to conduct analyses of the employment 
and income reporting of individuals de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(E) REIMBURSEMENT
OF
HHS
COSTS.— 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall reimburse 
the Secretary, in accordance with subsection 
(k)(3), for the costs incurred by the Secretary in 
furnishing the information requested under this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(F) CONSENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall not seek, use, or disclose informa-
tion under this paragraph relating to an indi-
vidual without the prior written consent of such 
individual (or of a person legally authorized to 
consent on behalf of such individual).
‘‘(G) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—The au-
thority under this paragraph shall expire on 
September 30, 2011.’’. 
(b) AMENDMENTS TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AUTHOR-
ITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 53 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 
5317 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 5317A. Use of income information from other agen-
cies: independent verification required be-
fore termination or reduction of certain 
benefits and services 
‘‘(a) INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION REQUIRED.—The 
Secretary may terminate, deny, suspend, or reduce any ben-
efit or service specified in section 5317(c), with respect to 
an individual under age 65 who is an applicant for or re-
cipient of such a benefit or service, by reason of information 
obtained from the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
under section 453(j)(11) of the Social Security Act, only 
if the Secretary takes appropriate steps to verify independ-
ently information relating to the individual’s employment 
and income from employment. 
‘‘(b) OPPORTUNITY TO CONTEST FINDINGS.—The Sec-
retary shall inform each individual for whom the Secretary 
terminates, denies, suspends, or reduces any benefit or serv-
ice under subsection (a) of the findings made by the Sec-
retary under such subsection on the basis of verified infor-
mation and shall provide to the individual an opportunity 
to contest such findings in the same manner as applies to 
other information and findings relating to eligibility for the 
benefit or service involved. 
‘‘(c) SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO 
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.—The Sec-
retary shall pay the expense of reimbursing the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services in accordance with section 
453(j)(11)(E) of the Social Security Act, for the cost in-
curred by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in 
furnishing information requested by the Secretary under 
section 453(j)(11) of such Act, from amounts available to 
the Department for the payment of compensation and pen-
sions. 
‘‘(d) EXPIRATION
OF AUTHORITY.—The authority 
under this section shall expire on September 30, 2011.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 5317 the 
following new item: 
‘‘5317A. Use of income information from other agencies: independent verification 
required before termination or reduction of certain benefits and 
services.’’.
SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE AN EDU-
CATIONAL ASSISTANCE ALLOWANCE TO PER-
SONS 
PERFORMING 
QUALIFYING 
WORK- 
STUDY ACTIVITIES. 
Section 3485(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘June 30, 2007’’ each place it appears 
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 bene-
fits matters, matters relating to burial and memorial af-
fairs, and other matters under the laws administered by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other pur-
poses.’’. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H.R. 797 
HOUSE AMENDMENTS 
TO SENATE 
AMENDMENT