Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Earned Their 
Bonus Act’’ or the ‘‘VET Bonus Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TREATMENT OF CALIFORNIA ARMY NATIONAL 
GUARD BONUSES AND SIMILAR BENEFITS 
PROVIDED BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2004, AND 
DECEMBER 31, 2010. 
(a) TERMINATION
OF RECOUPMENT AUTHORITY; 
EXCEPTIONS.— 
(1) TERMINATION.—Except as provided in 
paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Army may not 
recoup a bonus or similar benefit that was provided 
to a member of the California Army National Guard 
during the period beginning on January 1, 2004, 
and ending on December 31, 2010. 
(2) EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraph (1) will not apply 
only if the Secretary of the Army proves, on the 
record after an opportunity for a hearing, that the 
member knowingly— 
(A) received the bonus or similar benefit 
through fraud or misrepresentation in which 
the member participated; or 
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(B) failed to satisfy the service require-
ment upon which the bonus or similar benefit 
was conditioned, as provided in section 303a(e) 
or 373 of title 37, United States Code. 
(3) PRESUMPTION.—For purposes of paragraph 
(2), the member shall be presumed to have acted in 
good faith in procuring the bonus or similar benefit 
and to have satisfied the service requirement upon 
which the bonus or similar benefit was conditioned. 
(b) EFFECT OF EARLIER RECOUPMENT.—If, as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
the Army has already recouped all or any portion of a 
bonus or similar benefit that was provided to a member 
of the California Army National Guard covered by sub-
section (a)(1), the Secretary shall reimburse the member 
for the amount repaid, plus interest, as authorized by sec-
tion 1552(c)(1) of title 10, United States Code, or any 
other authorities available to the Secretary. 
(c) OTHER RELIEF.—In the case of a member of the 
California Army National Guard covered by subsection 
(a)(1), the Secretary of the Army shall— 
(1) notify each consumer reporting agency that 
any debt and recoupment measures linked to the 
bonus or similar benefit were not valid; and 
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(2) provide financial assistance to the member 
if the member is facing financial hardship as a re-
sult of the recoupment measures. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘bonus or similar benefit’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 303a(e)(5)(A) or 
373(d)(1) of title 37, United States Code. 
(2) The term ‘‘consumer reporting agency’’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 603(p) of the 
Consumer 
Credit 
Protection 
Act 
(15 
U.S.C. 
1681a(p)). 
(3) The term ‘‘service’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 303a(e)(5)(B) or 373(d)(2) of 
title 37, United States Code. 
Æ 
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