I
#
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1214
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an enhanced quality
assurance program within the Veterans Benefits Administration.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 23, 1999
Mr. EVANS (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. DOYLE, Ms.
CARSON, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr. SHOWS, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms.
MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Ms. DANNER, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. LAFALCE,
Mrs. KELLY, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. STRICK-
LAND, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. OLVER, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. STENHOLM,
Mr. KLINK, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. FROST, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. FARR
of California, Mr. NORWOOD, Mrs. CLAYTON, Mr. SPRATT, Ms. WOOL-
SEY, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr. DAVIS
of Florida, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. MURTHA, Ms. KILPATRICK, and Mr. LU-
THER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an
enhanced quality assurance program within the Veterans
Benefits Administration.
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’ Claims Adju-
dication Improvement Act of 1999’’.
HR 1214 IH1S
SEC. 2. ENHANCED QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM WITH-
IN THE VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRA-
TION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Chapter 77 of title 38, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subchapter:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER III—QUALITY ASSURANCE
‘‘§ 7731. Establishment
‘‘(a) The Secretary shall carry out a quality assur-
ance program in the Veterans Benefits Administration.
The program may be carried out through a single quality
assurance division in the Administration or through sepa-
rate quality assurance entities for each of the principal
organizational elements (known as ‘services’) of the Ad-
ministration.
‘‘(b) The Secretary shall ensure that any quality as-
surance entity established and operated under subsection
(a) is established and operated so as to meet generally ap-
plicable governmental standards for independence and in-
ternal controls for the performance of quality reviews of
Government performance and results.
‘‘§ 7732. Functions
‘‘The Under Secretary for Benefits, acting through
the quality assurance entities established under section
7731(a), shall on an ongoing basis perform and oversee
quality reviews of the functions of each of the principal
HR 1214 IH1S
organizational elements of the Veterans Benefits Adminis-
tration.
‘‘§ 7733. Personnel
‘‘The Secretary shall ensure that the number of full-
time employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration
assigned to quality assurance functions under this sub-
chapter is adequate to perform the quality assurance func-
tions for which they have responsibility.
‘‘§ 7734. Annual report to Congress
‘‘The Secretary shall include in the annual report to
the Congress required by section 529 of this title a report
on the quality assurance activities carried out under this
subchapter. Each such report shall include—
‘‘(1) an appraisal of the quality of services pro-
vided by the Veterans Benefits Administration,
including—
‘‘(A) the number of decisions reviewed;
‘‘(B) a summary of the findings on the de-
cisions reviewed;
‘‘(C) the number of full-time equivalent
employees assigned to quality assurance in each
division or entity;
‘‘(D) specific documentation of compliance
with the standards for independence and inter-
HR 1214 IH1S
nal control required by section 7731(b) of this
title; and
‘‘(E) actions taken to improve the quality
of services provided and the results obtained;
‘‘(2) information with respect to the accuracy of
decisions, including trends in that information; and
‘‘(3) such other information as the Secretary
considers appropriate.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by adding at the end the following
new items:
‘‘SUBCHAPTER III—QUALITY ASSURANCE
‘‘7731. Establishment.
‘‘7732. Functions.
‘‘7733. Personnel.
‘‘7734. Annual report to Congress.’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subchapter III of chapter 77
of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection
(a), shall take effect on the later of October 1, 1999, or
at the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of
the enactment of this Act.
Æ