VA AID Act of 2021
Bill: S.1071 | Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted (R-TX)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veterans Application Assistance Inefficiency Decrease Act of 2021 or the VA AID Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing claim enhancement assistance to individuals who are applying for certain VA pensions in order to reduce the backlog and expedite processing of claims. Specifically, the program applies to those applying for service pensions, non-service-connected disability pensions, or pensions to surviving spouses and children.
The Government Accountability Office must complete a review of the pilot program and a study on the feasibility and advisability of permanently extending claim enhancement assistance to individuals and spouses applying for the specified VA pensions.

To authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a pilot 
program to provide pension claim enhancement assistance to individuals 
submitting claims for pension from the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Application Assistance 
Inefficiency Decrease Act of 2021'' or the ``VA AID Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE CLAIM ENHANCEMENT ASSISTANCE TO 
              INDIVIDUALS SUBMITTING CLAIMS FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS PENSION.

    (a) Pilot Program Authorized.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall commence carrying out a pilot program to assess the feasibility 
and advisability of providing claim enhancement assistance to 
individuals applying for pension under subchapter II or III of chapter 
15 of title 38, United States Code, in order to reduce the backlog of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs for claims for pension under such 
chapter and to expedite claims processing by--
            (1) improving the efficiency of the claims submittal 
        process; and
            (2) proactively engaging claimants with claim enhancement 
        services prior to submission of their claims.
    (b) Claim Enhancement Assistance.--For purposes of this subsection, 
claim enhancement assistance includes, with respect to submitting 
claims described in subsection (a), the following:
            (1) Consultive services to assess and advise claimants 
        based upon a review of each claimant's specific circumstances.
            (2) Assistance in gathering all necessary supporting 
        documentation for the submission.
            (3) The creation of a fully developed application ready to 
        be submitted to the Pension Management Centers of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs with postal tracking.
            (4) Such other assistance and services as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate for purposes of the pilot program.
    (c) Contract.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program by 
entering into a contract with one eligible entity to provide, as part 
of the pilot program, claim enhancement assistance to individuals and 
spouses applying for pension under subchapter II or III of chapter 15 
of title 38, United State Code.
    (d) Eligible Entities.--For purposes of this section, an eligible 
entity is any entity that--
            (1) is not part of the Department of Veterans Affairs;
            (2) specializes in matters relating to one specific benefit 
        exclusively for five or more years that is provided under laws 
        administered by the Secretary, such as pension under chapter 15 
        of such title;
            (3) does not engage in the promotion or sale of financial 
        products of any type, including annuities;
            (4) is not affiliated with any entity that is engaged in 
        promotion or sale described in paragraph (3);
            (5) does not manage the assets of veterans or the survivors 
        of veterans;
            (6) is not a fiduciary (as defined in section 5506 of such 
        title) for any person submitting a claim for pension under 
        chapter 15 of such title or in receipt of pension under such 
        chapter;
            (7) is not a fiduciary under section 5502 of such title;
            (8) has at least one owner that is recognized by the 
        Secretary under section 5904 of such title as an agent or 
        attorney for the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of 
        claims under laws administered by the Secretary;
            (9) does not provide health care for a claimant receiving 
        claim enhancement assistance from the entity as part of the 
        pilot program; and
            (10) demonstrates to the Secretary that it has the ability 
        to provide claim enhancement assistance in sufficient volume by 
        having current systems, processes, and procedures in place that 
        are of sufficient scale.
    (e) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
during the three-year period beginning on the date of the commencement 
of the pilot program.
    (f) Review, Study, and Report by Comptroller General of the United 
States.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the completion of the 
pilot program, the Comptroller General of the United States shall--
            (1) complete a review of the pilot program;
            (2) complete a study on the feasibility and advisability of 
        permanently extending claim enhancement services to individuals 
        and spouses applying for pension under subchapter II or III of 
        chapter 15 of such title; and
            (3) submit to Congress a report on the findings of the 
        Comptroller General with respect to the review conducted under 
        paragraph (1) and the study conducted under paragraph (2).
    (g) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed--
            (1) to limit the right of a veteran to apply for pension 
        under chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code; or
            (2) to authorize the Secretary to limit such right.
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