Veterans Pro Bono Corps Act of 2021
Bill: S.3047 | Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob (R-OH)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veterans Pro Bono Corps Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing assistance to eligible recipients to establish or maintain programs that assist veterans applying for compensation for a service-connected disability. Eligible recipients are accredited entities that are administering a medical residency or medical fellowship program in the United States or a territory of the United States.
Grants disbursed under the pilot program must be used to establish or maintain programs in which medical residents or fellows provide pro bono medical examinations and opinions to assist veterans in applying for service-connected disability benefits.
The VA must partner with veterans service organizations to provide outreach regarding the availability of services under the pilot program.

To establish a pilot program to support medical residency and 
   fellowship programs that assist veterans, 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 Pro Bono Corps Act of 
2021''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT MEDICAL RESIDENCY AND FELLOWSHIP 
              PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST VETERANS.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
commence a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
providing assistance to eligible recipients to establish or maintain 
programs that assist veterans applying for compensation under chapter 
11 of title 38, United States Code, in substantiating their claims with 
independent medical examinations and opinions.
    (b) Eligible Recipients.--For purposes of the pilot program 
required by subsection (a), an eligible recipient is an entity that--
            (1) is administering a medical residency or medical 
        fellowship program in the United States or a territory of the 
        United States; and
            (2) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting 
        agency.
    (c) Duration.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
required by subsection (a) during the five-year period beginning on the 
date of the commencement of the pilot program.
    (d) Grants.--The Secretary shall carry out the pilot program 
required by subsection (a) through the award of grants to eligible 
recipients to establish or maintain programs as described in such 
subsection.
    (e) Competitive Process.--The Secretary shall establish a 
competitive process for the award of the grants under the pilot program 
required by subsection (a).
    (f) Selection of Grant Recipients.--In awarding grants under the 
pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary may give 
preference to an eligible recipient located in a rural area or an 
underserved area.
    (g) Use of Grant Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Each eligible recipient receiving a grant 
        under the pilot program required by subsection (a) shall use 
        the grant to establish or maintain a program as described in 
        such subsection in which medical residents or fellows provide 
        pro bono medical examinations and opinions for the purposes 
        described in such subsection.
            (2) Requirements.--For each program established or 
        maintained with amounts from a grant under the pilot program--
                    (A) medical residents and fellows shall practice 
                under the supervision of attending physicians in 
                accordance with such supervisory requirements as the 
                Secretary shall prescribe in regulations;
                    (B) each attending physician providing such 
                supervision shall be in good standing with the medical 
                licensing board of each State in which the attending 
                physician is licensed;
                    (C) each medical resident and fellow shall be in 
                good standing with--
                            (i) the program established or maintained 
                        with amounts from the grant; and
                            (ii) the medical licensing board of each 
                        State in which the resident or fellow is 
                        licensed;
                    (D) each medical resident, fellow, and attending 
                physician shall undergo training that is substantially 
                the same as or equivalent to training required for 
                medical examiners of the Veterans Health Administration 
                or contractors of the Department who conduct medical 
                examinations for purposes of supporting claims for 
                compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United 
                States Code;
                    (E) medical residents shall be in their second year 
                or later of a medical residency;
                    (F) the program shall not charge veterans fees for 
                the services provided;
                    (G) the program shall screen individual applicants 
                who are veterans using such income eligibility criteria 
                as the Secretary shall prescribe in regulations;
                    (H) the recipient of the grant shall, on an annual 
                basis, provide the Secretary with an accounting of how 
                the recipient has used and allocated grant funds; and
                    (I) the program shall meet such other criteria as 
                the Secretary may prescribe in regulations.
    (h) Forms.--The Secretary shall provide to each recipient of a 
grant under the pilot program required by subsection (a) all current 
disability benefits questionnaire forms of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs.
    (i) Outreach.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, in partnership with 
veterans service organizations, implement an informative outreach 
program for veterans regarding the availability of services from 
programs established or maintained under the pilot program required by 
subsection (a).
    (j) Rule of Construction.--
            (1) Voluntary participation.--Participation by any veteran 
        in the pilot program required by subsection (a) shall be 
        voluntary.
            (2) Right to medical examination.--Nothing in this section 
        shall be construed to invalidate or replace the right of a 
        veteran to a medical examination provided by an employee or 
        contractor of the Department of Veterans Affairs under section 
        5103A(d) of title 38, United States Code.
    (k) Annual Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not less frequently than once each year 
        for the duration of the pilot program required by subsection 
        (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' 
        Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of 
        the House of Representatives a report on the pilot program.
            (2) Contents.--To the extent feasible, each report 
        submitted under paragraph (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) The average time to complete medical 
                examinations and opinions under the pilot program 
                during the period covered by the report.
                    (B) The number of medical examinations and opinions 
                completed under the pilot program during such period.
                    (C) The number of veterans served under the pilot 
                program during such period.
                    (D) The number of cases during such period in which 
                personnel of the Veterans Benefits Administration or 
                the Board of Veterans' Appeals found a medical 
                examination or opinion under the pilot program to be 
                inadequate for purposes of adjudicating a claim for 
                compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United 
                States Code.
                    (E) An analysis by the Secretary regarding the 
                operational effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the 
                services provided under the pilot program.
                    (F) Such suggestions as the Secretary may have for 
                legislative or administrative action to improve the 
                pilot program.
    (l) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means an area 
        classified as ``rural'' by the Bureau of the Census.
            (2) Underserved area.--The term ``underserved area'' means 
        an area that meets one or more of the following criteria:
                    (A) The area has a high proportion of individuals 
                who have limited access to health care.
                    (B) The area has a high proportion of individuals 
                who have limited access to legal services.
            (3) Veterans service organization.--The term ``veterans 
        service organization'' means an organization recognized by the 
        Secretary for the representation of veterans under section 5902 
        of title 38, United States Code.
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