Title: Veteran Debt Relief During COVID–19 Act of 2020
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veteran Debt Relief During COVID-19 Act of 2020
This bill defers certain debts arising from benefits under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the covered period, which is the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period plus the 60 days following the end of such period.
Specifically, the bill prohibits the VA from doing the following during the covered period:
The VA may collect a payment from a person who elects to make such payment during the covered period.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3887 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3887

  To defer action regarding certain debts arising from benefits under 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a period of 
 time including the COVID-19 emergency period, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 3, 2020

 Mrs. Shaheen introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To defer action regarding certain debts arising from benefits under 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a period of 
 time including the COVID-19 emergency period, 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 ``Veteran Debt Relief During COVID-19 
Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. DEFERRAL OF CERTAIN DEBTS ARISING FROM BENEFITS UNDER LAWS 
              ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--During the covered period, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs may not--
            (1) take any action to collect a covered debt (including 
        the offset of any payment by the Secretary);
            (2) record a covered debt;
            (3) issue notice of a covered debt to a person or a 
        consumer reporting agency;
            (4) allow any interest to accrue on a covered debt; or
            (5) apply any administrative fee to a covered debt.
    (b) Exception.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may 
collect a payment regarding a covered debt (including interest or any 
administrative fee) from a person (or the fiduciary of that person) who 
elects to make such a payment during the covered period.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Consumer reporting agency.--The term ``consumer 
        reporting agency'' has the meaning given that term in section 
        5701 of title 38, United States Code.
            (2) Covered debt.--The term ``covered debt'' means a debt--
                    (A) owed by a person (including a fiduciary) to the 
                United States;
                    (B) arising from a benefit under a covered law; and
                    (C) that is not subject to recovery under--
                            (i) section 3729 of title 31, United States 
                        Code;
                            (ii) section 1729 of title 38, United 
                        States Code; or
                            (iii) Public Law 87-693 (42 U.S.C. 2651).
            (3) Covered law.--The term ``covered law'' means any law 
        administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs through--
                    (A) the Under Secretary for Health; or
                    (B) the Under Secretary for Benefits.
            (4) Covered period.--The term ``covered period'' means--
                    (A) the COVID-19 emergency period; and
                    (B) the 60 days immediately following the date of 
                the end of the COVID-19 emergency period.
            (5) COVID-19 emergency period.--The term ``COVID-19 
        emergency period'' means the emergency period described in 
        section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
        1320b-5(g)(1)(B)).
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