GUARD VA Benefits Act

Bill: 117-hr-8736
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
Introduced: 2022-08-19
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Civil actions and liability

Fraud offenses and financial crimes

User charges and fees

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-08-19
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act</strong></p> <p>This bill imposes criminal penalties and/or fines on individuals for directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine or imprisonment.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8736 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 19, 2022 Mr. Pappas (for himself and Mr. Ellzey ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate criminal penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees relating to claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act . 2. Reinstatement of penalties for charging veterans unauthorized fees relating to claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Section 5905 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in the section heading, by striking Penalty and inserting Penalties (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 59 of such title accordingly); (2) by inserting (a) Withholding of benefits.— before Whoever ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (b) Charging of unauthorized fees Except as provided in sections 5904 or 1984 of this title, whoever directly or indirectly solicits, contracts for, charges, or receives, or attempts to solicit, contract for, charge, or receive, any fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. .