In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Restore Fiscal Discipline and 
Safeguard Social Security Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) When Congress enacted the fiscal year 2002 budget 
        resolution, it did so based on the assurance that the 
        Government would balance the budget without relying on social 
        security surpluses for the remainder of the decade and beyond. 
        Congress was also assured that it would not have to act to 
        increase the statutory debt limit until 2008.
            (2) The Government is projected to run on-budget deficits 
        that will require it to spend the social security and medicare 
        trust fund surpluses for the rest of the decade, even before 
        additional spending for defense and homeland security is 
        counted, and after the economy recovers and returns to strong 
        growth.
            (3) The total debt is increasing because we have not kept 
        the commitment to save the social security and medicare trust 
        fund surpluses. The Secretary of the Treasury has formally 
        requested that Congress increase the statutory limit on the 
        public debt by $750 billion, from the current level of $5.95 
        trillion to $6.70 trillion. Congress will have to vote to raise 
        the debt limit because we have been borrowing those trust fund 
        surpluses to cover a deficit in the rest of the budget instead 
        of saving them.
            (4) A $750 billion increase in the debt limit would be the 
        second largest increase in history and is irresponsible in the 
        absence of a framework to protect taxpayers from even further 
        increases in the national debt.
            (5) Congress should authorize a limited increase in the 
        debt limit to prevent a financial default, but should also work 
        together with the President to develop a plan to restore fiscal 
        discipline before further increasing our debt.
            (6) Current law provides for enforcement of budget 
        resolutions:
                    (A) Legislation violating discretionary spending 
                totals set in a budget resolution or the suballocations 
                set by the Committee on Appropriations is subject to a 
                point of order under section 302(f) of the 
                Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
                    (B) Legislation reducing receipts below a budget 
                resolution's total is subject to a point of order under 
                section 311(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is--
            (1) to provide a responsible, measured increase in the debt 
        limit to ensure that the Government meets its current legal 
        obligations;
            (2) effective immediately thereafter, to limit strictly the 
        size of further increases in the debt limit until the enactment 
        of a plan to bring the budget into balance in five years 
        without reliance on the social security trust fund surplus, 
        such that any larger increase in the debt limit this fall would 
        require a plan to balance the budget in fiscal year 2007, but 
        if this deficit reduction should prove insufficient, the 
        restrictions are automatically reestablished by the next 
        regular semi-annual report of the Congressional Budget Office;
            (3) to require that the President submit a budget plan 
        before the end of this fiscal year to achieve balance, without 
        reliance on the social security trust fund surplus, by fiscal 
        year 2007;
            (4) as a backup and discipline for these debt limit 
        provisions, to establish points of order against any budget 
        resolution that does not within five years and in all 
        subsequent years eliminate any deficits projected by the 
        Congressional Budget Office, without reliance on the social 
        security trust fund surplus, using the enforcement provisions 
        in current law to require that all subsequent spending and tax 
legislation conform to the budget resolution's deficit-reduction plan; 
and
            (5) thereby to restore fiscal discipline and to preserve 
        social security for future retirees.

                    TITLE I--INCREASE IN DEBT LIMIT

SEC. 101. INCREASE IN DEBT LIMIT.

    (a) Increase in Statutory Debt Limit.--Section 3101(b) of title 31, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``$5,950,000,000,000'' and 
inserting ``$6,100,000,000,000''.
    (b) Point of Order.--(1) Effective immediately, except as provided 
by paragraph (2) or (3), it shall not be in order in the House of 
Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, 
amendment, or conference report that includes any provision that 
increases the limit on the public debt above the limit set forth in 
section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, as in effect 
immediately before the date of consideration of that measure by more 
than $100,000,000,000.
    (2) Except as provided by paragraph (3), any bill or joint 
resolution may carry an increase in such limit of more than 
$100,000,000,000 only if the concurrent resolution on the budget for 
the budget year has been adopted and--
            (A) sets forth or assumes a budget that is in on-budget 
        balance or surplus within 4 fiscal years after the budget year 
        and is in on-budget balance or surplus for every subsequent 
        fiscal year covered by that resolution; and
            (B) does not contain any reduction in social security 
        benefits.
    (3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply in the House of 
Representatives or the Senate if the chairman of the Committee on the 
Budget of the House or of the Senate, as applicable, certifies, based 
on the report of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 
202(e)(1) or (2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, whichever 
report is the most recent, that the budget will be in on-budget balance 
or surplus within 4 fiscal years after the budget year and is in on-
budget balance or surplus for every subsequent fiscal year covered by 
that report. If legislation to extend the discretionary spending limits 
beyond fiscal year 2002 is enacted before the date of release of such 
report, the Congressional Budget Office shall assume such discretionary 
spending levels. Any such certification shall only have force and 
effect until the date of submission of the next report under either 
such section.

SEC. 102. PRESIDENTIAL PLAN TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

    (a) Presidential Plan.--The President shall submit to the Congress 
by September 30, 2002, a proposal to bring the budget of the Government 
(excluding the receipts and disbursements of the Federal Old-Age and 
Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance 
Trust Fund) into balance or surplus by fiscal year 2007.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the plan 
described in subsection (a) should be based on the most recent economic 
and technical assumptions of the Congressional Budget Office.

          TITLE II--CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY

SEC. 201. CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY.

    (a) Circuit Breaker Points of Order.--(1) Effective January 1, 
2003, whenever the most recent report of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 202(e)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 
1974 projects an on-budget deficit for any fiscal year, it shall not be 
in order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any 
concurrent resolution on the budget that--
            (A) sets forth or assumes an on-budget deficit for any such 
        fiscal year that is larger than such Congressional Budget 
        Office projection for that fiscal year;
            (B) sets forth or assumes a budget that is not in on-budget 
        balance or surplus within 4 fiscal years after the budget year 
        and is not in on-budget balance or surplus for any subsequent 
        fiscal year covered by that resolution; or
            (C) contains any reduction in social security benefits.
    (2) Effective January 1, 2003, whenever the most recent report of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 202(e)(1) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 projects both on-budget surpluses (or 
a balanced budget) and deficits for the fiscal years included in that 
report, it shall not be in order in the House of Representatives or the 
Senate to consider any concurrent resolution on the budget that--
            (A) sets forth or assumes an on-budget deficit for any 
        fiscal year for which such Congressional Budget Office 
        projection for that fiscal year is for an on-budget surplus or 
        balance; or
            (B) contains any reduction in social security benefits.
    (b) Suspension of Requirement During War or Low Economic Growth.--
            (1) Low growth.--If the most recent of the Department of 
        Commerce's advance, preliminary, or final reports of actual 
        real economic growth indicate that the rate of real economic 
        growth (as measured by real GDP) for each of the most recently 
        reported quarter and the immediately preceding quarter is less 
        than 1 percent, this section is suspended.
            (2) War.--If a declaration of war is in effect, this 
        section is suspended.

Output: Restore Fiscal Discipline and Safeguard Social Security Act of 2002 - Amends Federal money and finance law to increase the statutory debt limit to $6.1 trillion.Makes it out of order for the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill or amendment that increases the public debt limit above the new one established by this Act by more than $100 billion, except in specified circumstances.Directs the President to submit to Congress a proposal to bring the budget of the Government (excluding the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund) into balance or surplus by FY 2007.Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate, whenever the most recent CBO report projects an on-budget deficit for any fiscal year, to consider any concurrent resolution on the budget that: (1) sets forth or assumes an on-budget deficit for any such fiscal year larger than such projection; (2) sets forth or assumes a budget that is not in on-budget balance or surplus within four fiscal years, and is not in on-budget balance or surplus for any covered subsequent fiscal year; or (3) contains any reduction in social security benefits.Makes it out of order for the House or the Senate, whenever the most recent CBO report projects both on-budget surpluses (or a balanced budget) and deficits for the fiscal years concerned, to consider any concurrent resolution on the budget that: (1) sets forth or assumes an on-budget deficit for any fiscal year for which the CBO projection is for an on-budget surplus or balance; or (2) contains any reduction in social security benefits.Suspends such requirements during war or low economic growth.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Student Non-Discrimination Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

    (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Public school students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual 
        or transgender (LGBT), or are perceived to be LGBT, or who 
        associate with LGBT people, have been and are subjected to 
        pervasive discrimination, including harassment, bullying, 
        intimidation and violence, and have been deprived of equal 
        educational opportunities, in schools in every part of our 
        Nation.
            (2) While discrimination, including harassment, bullying, 
        intimidation and violence, of any kind is harmful to students 
        and to our education system, actions that target students based 
        on sexual orientation or gender identity represent a distinct 
        and especially severe problem.
            (3) Numerous social science studies demonstrate that 
        discrimination, including harassment, bullying, intimidation 
        and violence, at school has contributed to high rates of 
        absenteeism, dropout, adverse health consequences, and academic 
        underachievement among LGBT youth.
            (4) When left unchecked, discrimination, including 
        harassment, bullying, intimidation and violence, in schools 
        based on sexual orientation or gender identity can lead, and 
        has lead to, life-threatening violence and to suicide.
            (5) Public school students enjoy a variety of 
        constitutional rights, including rights to equal protection, 
        privacy, and free expression, which are infringed when school 
        officials engage in discriminatory treatment or are indifferent 
        to discrimination, including harassment, bullying, intimidation 
        and violence, on the basis of sexual orientation or gender 
        identity.
            (6) While Federal statutory protections expressly address 
        discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, 
        disability, and national origin, Federal civil rights statutes 
        do not expressly include ``sexual orientation'' or ``gender 
        identity''. As a result, students and parents have often had 
        limited legal recourse to redress for discrimination on the 
        basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
            (1) to ensure that all students have access to public 
        education in a safe environment free from discrimination, 
        including harassment, bullying, intimidation and violence, on 
        the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity;
            (2) to provide a comprehensive Federal prohibition of 
        discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived 
        sexual orientation or gender identity;
            (3) to provide meaningful and effective remedies for 
        discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived 
        sexual orientation or gender identity;
            (4) to invoke congressional powers, including but not 
        limited to the power to enforce the 14th Amendment to the 
        Constitution and to provide for the general welfare pursuant to 
        section 8 of article I of the Constitution and the power to 
        enact all laws necessary and proper for the execution of the 
        foregoing powers pursuant to section 8 of article I of the 
        Constitution, in order to prohibit discrimination in public 
        schools on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity; 
        and
            (5) to allow the Department of Education to effectively 
        combat discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender 
        identity in public schools through regulation and enforcement, 
        as the Department has issued regulations under and enforced 
        title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and other 
        nondiscrimination laws in a manner that effectively addresses 
        discrimination.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Program or activity.--The terms ``program or activity'' 
        and ``program'' have same meanings given such terms as applied 
        under section 606 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 
        2000d-4a) to the operations of public entities under paragraph 
        (2)(B) of such section.
            (2) Gender identity.--The term ``gender identity'' means 
        the gender-related identity, appearance, or mannerisms or other 
        gender-related characteristics of an individual, with or 
        without regard to the individual's designated sex at birth.
            (3) Harassment.--The term ``harassment'' means conduct that 
        is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive to limit a 
        student's ability to participate in or benefit from a public 
        school education program or activity, or to create a hostile or 
        abusive educational environment at a public school, including 
        acts of verbal, nonverbal, or physical aggression, 
        intimidation, or hostility, if such conduct is based on--
                    (A) a student's actual or perceived sexual 
                orientation or gender identity; or
                    (B) the actual or perceived sexual orientation or 
                gender identity of a person or persons with whom a 
                student associates or has associated.
            (4) Public schools.--The term ``public schools'' means 
        public elementary and secondary schools, including local 
        educational agencies, educational service agencies, and State 
        educational agencies, as defined in section 9101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
            (5) Sexual orientation.--The term ``sexual orientation'' 
        means homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.
            (6) Student.--The term ``student'' means an individual who 
        is enrolled in a public school or who, regardless of official 
        enrollment status, attends classes or participates in a public 
        school's programs or educational activities.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION; EXCEPTIONS.

    (a) In General.--No student shall, on the basis of actual or 
perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of such individual or 
of a person with whom the student associates or has associated, be 
excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be 
subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving 
Federal financial assistance.
    (b) Harassment.--For purposes of this Act, discrimination includes, 
but is not limited to, harassment of a student on the basis of actual 
or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity of such student or 
of a person with whom the student associates or has associated.
    (c) Retaliation Prohibited.--
            (1) Prohibition.--No person shall be excluded from 
        participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to 
        discrimination, retaliation, or reprisal under any program or 
        activity receiving Federal financial assistance based on his or 
        her opposition to conduct made unlawful by this Act.
            (2) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, 
        ``opposition to conduct made unlawful by this Act'' includes, 
        but is not limited to--
                    (A) opposition to conduct reasonably believed to be 
                made unlawful by this Act,
                    (B) any formal or informal report, whether oral or 
                written, to any governmental entity, including public 
                schools and employees thereof, regarding conduct made 
                unlawful by this Act or reasonably believed to be made 
                unlawful by this Act,
                    (C) participation in any investigation, proceeding, 
                or hearing related to conduct made unlawful by this Act 
                or reasonably believed to be made unlawful by this Act, 
                and
                    (D) assistance or encouragement provided to any 
                other person in the exercise or enjoyment of any right 
                granted or protected by this Act,
        if in the course of that expression, the person involved does 
        not purposefully provide information known to be false to any 
        public school or other governmental entity regarding a 
        violation, or alleged violation, of this Act.

SEC. 5. FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ENFORCEMENT; REPORT TO CONGRESSIONAL 
              COMMITTEES.

    Each Federal department and agency which is empowered to extend 
Federal financial assistance to any education program or activity, by 
way of grant, loan, or contract other than a contract of insurance or 
guaranty, is authorized and directed to effectuate the provisions of 
section 4 of this Act with respect to such program or activity by 
issuing rules, regulations, or orders of general applicability which 
shall be consistent with achievement of the objectives of the Act 
authorizing the financial assistance in connection with which the 
action is taken. No such rule, regulation, or order shall become 
effective unless and until approved by the President. Compliance with 
any requirement adopted pursuant to this section may be effected--
            (1) by the termination of or refusal to grant or to 
        continue assistance under such program or activity to any 
        recipient as to whom there has been an express finding on the 
        record, after opportunity for hearing, of a failure to comply 
        with such requirement, but such termination or refusal shall be 
        limited to the particular political entity, or part thereof, or 
        other recipient as to whom such a finding has been made, and 
        shall be limited in its effect to the particular program, or 
        part thereof, in which such noncompliance has been so found, or
            (2) by any other means authorized by law,
except that no such action shall be taken until the department or 
agency concerned has advised the appropriate person or persons of the 
failure to comply with the requirement and has determined that 
compliance cannot be secured by voluntary means. In the case of any 
action terminating, or refusing to grant or continue, assistance 
because of failure to comply with a requirement imposed pursuant to 
this section, the head of the Federal department or agency shall file 
with the committees of the House and Senate having legislative 
jurisdiction over the program or activity involved a full written 
report of the circumstances and the grounds for such action. No such 
action shall become effective until 30 days have elapsed after the 
filing of such report.

SEC. 6. CAUSE OF ACTION.

    (a) Cause of Action.--Subject to subsection (c) of this section, an 
aggrieved individual may assert a violation of this Act in a judicial 
proceeding. Aggrieved persons may be awarded all appropriate relief, 
including but not limited to equitable relief, compensatory damages, 
cost of the action, and remedial action.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--This section shall not be construed to 
preclude an aggrieved individual from obtaining other remedies under 
any other provision of law or to require such individual to exhaust any 
administrative complaint process or notice-of-claim requirement before 
seeking redress under this section.
    (c) Statute of Limitations.--For actions brought pursuant to this 
section, the statute of limitations period shall be determined in 
accordance with section 1658(a) of title 28 of the United States Code. 
The tolling of any such limitations period shall be determined in 
accordance with the law governing actions under section 1979 of the 
Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1983) in the forum State.

SEC. 7. STATE IMMUNITY.

    (a) State Immunity.--A State shall not be immune under the 11th 
Amendment to the Constitution of the United States from suit in Federal 
court for a violation of this Act.
    (b) Waiver.--A State's receipt or use of Federal financial 
assistance for any program or activity of a State shall constitute a 
waiver of sovereign immunity, under the 11th Amendment to the 
Constitution or otherwise, to a suit brought by an aggrieved individual 
for a violation of section 4 of this Act.
    (c) Remedies.--In a suit against a State for a violation of this 
Act, remedies (including remedies both at law and in equity) are 
available for such a violation to the same extent as such remedies are 
available for such a violation in the suit against any public or 
private entity other than a State.

SEC. 8. ATTORNEY'S FEES.

    Section 722(b) of the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1988(b)) is 
amended by inserting ``the Student Nondiscrimination Act of 2011,'' 
after ``Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 
2000,''.

SEC. 9. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

    (a) Federal and State Nondiscrimination Laws.--Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to preempt, invalidate, or limit rights, remedies, 
procedures, or legal standards available to victims of discrimination 
or retaliation under any other Federal law or law of a State or 
political subdivision of a State, including title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.), or section 1979 of 
the Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1983). The obligations imposed by this 
Act are in addition to those imposed by title IX of the Education 
Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), and the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
    (b) Free Speech and Expression Laws and Religious Student Groups.--
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to alter legal standards 
regarding, or affect the rights available to individuals or groups 
under, other Federal laws that establish protections for freedom of 
speech and expression, such as legal standards and rights available to 
religious and other student groups under the 1st Amendment to the 
Constitution and the Equal Access Act (20 U.S.C. 4071 et seq.).

SEC. 10. SEVERABILITY.

    If any provision of this Act, or any application of such provision 
to any person or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of this Act, and the application of the provision to any 
other person or circumstance shall not be affected.

SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    This Act shall take effect 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and shall not apply to conduct occurring before the 
effective date of this Act.

Output: Student Non-Discrimination Act of 2011 - Prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates.

Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination.

Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct they reasonably believe to be unlawful under this Act.

Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them.

Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail.

Deems a state's receipt of federal educational assistance for a program to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity for conduct prohibited under this Act regarding such program.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. CODIFICATION OF EFFECTIVE DATES FOR CLAIMS UNDER THE LAWS 
              ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Definitions.--
            (1) In general.--Section 5100 of title 38, United States 
        Code, is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 5100. Definitions
    ``In this chapter:
            ``(1) The term `claimant' means any individual applying 
        for, or submitting a claim for, any benefit under the laws 
        administered by the Secretary.
            ``(2) The term `claim' means a communication in writing 
        requesting a determination of entitlement or evidencing a 
        belief in entitlement to a benefit under the laws administered 
        by the Secretary.
            ``(3) The term `formal claim' means a claim submitted on an 
        application form prescribed by the Secretary.
            ``(4) The term `informal claim' means a communication in 
        writing requesting a determination of entitlement or evidencing 
        a belief in entitlement, to a benefit under the laws 
        administered by the Secretary that--
                    ``(A) is submitted in a format other than on an 
                application form prescribed by the Secretary;
                    ``(B) indicates an intent to apply for one or more 
                benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary;
                    ``(C) identifies the benefit sought;
                    ``(D) is made or submitted by a claimant, his or 
                her duly authorized representative, a Member of 
                Congress, or another person acting on behalf of a 
                claimant who meets the requirements established by the 
                Secretary for such purpose; and
                    ``(E) may include a report of examination or 
                hospitalization, if the report relates to a disability 
                which may establish such an entitlement.
            ``(5) The term `reasonably raised claim' means evidence of 
        an entitlement to a benefit under the laws administered by the 
        Secretary that is not explicitly raised in a claim but that is 
        logically placed at issue upon a sympathetic reading of the 
        claim and the record developed with respect to the claim.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 51 of such title is amended by striking 
        the item relating to section 5100 and inserting the following 
        new item:

``5100. Definitions.''.
    (b) Informal Claims.--Section 5101(a) of such title is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(3)(A) Upon receipt of an informal claim, if a formal claim has 
not been filed, the Secretary shall provide the claimant with an 
application form on which the claimant may submit a formal claim. In 
addition to all relevant communications relating to any claim, the 
Secretary shall maintain in the claim file a dated copy of the letter 
accompanying the application form sent to the claimant under this 
subparagraph.
    ``(B) An informal request for increase or reopening of a claim 
shall be accepted and treated in the same manner as a formal claim.''.
    (c) Effective Dates.--Section 5110(a) of such title is amended--
            (1) by striking ``Unless'' and inserting ``(1) Unless''; 
        and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(2) In determining the date of the receipt of an application for 
any benefit purposes of this section, the Secretary shall consider an 
application to be filed on the date on which an informal communication 
relating to such benefit is submitted, as long as the person claiming 
or applying for the benefit files an application by not later than 180 
days after the date on which the Secretary furnishes the person the 
necessary application forms under section 5102 of this title. If the 
person claiming or applying for the benefit fails to file an 
application by the date that is 180 days after the date on which the 
Secretary furnishes the person such necessary application forms, the 
Secretary shall consider the application to be filed on the date on 
which the completed application form is submitted.''.
    (d) Reasonably Raised Claims.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 51 of such title is amended by 
        inserting after section 5103A the following new section:
``Sec. 5103B. Treatment of reasonably raised claims
    ``The Secretary shall identify, address, and adjudicate reasonably 
raised claims that are placed at issue in the course of addressing or 
adjudicating any claim, including evidence relating to entirely 
separate conditions never identified as part of a formal claim.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 5103A the following new item:

``5103B. Treatment of reasonably raised claims.''.
    (e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall take 
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply with 
respect to a claim submitted on or after such date.


Output: Describes an &quot;informal claim&quot; for a veterans' benefit as a communication in writing requesting a determination of entitlement or evidencing a belief in entitlement to such benefit that is submitted by a claimant, or an authorized party on the claimant's behalf, in a format other than on an application form submitted by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA). Requires an informal claim to also indicate an intent to apply for an identified benefit. Requires the Secretary to:  provide a claimant who submits an informal claim with an application form on which to submit a formal claim; maintain in the claimant's claim file a dated copy of the letter accompanying that application form; and consider an application to have been filed, for benefit purposes, on the date on which an informal communication relating to such benefit is submitted, unless the claimant fails to file the application form within 180 days after the Secretary provides that form.  Requires an informal request for increasing or reopening a claim to be accepted and treated in the same manner as a formal claim. Defines a &quot;reasonably raised claim&quot; for a veterans' benefit as evidence of an entitlement to such benefit that is not explicitly raised in a claim but is logically placed at issue upon a sympathetic reading of the claim and the record developed with respect to the claim. Directs the Secretary to identify, address, and adjudicate reasonably raised claims that are placed at issue in the course of addressing or adjudicating any claim, including evidence relating to entirely separate conditions never identified as part of a formal claim.