Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study Act
PL 116-187 (H.R.4183), enacted 10/30/2020

[116th Congress Public Law 187]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 134 STAT. 903]]

Public Law 116-187
116th Congress

                                 An Act


 
  To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a 
  study on disability and pension benefits provided to members of the 
National Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 
                       30, 2020 -  [H.R. 4183]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Identifying 
Barriers and Best Practices Study Act.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Identifying Barriers and Best 
Practices Study Act''.
SEC. 2. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON DISABILITY AND PENSION 
                    BENEFITS PROVIDED TO MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL 
                    GUARD AND MEMBERS OF RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE 
                    ARMED FORCES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                    AFFAIRS.

    (a) <<NOTE: Deadline.>>  In General.--Not later than 36 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall complete a study on disability and pension benefits 
provided to members of the National Guard and members of reserve 
components of the Armed Forces by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In 
conducting such study, <<NOTE: Review. Time period.>>  the Comptroller 
General shall review, for the period beginning on January 1, 2008, and 
ending on December 31, 2018, each of the following:
            (1) The number of members of the National Guard and the 
        number of members of reserve components of the Armed Forces who 
        received disability compensation or pension provided by the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) A comparison of each of the following between veterans 
        who served only in the National Guard or reserve components and 
        veterans who served in the regular components of the Armed 
        Forces:
                    (A) The percentage of each group of such veterans 
                with service-connected disabilities.
                    (B) The number of veterans in each group with each 
                disability rating.
                    (C) The number of veterans in each group with a 
                service-connected disability, including the number of 
                each of the following types of such veterans in each 
                group:
                          (i) Pilots.
                          (ii) Veterans who served in the special 
                      forces.
                          (iii) Veterans who participated in the 
                      Personnel Reliability Program.

[[Page 134 STAT. 904]]

                          (iv) Veterans who underwent diving or flight 
                      physicals as a regular component of their service 
                      in the Armed Forces and who have a muscular-
                      skeletal or mental health condition.
                    (D) The number of total claims for disability 
                compensation and pension submitted, approved, and 
                disapproved for each group of veterans.
            (3) An identification of common barriers for members of the 
        National Guard and members of reserve components in obtaining 
        disability benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary 
        of Veterans Affairs, including barriers relating to 
        documentation of injuries incurred while serving, such as line 
        of duty letters.

    (b) Reports.--
            (1) Preliminary report.--Not later than 18 months after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
        submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and 
        House of Representatives a preliminary report on the findings of 
        the study required by subsection (a).
            (2) Final report.--Upon completion of the study, the 
        Comptroller General shall submit to such Committees a final 
        report on such study.

    Approved October 30, 2020.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 4183:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 165 (2019):
                                    Dec. 16, 17, considered and passed 
                                        House.
                                                        Vol. 166 (2020):
                                    Oct. 1, considered and passed 
                                        Senate.

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