Dr. James Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act of 2007
PL 110-157 (H.R.797), enacted 12/26/2007

121 STAT. 1831 
PUBLIC LAW 110–157—DEC. 26, 2007 
Public Law 110–157 
110th Congress 
An Act 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve low-vision benefits matters, 
matters relating to burial and memorial affairs, and other matters under the 
laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Dr. James 
Allen Veteran Vision Equity Act of 2007’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this Act 
is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—LOW-VISION BENEFITS MATTERS 
Sec. 101. Modification of rate of visual impairment for payment of disability com-
pensation. 
Sec. 102. Improvement in compensation for veterans in certain cases of impairment 
of vision involving both eyes. 
TITLE II—MATTERS RELATING TO BURIAL AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS 
Sec. 201. Provision of medallion or other device for privately-purchased grave 
markers. 
Sec. 202. Improvement in provision of assistance to States relating to the interment 
of veterans in cemeteries other than national cemeteries. 
Sec. 203. Modification of authorities on provision of Government headstones and 
markers for burials of veterans at private cemeteries. 
TITLE III—OTHER MATTERS 
Sec. 301. Use of national directory of new hires for income verification purposes for 
certain veterans benefits. 
Sec. 302. Extension of authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide an edu-
cational assistance allowance to persons performing qualifying work- 
study activities. 
TITLE I—LOW-VISION BENEFITS 
MATTERS 
SEC. 101. MODIFICATION OF RATE OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT FOR PAY-
MENT OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION. 
Section 1114(o) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘5/200’’ and inserting ‘‘20/200’’. 
SEC. 102. IMPROVEMENT IN COMPENSATION FOR VETERANS IN CER-
TAIN CASES OF IMPAIRMENT OF VISION INVOLVING BOTH 
EYES. 
Section 1160(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 
Dr. James Allen 
Veteran Vision 
Equity Act 
of 2007. 
38 USC 101 note. 
Dec. 26, 2007 
[H.R. 797] 
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121 STAT. 1832 
PUBLIC LAW 110–157—DEC. 26, 2007 
(1) by striking ‘‘blindness’’ both places it appears and 
inserting ‘‘impairment of vision’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘misconduct;’’ and inserting ‘‘misconduct 
and—’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: 
‘‘(A) the impairment of vision in each eye is rated 
at a visual acuity of 20/200 or less; or 
‘‘(B) the peripheral field of vision for each eye is 20 
degrees or less;’’. 
TITLE II—MATTERS RELATING TO 
BURIAL AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS 
SEC. 201. PROVISION OF MEDALLION OR OTHER DEVICE FOR PRI-
VATELY-PURCHASED GRAVE MARKERS. 
Section 2306(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) In lieu of furnishing a headstone or marker under this 
subsection, the Secretary may furnish, upon request, a medallion 
or other device of a design determined by the Secretary to signify 
the deceased’s status as a veteran, to be attached to a headstone 
or marker furnished at private expense.’’. 
SEC. 202. IMPROVEMENT IN PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO STATES 
RELATING TO THE INTERMENT OF VETERANS IN CEME-
TERIES OTHER THAN NATIONAL CEMETERIES. 
(a) REPEAL
OF
TIME
LIMITATION
FOR
STATE
FILING
FOR 
REIMBURSEMENT FOR INTERMENT COSTS.— 
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—The 
second 
sentence 
of 
section 
3.1604(d)(2) of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations, shall have 
no further force or effect as it pertains to unclaimed remains 
of a deceased veteran. 
(2) RETROACTIVE APPLICATION.—Paragraph (1) shall take 
effect as of October 1, 2006 and apply with respect to interments 
and inurnments occurring on or after that date. 
(b) GRANTS FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF STATE VET-
ERANS’ CEMETERIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 2408 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a)(1) Subject to subsection (b), the Secretary may make a 
grant to any State for the following purposes: 
‘‘(A) Establishing, expanding, or improving a veterans’ 
cemetery owned by the State. 
‘‘(B) Operating and maintaining such a cemetery. 
‘‘(2) A grant under paragraph (1) may be made only upon 
submission of an application to the Secretary in such form and 
manner, and containing such information, as the Secretary may 
require.’’. 
(2) LIMITATION ON AMOUNTS AWARDED.—Subsection (e) of 
such section is amended— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ before ‘‘Amounts’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) In any fiscal year, the aggregate amount of grants awarded 
under this section for the purposes specified in subsection (a)(1)(B) 
may not exceed $5,000,000.’’. 
Effective date. 
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121 STAT. 1833 
PUBLIC LAW 110–157—DEC. 26, 2007 
(3) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Such section is further 
amended— 
(A) in subsection (b)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Grants under this section’’ and 
inserting ‘‘A grant under this section for a purpose 
described in subsection (a)(1)(A)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘a grant under this section’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘such a grant’’; 
(B) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘to assist such State 
in establishing, expanding, or improving a veterans’ ceme-
tery’’; and 
(C) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting ‘‘, or in operating 
and maintaining such cemeteries,’’ after ‘‘veterans’ ceme-
teries’’. 
(4) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall prescribe regulations to carry out the amendments made 
by this subsection. 
SEC. 203. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITIES ON PROVISION OF GOVERN-
MENT HEADSTONES AND MARKERS FOR BURIALS OF VET-
ERANS AT PRIVATE CEMETERIES. 
(a) REPEAL OF EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—Subsection (d) of 
section 2306 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by section 
201, is further amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5), as added by 
that section, as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively. 
(b) RETROACTIVE
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Notwithstanding sub-
section (d) of section 502 of the Veterans Education and Benefits 
Expansion Act of 2001 (Public Law 107–103; 115 Stat. 995; 38 
U.S.C. 2306 note) or any other provision of law, the amendments 
made by that section and by subsections (a), (b), (c), (d), and 
(f) of section 402 of the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and 
Information Technology Act of 2006 (Public Law 109–461; 120 Stat. 
3429) shall take effect as of November 1, 1990, and shall apply 
with respect to headstones and markers for the graves of individuals 
dying on or after that date. 
TITLE III—OTHER MATTERS 
SEC. 301. USE OF NATIONAL DIRECTORY OF NEW HIRES FOR INCOME 
VERIFICATION PURPOSES FOR CERTAIN VETERANS BENE-
FITS. 
(a) AUTHORITY FOR INFORMATION COMPARISONS AND DISCLO-
SURES OF INFORMATION TO ASSIST IN ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN 
VETERANS BENEFITS.—Section 453(j) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 653(j)) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(11) INFORMATION
COMPARISONS
AND
DISCLOSURES
TO 
ASSIST IN ADMINISTRATION OF CERTAIN VETERANS BENEFITS.— 
‘‘(A) FURNISHING OF INFORMATION BY SECRETARY OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS.—Subject to the provisions of this para-
graph, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall furnish to 
the Secretary, on such periodic basis as determined by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in consultation with the 
Applicability. 
38 USC 2306 
note. 
Deadline. 
38 USC 2408 
note. 
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121 STAT. 1834 
PUBLIC LAW 110–157—DEC. 26, 2007 
Secretary, information in the custody of the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs for comparison with information in the 
National Directory of New Hires, in order to obtain 
information in such Directory with respect to individuals 
who are applying for or receiving— 
‘‘(i) needs-based pension benefits provided under 
chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, or under 
any other law administered by the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs; 
‘‘(ii) parents’ dependency and indemnity compensa-
tion provided under section 1315 of title 38, United 
States Code; 
‘‘(iii) health care services furnished under sub-
sections (a)(2)(G), (a)(3), or (b) of section 1710 of title 
38, United States Code; or 
‘‘(iv) compensation paid under chapter 11 of title 
38, United States Code, at the 100 percent rate based 
solely on unemployability and without regard to the 
fact that the disability or disabilities are not rated 
as 100 percent disabling under the rating schedule. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENT TO SEEK MINIMUM INFORMATION.— 
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek information 
pursuant to this paragraph only to the extent necessary 
to verify the employment and income of individuals 
described in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(C) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 
‘‘(i) INFORMATION DISCLOSURE.—The Secretary, in 
cooperation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
shall compare information in the National Directory 
of New Hires with information provided by the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs with respect to individuals 
described in subparagraph (A), and shall disclose 
information in such Directory regarding such individ-
uals to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in accordance 
with this paragraph, for the purposes specified in this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(ii) CONDITION
ON
DISCLOSURE.—The Secretary 
shall make disclosures in accordance with clause (i) 
only to the extent that the Secretary determines that 
such disclosures do not interfere with the effective 
operation of the program under this part. 
‘‘(D) USE OF INFORMATION BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use 
information resulting from a data match pursuant to this 
paragraph only— 
‘‘(i) for the purposes specified in subparagraph (B); 
and 
‘‘(ii) after removal of personal identifiers, to con-
duct analyses of the employment and income reporting 
of individuals described in subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(E) REIMBURSEMENT OF HHS COSTS.—The Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall reimburse the Secretary, in accord-
ance with subsection (k)(3), for the costs incurred by the 
Secretary in furnishing the information requested under 
this paragraph. 
‘‘(F) CONSENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
not seek, use, or disclose information under this paragraph 
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121 STAT. 1835 
PUBLIC LAW 110–157—DEC. 26, 2007 
relating to an individual without the prior written consent 
of such individual (or of a person legally authorized to 
consent on behalf of such individual). 
‘‘(G) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority under 
this paragraph shall expire on September 30, 2011.’’. 
(b) AMENDMENTS TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 53 of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 5317 the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 5317A. Use of income information from other agencies: 
independent verification required before termi-
nation or reduction of certain benefits and serv-
ices 
‘‘(a) INDEPENDENT
VERIFICATION
REQUIRED.—The Secretary 
may terminate, deny, suspend, or reduce any benefit or service 
specified in section 5317(c), with respect to an individual under 
age 65 who is an applicant for or recipient of such a benefit 
or service, by reason of information obtained from the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services under section 453(j)(11) of the Social 
Security Act, only if the Secretary takes appropriate steps to verify 
independently information relating to the individual’s employment 
and income from employment. 
‘‘(b) OPPORTUNITY TO CONTEST FINDINGS.—The Secretary shall 
inform each individual for whom the Secretary terminates, denies, 
suspends, or reduces any benefit or service under subsection (a) 
of the findings made by the Secretary under such subsection on 
the basis of verified information and shall provide to the individual 
an opportunity to contest such findings in the same manner as 
applies to other information and findings relating to eligibility 
for the benefit or service involved. 
‘‘(c) SOURCE
OF FUNDS
FOR REIMBURSEMENT
TO SECRETARY 
OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.—The Secretary shall pay the 
expense of reimbursing the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
in accordance with section 453(j)(11)(E) of the Social Security Act, 
for the cost incurred by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
in furnishing information requested by the Secretary under section 
453(j)(11) of such Act, from amounts available to the Department 
for the payment of compensation and pensions. 
‘‘(d) EXPIRATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority under this sec-
tion shall expire on September 30, 2011.’’. 
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121 STAT. 1836 
PUBLIC LAW 110–157—DEC. 26, 2007 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 797 (S. 1163): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 110–57 (Comm. on Veterans’ Affairs). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 110–143 accompanying S. 1163 (Comm. on Veterans’ 
Affairs). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 153 (2007): 
Mar. 21, considered and passed House. 
Nov. 2, considered and passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 1163. 
Dec. 11, House concurred in Senate amendment with amendments pursuant 
to H. Res. 855. 
Dec. 17, Senate concurred in House amendments. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the 
beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 5317 the following new item: 
‘‘5317A. Use of income information from other agencies: independent verification re-
quired before termination or reduction of certain benefits and services.’’. 
SEC. 302. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE 
ALLOWANCE TO PERSONS PERFORMING QUALIFYING 
WORK-STUDY ACTIVITIES. 
Section 3485(a)(4) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘June 30, 2007’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘June 30, 2010’’. 
Approved December 26, 2007. 
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