Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors
Officially: “Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors” Read the full text
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1Short title
This section would say the Act may be called the "Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act."
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1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act .
2Department of Veterans Affairs annual report on causes of death among veterans
This section would add a new section 534 to title 38 of the United States Code requiring the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit an annual report to the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs on causes of death among veterans. For each veteran who died during the period covered by a report, the report would have to identify whether the veteran had a service-connected disability rated as total, the primary cause of death, the secondary cause of death if there was one, and the manner of death. The report would also have to state, for each primary cause of death identified, the total number of veterans who died from that cause during the period, and, for each manner of death identified, the total number of veterans who died in that manner during the period. This reporting requirement would end five years after the date of enactment of the Justice for America's Veterans and Survivors Act of 2025. The section would also add an entry for the new section 534 to the table of sections at the start of chapter 5 of title 38.
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2. Department of Veterans Affairs annual report on causes of death among veterans (a) In general Subchaper II of chapter 5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 534. Annual report on causes of death among veterans (a) In general The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate an annual report that contains data and information on causes of death among veterans. (b) Elements Such report shall include— (1) for each veteran that died during the period covered by the report an identification of— (A) whether such veteran had a service-connected disability rated as total; (B) the primary cause of death; (C) the secondary cause of death, if applicable; and (D) the manner of death; (2) for each primary cause of death identified pursuant to paragraph (1), a statement of the total number of veterans that died from such primary cause of death during the period covered by the report; and (3) for each manner of death identified pursuant to paragraph (1), a statement of the total number of veterans that died in such manner during the period covered by the report. (c) Sunset This section shall terminate on the date that is five years after the date of the enactment of the Justice for America’s Veterans and Survivors Act of 2025. . (b) Clerical amendment The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 5 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 533 the following new item: 534. Annual report on causes of death among veterans .
3Plan for use of automation tools to process claims under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
This section would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, not later than one year after enactment, to submit to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs a plan to make an automation tool available, to the maximum extent practicable, to elements of the Department of Veterans Affairs for processing claims under laws the Secretary administers. The automation tool covered by the plan is technology developed for the Compensation Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration that automates retrieval of a veteran's service or health records, compiles evidence relevant to deciding a benefits claim, provides automated decision support for such a determination, automates information sharing between federal agencies, and assists in generating correspondence about a claim. In developing the plan, the Secretary would have to analyze the feasibility and benefits of using such a tool for claims processing, any modification to an existing automation tool that could make it usable for that purpose, any requirement of a Department element related to claims processing that an automation tool cannot address, the extent to which the technology offices of those elements may need to collaborate with the technology office that develops the tool, and a timeline for modifying and implementing the tool for use by those elements. In providing the tool to Department elements under the plan, the Secretary would have to give priority, in this order, to the Pension and Fiduciary Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration, the Education Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration, program offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration as determined by the Secretary, the Debt Management Center, and the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
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3. Plan for use of automation tools to process claims under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (a) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives the plan of the Secretary to make available, to the maximum extent practicable, an automation tool described in subsection (b) to elements of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose of processing claims under laws administered by the Secretary. (b) Automation tool described An automation tool described in this subsection is a technology developed for the Compensation Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration that— (1) automates the retrieval of the service record or health records of a veteran; (2) compiles evidence relevant to the determination of a claim for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary; (3) provides automated decision support relevant to such a determination; (4) automates information sharing between Federal agencies; and (5) assists in generating correspondence regarding such a claim. (c) Analysis In developing the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall conduct an analysis of each of the following: (1) The feasibility and benefits of the use of an automation tool described in subsection (b) by elements of the Department for the purpose of processing claims under laws administered by the Secretary. (2) Any modification to an existing automation tool that could render such tool usable for such purpose by such an element. (3) Any requirement of any such element pertaining to such purpose that cannot be addressed by using an automation tool. (4) The extent to which the technology offices of such elements may need to collaborate with the technology office responsible for developing an automation tool in the course of the development and use of the tool by the element for such purpose. (5) A timeline for modifying and implementing any automation tool for use by such elements for such purpose. (d) Priority In providing an automation tool described in subsection (b) to elements of the Department pursuant to the plan required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to the following elements: (1) The Pension and Fiduciary Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration. (2) The Education Service of the Veterans Benefits Administration. (3) Program offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration, as determined by the Secretary. (4) The Debt Management Center. (5) The Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
4Other requirements relating to technology at Department of Veterans Affairs
This section would require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, not later than one year after enactment, to put in place policies, processes, and technological capabilities, including in the National Work Queue or its successor system, to ensure that a claims processor is made aware of, and assigned to address, any covered situation. A covered situation means either an increase in the amount of dependency compensation paid to a beneficiary for a child under laws the Secretary administers, or any educational assistance paid to the child of a veteran under laws the Secretary administers; for this purpose, "child" has the meaning given in section 101(4)(A)(iii) of title 38. The section would also require the Secretary, not later than one year after enactment, to submit to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs a plan to ensure that documents in the Veterans Benefits Management System, or any successor system, are correctly labeled when they are uploaded, including when they are labeled using automation tools.
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4. Other requirements relating to technology at Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Automatic notices regarding benefits for certain children of veterans (1) In general Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement policies, processes, and technological capabilities, including in the National Work Queue (or successor system), to ensure that, in the case of any covered situation, a claims processors is made aware of, and assigned to address, such covered situation. (2) Definitions In this subsection: (A) The term covered situation means— (i) any increase in the amount of dependency compensation paid to a beneficiary for a child under the laws administered by the Secretary; and (ii) any educational assistance paid to the child of a veteran under the laws administered by the Secretary. (B) The term child has the meaning given such term in section 101(4)(A)(iii) of title 38, United States Code. (b) Correct labeling of documents Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a plan to ensure that documents in the Veterans Benefits Management System (or any successor system) are correctly labeled when such documents are uploaded, including when such documents are labeled using automation tools.
5Extension of certain limits on payments of pension
This section would amend section 5503(d)(7) of title 38 of the United States Code by replacing the date November 30, 2031 with January 31, 2032, extending by two months the date tied to a limit on payments of pension under that section.
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5. Extension of certain limits on payments of pension Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking November 30, 2031 and inserting January 31, 2032 . September 9, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
Where it is
In the House.