[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3854 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3854
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan to expand
the use of certain automation tools in the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 9, 2025
Mr. Valadao introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan to expand
the use of certain automation tools in the Department 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Modernizing All Veterans and
Survivors Claims Processing Act''.
SEC. 2. PLAN FOR USE OF AUTOMATION TOOLS TO PROCESS CLAIMS UNDER LAWS
ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days 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.
(e) Deadline for Provision of Automation Tool to Certain Program
Offices.--Not later than one year after the date of the submission of
the plan required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that an
automation tool with the capability described in subsection (b)(5) is
made available to each program office of the Department responsible for
processing claims for pension or survivor benefits under the laws
administered by the Secretary.
SEC. 3. 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 180 days 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.
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