3.0.0 2349 2023-01-11T13:22:13Z 2023-01-11T13:22:13Z House H HR 2011-06-24 112 From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. RUNYAN:H.R. 2349.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution.[Page H4575]]]> ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2011-10-12T18:56:39Z hsvr00 Veterans' Affairs Committee House Standing hsvr09 Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee Discharged from 2011-09-07T20:23:09Z Referred to 2011-07-08T15:40:57Z Hearings by 2011-07-07T15:50:40Z Reported by 2011-10-06T20:17:49Z Markup by 2011-09-08T15:36:51Z Referred to 2011-06-24T13:02:35Z H. Rept. 112-241 Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act 112 1898 HR 2011-07-22 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote . Related bill CRS Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act 112 1707 S 2012-09-12 Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. Related bill CRS Protect Our Disabled Heroes Act of 2011 112 1847 S 2011-11-10 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Related bill CRS 2011-10-12 ssva00 Veterans' Affairs Committee Senate Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. IntroReferral 2011-10-11 15:30:02 The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection. Floor H38800 2 House floor actions 2011-10-11 15:30:00 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. Floor H38310 2 House floor actions 2011-10-11 15:29:57 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6695-6696) Floor H37300 2 House floor actions 2011-10-11 15:29:57 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H6695-6696) Floor 8000 9 Library of Congress 2011-10-11 15:14:48 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2349. Floor H8D000 2 House floor actions 2011-10-11 15:14:46 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6695-6698) Floor H30000 2 House floor actions 2011-10-11 15:14:32 Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. Floor H30300 2 House floor actions 2011-10-06 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 159. Calendars H12410 2 House floor actions U00159 2011-10-06 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 112-241. Committee H12200 2 House floor actions hsvr00 Veterans' Affairs Committee 2011-10-06 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 112-241. Committee 5000 9 Library of Congress hsvr00 Veterans' Affairs Committee 2011-09-08 hsvr00 Veterans' Affairs Committee 1 House committee actions Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote. Committee 2011-09-08 hsvr00 Veterans' Affairs Committee 1 House committee actions Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held. Committee 2011-09-07 hsvr00 Veterans' Affairs Committee 1 House committee actions Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged. Committee 2011-07-08 hsvr09 Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee 1 House committee actions Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Committee 2011-07-07 hsvr09 Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee 1 House committee actions Hearings Held by the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Prior to Referral. Committee 2011-06-24 Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. IntroReferral H11100 2 House floor actions hsvr00 Veterans' Affairs Committee 2011-06-24 Introduced in House IntroReferral Intro-H 9 Library of Congress 2011-06-24 Introduced in House IntroReferral 1000 9 Library of Congress R000594 Rep. Runyan, Jon [R-NJ-3] Jon Runyan R NJ 3 N B001257 Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-9] Gus Bilirakis R FL M. 9 2011-09-20 False Armed Forces and National Security Department of Veterans Affairs Employment and training programs Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management Veterans' pensions and compensation Armed Forces and National Security 00 2011-06-24 Introduced in House 2011-08-19T16:28:06Z Veterans' Benefits Training Improvement Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) annually assess the skills of appropriate Veterans Benefits Administration employees and managers responsible for processing VA compensation and pension benefit claims; (2) implement individualized training plans related to such skills; (3) provide remediation for deficiently skilled employees or managers receiving a less than satisfactory result on any portion of the assessment; and (4) take appropriate disciplinary actions with respect to individuals failing to receive a satisfactory result after being given two opportunities for such remediation.

Requires the Secretary to submit a related annual report to Congress.

]]> 17 2011-10-06 Reported to House with amendment(s) 2011-11-08T16:50:46Z Veterans' Benefits Act of 2011 - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a four-year pilot program to: (1) biennially assess the skills of appropriate Veterans Benefits Administration employees and managers responsible for processing VA compensation and pension benefit claims; (2) develop and implement individualized training plans related to such skills; (3) provide remediation for deficiently skilled employees or managers receiving a less than satisfactory result on any portion of the assessment; and (4) take appropriate disciplinary actions with respect to individuals failing to receive a satisfactory result after being given two opportunities for such remediation. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Secretary to report annually during the program period to the congressional veterans committees on such assessment and the training conducted.

(Sec. 3) Excludes from annual income, for purposes of eligibility for pensions for veterans and their surviving spouses and children, reimbursements resulting from: (1) any accident; (2) any theft or loss; (3) any casualty loss; (4) medical expenses resulting from any such accident, theft, or loss; and (5) pain and suffering (including insurance settlement payments and general damages awarded by a court) related to such accident, theft, or loss.

Extends through November 18, 2011, VA authority to obtain veterans' income verification information from the Secretary of the Treasury or the Commissioner of Social Security.

(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to notify VA benefits claimants by the most effective means available, including electronic communication or notification in writing, of any information or medical or lay evidence not previously provided to the Secretary that is necessary to substantiate a claim. (Current law does not specify the means of notice.)

(Sec. 5) Requires the Secretary, in assisting claimants in obtaining relevant records in support of a claim, to make at least two requests to a custodian of a private medical record, unless it is made evident by the first request that a second request would be futile. Directs the Secretary to encourage claimants to submit relevant private medical records if such submission does not burden the claimant. Allows the claimant to instead authorize the Secretary to obtain such records. Provides procedures for the obtaining of public records by the Secretary.

(Sec. 6) Prohibits, in any case arising out of the administration of laws and benefits by VA, considering any person who is mentally incapacitated, deemed mentally incompetent, or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness from being considered adjudicated as a mental defective for purposes of the right to receive or transport firearms without the order or finding of a judge, magistrate, or other judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that such person is a danger to himself or herself or others.

(Sec. 7) Provides criminal penalties against any person who solicits, contracts for, charges, or receives any fee or compensation from a veteran, other than that currently permitted under law, for: (1) advice on how to file a benefits claim; or (2) the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of a claim before the date on which a notice of disagreement is filed in a proceeding on the claim.

(Sec. 8) Prohibits the Secretary from paying more than $2 million in Senior Executive Service performance awards for each of FY2012-FY2016.

]]> 36 2011-10-11 Passed House amended 2011-11-09T20:00:31Z (This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on October 6, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Veterans' Benefits Act of 2011 - (Sec. 2) Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct a four-year pilot program to: (1) biennially assess the skills of appropriate Veterans Benefits Administration employees and managers responsible for processing VA compensation and pension benefit claims; (2) develop and implement individualized training plans related to such skills; (3) provide remediation for deficiently skilled employees or managers receiving a less than satisfactory result on any portion of the assessment; and (4) take appropriate disciplinary actions with respect to individuals failing to receive a satisfactory result after being given two opportunities for such remediation. Authorizes appropriations. Requires the Secretary to report annually during the program period to the congressional veterans committees on such assessment and the training conducted.

(Sec. 3) Excludes from annual income, for purposes of eligibility for pensions for veterans and their surviving spouses and children, reimbursements resulting from: (1) any accident; (2) any theft or loss; (3) any casualty loss; (4) medical expenses resulting from any such accident, theft, or loss; and (5) pain and suffering (including insurance settlement payments and general damages awarded by a court) related to such accident, theft, or loss.

Extends through November 18, 2011, VA authority to obtain veterans' income verification information from the Secretary of the Treasury or the Commissioner of Social Security.

(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary to notify VA benefits claimants by the most effective means available, including electronic communication or notification in writing, of any information or medical or lay evidence not previously provided to the Secretary that is necessary to substantiate a claim. (Current law does not specify the means of notice.)

(Sec. 5) Requires the Secretary, in assisting claimants in obtaining relevant records in support of a claim, to make at least two requests to a custodian of a private medical record, unless it is made evident by the first request that a second request would be futile. Directs the Secretary to encourage claimants to submit relevant private medical records if such submission does not burden the claimant. Allows the claimant to instead authorize the Secretary to obtain such records. Provides procedures for the obtaining of public records by the Secretary.

(Sec. 6) Prohibits, in any case arising out of the administration of laws and benefits by VA, considering any person who is mentally incapacitated, deemed mentally incompetent, or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness from being considered adjudicated as a mental defective for purposes of the right to receive or transport firearms without the order or finding of a judge, magistrate, or other judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that such person is a danger to himself or herself or others.

(Sec. 7) Provides criminal penalties against any person who solicits, contracts for, charges, or receives any fee or compensation from a veteran, other than that currently permitted under law, for: (1) advice on how to file a benefits claim; or (2) the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of a claim before the date on which a notice of disagreement is filed in a proceeding on the claim.

(Sec. 8) Prohibits the Secretary from paying more than $2 million in Senior Executive Service performance awards for each of FY2012-FY2016.

]]> Veterans' Benefits Act of 2011 Display Title Veterans' Benefits Act of 2011 Short Titles as Introduced Veterans' Benefits Training Improvement Act of 2011 Short Titles as Reported to House Veterans' Benefits Act of 2011 H House Short Titles as Passed House Veterans' Benefits Act of 2011 H House Official Title as Introduced To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to annually assess the skills of certain employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other purposes. Official Titles as Amended by House To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the determination of annual income with respect to pensions for certain veterans, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot program to assess the skills of certain employees and managers of the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other purposes. H House Referred in Senate 2011-10-12T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-112hr2349rfs/xml/BILLS-112hr2349rfs.xml Engrossed in House 2011-10-11T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-112hr2349eh/xml/BILLS-112hr2349eh.xml Reported in House 2011-10-06T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-112hr2349rh/xml/BILLS-112hr2349rh.xml Introduced in House 2011-06-24T04:00:00Z https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-112hr2349ih/xml/BILLS-112hr2349ih.xml 2011-10-12 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.