[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1482 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1482

  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve certain veterans 
                         programs and benefits.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 7, 1995

 Mr. Evans  (for himself, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Mascara, Mr. Filner, and 
Mr. Gutierrez) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve certain veterans 
                         programs and benefits.

    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 ``Veterans Programs Amendments of 
1995''.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION TO ALL BENEFITS OF CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS TO SERVICE 
              REQUIREMENT.

    Section 5303A(b)(3)(F) is amended by striking out ``benefits under 
chapter 30 or chapter 37 of this title'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
``any other benefits under this title''.

SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM FOR USE OF CONTRACT PHYSICIANS FOR DISABILITY 
              EXAMINATIONS.

    (a) Authority.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may conduct a 
pilot program under this section under which examinations with respect 
to medical disability of applicants for benefits under laws 
administered by the Secretary that are carried out through the Under 
Secretary for Benefits may be made by persons other than employees of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to contracts entered into 
with those persons.
    (b) Limitation.--The Secretary may carry out the pilot program 
under this section through not more than 10 regional offices of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
    (c) Source of Funds.--Payments for contracts under the pilot 
program under this section shall be made from amounts available to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs for payment of examinations of applicants 
for benefits.
    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than three years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 
report on the effect of the use of the authority provided by subsection 
(a) on the timeliness and thoroughness of medical disability 
examinations.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE OF DISCONTINUANCE OF COMPENSATION UPON DEATH OF 
              CERTAIN VETERANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 5112 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) The effective date of the discontinuance of compensation by 
reason of the death of a veteran, in the case of a veteran who, at time 
of death, was in receipt of compensation for a disability rated as 
totally disabling with an additional amount being paid for a spouse, 
shall be the last day of the month in which such death occurred if the 
surviving spouse of the veteran is not eligible for dependency and 
indemnity compensation.''.
    (b) Coordination of Benefits.--Section 5310 of such title is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``This section 
shall not apply in a case to which section 5112(d) of this title 
applies.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) 
shall apply with respect to deaths occurring after September 30, 1995.

SEC. 5. INCREASE IN AUTOMOBILE ALLOWANCE.

    (a) In General.--Section 3902(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by striking out ``$5,500'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
``$6,000''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to purchases of automobiles and other conveyances 
after October 1, 1995.

SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION FOR PENSION RECIPIENTS.

    Section 1524(a)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out ``December 31, 1995'' and inserting in lieu thereof 
``December 31, 1997''.

SEC. 7. INCREASE IN PERIOD FOR WHICH ACCRUED BENEFITS PAYABLE.

    Section 5121(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out ``one year'' in the matter preceding paragraph (1) and 
inserting in lieu thereof ``two years''.

SEC. 8. RECOVERY OF COSTS OF DEBT COLLECTION.

    (a) In General.--(1) Chapter 53 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 5320. Debt collection: recovery of costs
    ``The Secretary may retain from any amount recovered by the 
Secretary on an indebtedness owed to the United States by any person by 
virtue of such person's participation in a benefits program 
administered by the Secretary a sum equivalent to the costs incurred by 
the Secretary in recovering such amount. Sums retained under this 
section shall be credited to the account from which such costs were 
incurred.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``5320. Debt collection: recovery of costs.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--Section 5320 of title 38, United States Code, 
as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to amounts 
collected on or after October 1, 1995.
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