[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5490 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5490

 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a personal 
 identification number for each veteran in order to help preserve the 
   confidentiality of Department of Veterans Affairs information on 
                   veterans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 25, 2006

 Mr. Andrews introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a personal 
 identification number for each veteran in order to help preserve the 
   confidentiality of Department of Veterans Affairs information on 
                   veterans, 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 ``Veterans Identification Protection 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 
              FOR VETERANS.

    (a) Establishment of PIN Number.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall establish a national database of each veteran who receives 
benefits, or applies for benefits, under laws administered by the 
Secretary. As part of the database, the Secretary shall assign to each 
such veteran a four-digit personal identification number (referred to 
as a PIN code).
    (b) Verification of PIN Code.--The Secretary shall take such steps 
as necessary to provide that any entity entering into a commercial 
transaction with a veteran that includes the extension to the veteran 
of credit, a loan, or any other thing of value shall verify the 
veteran's identity through the use of the personal identification 
number for that veteran assigned under subsection (a).
    (c) Failure to Verify Identity of Veteran.--In any case in which an 
entity is required, pursuant to the procedures established under 
subsection (b), to verify an individual's identity and the entity fails 
to verify the identity, then that entity shall be liable to that 
individual for all attorney fees and injuries incurred by that 
individual resulting from that failure.
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