[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5089 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5089

 To reform the veterans' disability determination process by requiring 
  the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay disability compensation to 
 certain veterans based on the concurring diagnoses of two physicians.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2008

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To reform the veterans' disability determination process by requiring 
  the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay disability compensation to 
 certain veterans based on the concurring diagnoses of two physicians.

    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 Disability Reform Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. PAYMENT OF DISABILITY COMPENSATION BY SECRETARY OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF CONCURRING DIAGNOSES BY 
              ANY TWO PHYSICIANS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall pay compensation under chapter 11 
of title 38, United States Code, to an eligible veteran.
    (b) Eligible Veteran.--For the purposes of this Act, the term 
``eligible veteran'' means a veteran who--
            (1) is discharged or released on or after September 11, 
        2001, under conditions other than dishonorable, from a period 
        of service in the active military, naval, or air service; and
            (2) submits to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the 
        concurring diagnoses of any two physicians stating that the 
        veteran has a service-connected disability compensable under 
        chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, and the assignment 
        by such physicians of a concurring rating of such disability.
    (c) Submission of Diagnoses.--Concurring diagnoses and disability 
ratings shall be submitted to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for 
purposes of this section in the manner the Secretary determines is 
appropriate.
    (d) Amount of Compensation.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall pay to an eligible veteran monthly compensation in the amount 
payable under chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code for a 
disability rated at the same percentage assigned to the eligible 
veteran's disability by the two physicians, regardless of whether the 
rating assigned by the physicians is the same rating that would have 
been assigned by the Secretary.
    (e) No Requirement To Submit a Claim.--The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs may not require an eligible veteran to submit a claim in 
accordance with chapter 51 of title 38, United States Code, or 
otherwise, in order to receive compensation under this Act.
    (f) Deadline for Regulations.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall prescribe final regulations to carry out this section not later 
than the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
    (g) Applicability.--This Act shall apply with respect to 
compensation payable for months beginning on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
                                 <all>