[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1826 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1826

To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate criminal penalties 
            for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 11, 2011

 Mr. Bilirakis (for himself and Mr. Walz of Minnesota) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
   Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate criminal penalties 
            for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. REINSTATEMENT OF PENALTIES FOR CHARGING VETERANS 
              UNAUTHORIZED FEES.

    (a) In General.--Section 5905 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 5905. Penalty for certain acts
    ``Except as provided in section 5904 or 1984 of this title, whoever 
commits any of the following acts shall be fined as provided in title 
18, or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both:
            ``(1) In connection with a proceeding before the 
        Department, the act of soliciting, contracting for, charging, 
        or receiving, or attempting to solicit, contract for, charge, 
        or receive, any fee or compensation in connection for--
                    ``(A) the provision of advice on how to file a 
                claim for benefits under the laws administered by the 
                Secretary; or
                    ``(B) the preparation, presentation, or prosecution 
                of such a claim before the date on which a notice of 
                disagreement is filed in a proceeding on the claim.
            ``(2) The act of unlawfully withholding from any claimant 
        or beneficiary any part of a benefit or claim under the laws 
        administered by the Secretary that is allowed and due to the 
        claimant or beneficiary.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to acts committed after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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