[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8260 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8260
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to shorten the timeframe for
designation of benefits under Department of Veterans Affairs life
insurance programs, to improve the treatment of undisbursed life
insurance benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 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 ``Faster Payments to Veterans'
Survivors Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. TIMEFRAME FOR DESIGNATION OF ALTERNATE BENEFICIARIES AND
PAYMENT OF BENEFITS UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAMS.
(a) National Service Life Insurance.--Section 1917(f)(1) of title
38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``two years'' and
inserting ``one year''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``four'' and inserting
``two''.
(b) United States Government Life Insurance.--Section 1952(c)(1) of
such title is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``two years'' and
inserting ``one year''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``four'' and inserting
``two''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply with respect to the death of an insured person occurring on or
after the date that is two years before the date of the enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 3. BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION PROCESS UNDER DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAMS.
(a) NSLI.--Section 1917 of title 38, United States Code, is amended
by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
``(a)(1) A person who enrolls in insurance maturing on or after
August 1, 1946, may designate a beneficiary of the insurance policy.
The insured shall, subject to regulations, at all times have the right
to change the beneficiary or beneficiaries of such insurance without
the consent of such beneficiary or beneficiaries.
``(2) If a person enrolled in insurance maturing on or after August
1, 1946, does not designate a beneficiary under paragraph (1) before
the veteran dies, or if a designated beneficiary predeceases the
veteran, the Secretary shall determine the beneficiary in the following
order:
``(A) The surviving spouse of the insured person.
``(B) The children of the insured person and descendants of
deceased children by representation.
``(C) The parents of the insured person or the survivors of
the parents.
``(D) The duly appointed executor or administrator of the
estate of the insured person.
``(E) Other next of kin of the insured person entitled
under the laws of domicile of the insured person at the time of
the death of the insured person.''.
(b) USGLI.--
(1) In general.--Section 1949 of such title is amended to
read as follows:
``Sec. 1949. Beneficiaries
``(a) Designation.--A person who enrolls in United States
Government life insurance may designate a beneficiary of the insurance
policy. Subject to regulations, the insured person shall at all times
have the right to change the beneficiary or beneficiaries of a United
States Government life insurance policy without the consent of such
beneficiary or beneficiaries.
``(b) Determination in Cases of Non-Designation.--If a person
enrolled in United States Government life insurance does not designate
a beneficiary under subsection (a) before the insured person dies, or
if a designated beneficiary predeceases the insured person, the
Secretary shall determine the beneficiary in the following order:
``(1) The surviving spouse of the insured person.
``(2) The children of the insured person and descendants of
deceased children by representation.
``(3) The parents of the insured person or the survivors of
the parents.
``(4) The duly appointed executor or administrator of the
estate of the insured person.
``(5) Other next of kin of the insured person entitled
under the laws of domicile of the insured person at the time of
the death of the insured person.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 19 of such title is amended by striking
the item relating to section 1949 and inserting the following
new item:
``1949. Beneficiaries.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply with respect to the death of an insured person occurring on or
after the date that is two years before the date of the enactment of
this Act.
SEC. 4. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IMPROVEMENT OF TREATMENT OF
UNDISBURSED LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITS.
(a) Improvement of Processes.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall improve the processes and procedures of the Department of
Veterans Affairs with respect to identifying, locating, and paying
hard-to-find beneficiaries of life insurance policies issued under
chapter 19 of title 38, United States Code, including by--
(1) improving the search tools available on the website of
the Department;
(2) conducting outreach to veterans, veterans service
organizations, and the general public with respect to such
search tools;
(3) improving the processes for searching for information
relating to potential recipients through internal Department
sources and sources available through other Federal agencies,
State government agencies, and non-government entities; and
(4) ensuring the Department has sufficient dedicated staff
whose primary responsibilities are identifying, locating, and
paying hard-to-find beneficiaries, with the goal of disbursing
by not later than two years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, all funds that, as of the date of the enactment of
this Act, are owed to a beneficiary of a life insurance policy
issued under chapter 19 of title 38, United States Code.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs should work with interagency partners to
determine the types of records, reports, and other materials that may
be required to identify, locate, and disburse undisbursed life
insurance benefits to hard-to-find beneficiaries.
(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report
on the progress of the Secretary in carrying out this section.
(d) Undisbursed Life Insurance Benefits Defined.--The term
``undisbursed life insurance benefits''--
(1) means any amount of money that is owed to a beneficiary
of a life insurance policy issued under chapter 19 of title 38,
United States Code, and that has not been disbursed for a
period of two years or longer; and
(2) does not include any amount of money that--
(A) has not been disbursed due to a contested
claim; or
(B) is in dispute by two or more parties over who
is the entitled beneficiary.
SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Passed the House of Representatives September 14, 2022.
Attest:
Clerk.
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8260
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend title 38, United States Code, to shorten the timeframe for
designation of benefits under Department of Veterans Affairs life
insurance programs, to improve the treatment of undisbursed life
insurance benefits by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other
purposes.