[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7340 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7340

To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
      the laws relating to the recognition of agents, attorneys, 
organizations and their representatives, and other individuals for the 
purposes of assisting in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution 
of claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of 
               Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 13, 2024

Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mrs. Lesko) introduced the following bill; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to make certain improvements to 
      the laws relating to the recognition of agents, attorneys, 
organizations and their representatives, and other individuals for the 
purposes of assisting in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution 
of claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary 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 ``Accurate VA Accreditation 
Information Act''.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 59 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sections:
``Sec. 5907. Annual submission of information on recognition of agents, 
              attorneys, organizations and their representatives, and 
              other individuals
    ``The Secretary shall include in the annual report required to be 
submitted to Congress under section 529 of this title information on 
agents, attorneys, organizations and their representatives, and any 
other individuals recognized under this chapter. Such information shall 
include, for the year covered by the report, the following:
            ``(1) A description of the type and frequency of training 
        that is required to be recognized, or to continue to be 
        recognized, under this chapter and of any review or audit 
        conducted of such training.
            ``(2) A description of the type of information the 
        Secretary collects from individuals who request to be 
        recognized, or to continue to be recognized, under this 
        chapter.
            ``(3) A description of the method the Secretary uses to 
        gather personal and qualifying information from individuals and 
        organizations recognized or seeking recognition under this 
        chapter.
            ``(4) An identification of the frequency with which the 
        Secretary receives updated personal and qualifying information 
        from individuals and organizations recognized under this 
        chapter.
            ``(5) A description of the method the Secretary uses to 
        verify personal and qualifying information received from 
        individuals and organizations recognized or seeking recognition 
        under this chapter.
            ``(6) An identification of the frequency with which 
        individuals and organizations recognized under this chapter are 
        required to comply with ongoing reporting requirements.
            ``(7) An identification of the number of Department 
        employees responsible for the administration of this chapter.
            ``(8) An identification of the frequency with which the VA 
        Accreditation Search database, or any successor to such 
        database, is--
                    ``(A) updated; and
                    ``(B) checked for accuracy, including with respect 
                to the accuracy of contact information and the removal 
                of individuals and organizations no longer recognized 
                to assist veterans in the preparation, presentation, or 
                prosecution of claims under laws administered by the 
                Secretary.
            ``(9) A description of the steps the Secretary has taken to 
        ensure such database is updated.
            ``(10) An identification of any additional resources the 
        Department may need to ensure that--
                    ``(A) any published information regarding 
                individuals and organizations recognized under this 
                chapter is accurate and up-to date; and
                    ``(B) individuals who are recognized under this 
                chapter are of good moral character and in good repute, 
                are qualified to render claimants valuable service, and 
                are otherwise competent to assist claimants in 
                presenting claims under laws administered by the 
                Secretary.
            ``(11) An identification of the costs of processing 
        applications for recognition under this chapter.
            ``(12) A description of the timeline for processing 
        applications for recognition under this chapter.
            ``(13) An identification of how frequently individuals 
        seeking recognition under this chapter are denied such 
        recognition and for what reasons.
            ``(14) An identification of how frequently recognition is 
        rescinded from individuals recognized under this chapter and 
        for what reasons.
``Sec. 5908. Certification mark for identification of recognized 
              individuals
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish and maintain a certification mark, which may be used to 
identify individuals who are recognized under this chapter for the 
purposes of assisting in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution 
of claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary. 
Such certification mark shall be registered with the United States 
Patent and Trademark Office.
    ``(b) Civil Penalty for Violation.--(1) A person who displays or 
otherwise uses the certification mark established under subsection (a) 
for the fraudulent purpose of inducing the belief that the person is 
recognized under this chapter for the purposes of assisting in the 
preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits under 
the laws administered by the Secretary shall be fined in accordance 
with title 18, imprisoned, or both.
    ``(2) This subsection shall not make unlawful the use of any such 
emblem, sign, insignia or words which was lawful on the date of 
enactment of this section.
    ``(3) Amounts collected as civil penalties pursuant to this 
subsection shall remain available for the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, without fiscal year limitation, for the purpose of enforcing 
paragraph (1).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
5906 the following new items:

``5907. Annual submission of information on recognition of agents, 
                            attorneys, organizations and their 
                            representatives, and other individuals.
``5908. Certification mark for identification of recognized 
                            individuals.''.

SEC. 3. BIANNUAL DATABASE ACCURACY.

    Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Secretary 
submits the first report under section 529 of title 38, United States 
Code, that includes the information required to be submitted under 
section 5907 of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 2, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--
            (1) provide to each individual recognized under chapter 59 
        of title 38, United States Code, a notice that includes a 
        request to update the contact information of the individual 
        provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs;
            (2) make publicly available instructions such individuals 
        may use to update such contact information; and
            (3) ensure the VA Accreditation Search Database is updated 
        to include updated contact information.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2024 and 
each of the next four fiscal years for the Department of Veterans 
Affairs such sums as may be necessary to--
            (1) carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act; 
        and
            (2) employ four additional full-time employees of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs to perform functions to carry 
        out this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
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