[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 24 (Thursday, February 7, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H1406-H1409]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1315
             PREVENTING CRIMES AGAINST VETERANS ACT OF 2019

  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 450) to amend title 18, United States Code, to provide an 
additional tool to prevent certain frauds against veterans, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 450

       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 ``Preventing Crimes Against 
     Veterans Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL TOOL TO PREVENT CERTAIN FRAUDS AGAINST 
                   VETERANS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 63 of title 18, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 1352. Fraud regarding veterans' benefits

       ``(a) Whoever knowingly executes, or attempts to execute, 
     any scheme or artifice to defraud an individual of veterans' 
     benefits, or in connection with obtaining veteran's benefits 
     for that individual, shall be fined under this title, 
     imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
       ``(b) In this section--
       ``(1) the term `veteran' has the meaning given that term in 
     section 101 of title 38; and
       ``(2) the term `veterans' benefits' means any benefit 
     provided by Federal law for a veteran or a dependent or 
     survivor of a veteran.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``1352. Fraud regarding veterans' benefits.''.

     SEC. 3. 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Bass) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.


                             General Leave

  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous materials on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support H.R. 450, the Preventing Crimes 
Against Veterans Act of 2019, as amended, which would make it a crime 
to knowingly engage in any scheme to defraud a veteran of his or her 
veterans benefits.
  This legislation provides an important, additional tool for Federal 
prosecutors to use to combat veterans benefits fraud.
  Because we honor their service and because of the sacrifices our 
veterans have made for us, it is particularly important that we protect 
them from fraud and ensure the integrity of the system of benefits we 
provide for them.
  Currently, there are about 21 million veterans of the U.S. military, 
men and women who selfishly serve our Nation. Unfortunately, many of 
our veterans, as a result of their service, have been scarred, whether 
physically, mentally, or both. Often, it is the scars that we cannot 
visually see that are the hardest to address.
  There are well over 1 million American veterans with service-
connected disabilities.
  The suicide rate among veterans is 300 percent above the national 
average, and it is estimated that about 30 percent of all Vietnam 
veterans and 20 percent of veterans of the recent Middle East conflicts 
suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder in a given year.
  In addition, veterans are more likely than nonveterans to become 
homeless. They comprise 17 percent of our homeless population. On any 
given night, an estimated 50,000 veterans are sleeping on American 
streets. That is just not right.

[[Page H1407]]

  In recognition of the extreme sacrifice by our veterans and the 
hardships many of them continue to face after their military service, 
it is our duty to provide, to the best of our ability, an appropriate 
measure of compensation for them, particularly those in need.
  This is the least we can do, and it is still not enough. There 
continue to be issues with the medical care we provide our veterans and 
problems about some benefits never being processed and paid because of 
the loss of claims by the Veterans Benefits Administration.
  That is why we must prohibit any schemes that would defraud a veteran 
of their benefits. Under H.R. 450, anyone convicted of such crime could 
be fined, imprisoned, or subject to both penalties.
  This bill is important because it fills in a gap in enforcement for 
the protection of veterans. Under current law, the VA allows agents or 
attorneys to assess a nominal fee to assist claimants who are appealing 
different aspects of their benefits.
  It is illegal for a nonattorney or a person not registered as an 
agent to assist such claimants. However, if an unauthorized individual 
offers a veteran assistance in person, they cannot be prosecuted under 
current Federal law. The wire fraud statutes do not extend to such in-
person contact.
  Because of this, fraudsters routinely take advantage of this 
loophole. I am aware of at least one specific instance in which a bad 
actor visited an assisted living facility in Florida and asked the 
staff to round up all veterans for a seminar. He could not be 
prosecuted under the law as it stands today. This is unconscionable. We 
need this bill, because the example I just gave is not an isolated 
incident.
  More broadly, those who defraud veterans or their surviving spouses 
or dependents endanger our system of veterans benefits not only by 
harming the victims, but also by diminishing resources required to pay 
the claims and fund the programs that are needed to help those who have 
served our country.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the bill's sponsors, Mr. Deutch and Mr. 
Meadows, for their hard work and bipartisan efforts to address this 
critical problem.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important 
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today makes a small but significant 
change to the Federal fraud statutes to protect veterans from 
fraudsters who seek to steal their benefits. It does so by inserting a 
new provision into the criminal code to complement the mail and wire 
fraud statutes.
  In recent years, there have been reports of criminals entering 
nursing homes in search of elderly veterans with the intent to defraud 
them of their Federal benefits. Like many crimes of fraud, Mr. Speaker, 
the worst part is that people often present themselves as helpful to 
the veteran. This is a truly heinous crime worthy of Congress' 
attention.
  This legislation has passed this House twice by overwhelming margins, 
and it also incorporates technical assistance from the Department of 
Justice, ensuring it will be effective in practice.
  This is a bill that is supported by many. My colleague, Mr. Meadows 
from North Carolina, has spoken eloquently about this, and we will be 
entering his message under general leave as well.
  As a member of the Air Force Reserve and an Iraq veteran, Mr. 
Speaker, this issue is near and dear to my heart. I have introduced 
numerous pieces of legislation over the years to protect our veterans 
and to expedite the benefits process.
  Our men and women in uniform have sacrificed much for us. They are 
entitled to our gratitude, our respect, and our protection.

  As President Abraham Lincoln reminded us 156 years ago, it is our 
duty ``to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his 
widow, and his orphan.''
  Mr. Speaker, there is nothing in my mind more heinous than someone 
who tries to defraud a veteran of what they have earned. This is 
something that we can all come around on. This is something we can all 
support.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Deutch).
  Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for the 
time and for her support of this legislation, and I thank Mr. Collins 
from Georgia for his service and for his support of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's veterans. Our 
veterans distinguish themselves in service to our country, but that 
distinction is too often recognized and preyed upon by scam artists.
  H.R. 450, the Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act, will close a 
loophole in our criminal law and will give Federal law enforcement the 
tools they need to crack down on financial fraud schemes that target 
our veterans.
  My friend, veteran, and former Congressman Tom Rooney introduced this 
bill with me in the past two Congresses. It passed by a voice vote in 
the 115th Congress and passed unanimously 411-0 in the 114th.
  It is time to pass it again and to finally make it law to help our 
veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to Representative Meadows for continuing 
this important bipartisan work to protect America's veterans.
  In a 2017 survey, AARP found that 78 percent of veterans receive scam 
pitches specifically targeted to their military service. They also 
found that 16 percent of veterans lost money to financial fraud over 
the past 5 years, double the rate of nonveterans.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Greg Dover of Palm Beach County Veterans 
Services, who sounded the alarm and helped fight for this important 
legislation.
  I have heard too many stories from south Floridians--veterans, 
survivors, families, and their veterans service officers--who have been 
taken advantage of through so-called pension poaching scams that target 
the supplemental aid and attendance pension benefit.
  In one case, a veteran responded to a solicitation with the hope of 
securing additional pension benefits. He was met with a high-pressure 
sales tactic in his own home. The sales representative tried to 
convince him to apply for benefits that he didn't want and that he 
wasn't eligible for.
  In addition to filing an improper claim on the veteran's behalf, the 
scammer lied and told the veteran that he was required to enter into a 
long-term healthcare contract in order to receive the benefits.
  Pension poachers comb through south Florida's senior communities to 
look for targets. They gather residents for high-pressure sales pitches 
to convince them to file inaccurate claims.
  In one case, a scammer intentionally withheld spousal income from a 
veteran's application to illegally unlock additional benefits. The 
veteran paid excessive filing fees of over $600, but that wasn't the 
worst of it. The VA eventually learned about the additional unreported 
income. They learned that the veteran was not eligible, and they sought 
to claw back nearly $50,000 in overpayments.
  By the time the veteran faced financial ruin, the scammer had 
disappeared and couldn't be found.
  As our senior population continues to grow, aging veterans will 
require assistance with activities of daily living that the veterans 
aid and attendance benefit can provide. The application of financial 
eligibility requirements offers an opportunity for scam artists to take 
advantage of our most vulnerable American veterans with empty promises 
and hidden consequences.
  Veterans don't have to face benefit hurdles alone, but they shouldn't 
be easy targets for criminals either.
  This legislation will help law enforcement fight back against pension 
poachers and other scammers. It will root out scam operations. And it 
will protect our veterans from falling prey to these ploys.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to be there for our veterans, just 
as they have been there for us. Please vote ``yes'' on this important 
legislation.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California 
for her leadership, and I thank

[[Page H1408]]

both the ranking member and the full committee chair. And I thank Mr. 
Deutch from Florida, for it looks like, in this instance, Florida and 
Texas and many other States certainly are--how should I say it?--in 
coalition with the number of veterans that we have and the stories that 
we have heard about fraudulent activities as it relates to our 
veterans.
  I would think that all veterans want to do after battling on behalf 
of this Nation and securing this Nation is to come home to a safe and 
secure community and people who welcome them and treat them with the 
dignity that they deserve. Unfortunately, because veterans have 
resources through their veterans benefits, they are targeted by those 
who have no goodwill, but evil intent.
  Currently, there are approximately 21 million veterans of the United 
States Armed Forces living in our country. It is estimated that about 
30 percent of all Vietnam veterans have had post-traumatic stress 
disorder, and up to 20 percent of veterans serving in more recent 
conflicts in the Middle East are estimated to suffer from PTSD in a 
given year.
  Given the extreme sacrifice of our veterans and the hardships many of 
them continue to face after their military service, it is our duty, to 
the best of our ability, to have an appropriate measure of compensation 
for them, particularly for those in need.
  For instance, we provide disability payments to those with service-
connected disabilities, pensions for veterans with limited income, 
education and training under the GI Bill, and various life insurance 
benefits.
  Over 71,000 veterans live in my congressional district.
  H.R. 450 provides law enforcement with another tool to bring to 
justice those who knowingly defraud a veteran of their benefits or 
engage in fraud in connection with obtaining veterans benefits.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, there are many of them. 476,515 veterans 
are living with PTSD and need their benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, how many have come to us in our offices and indicated 
that, through a telemarketing scheme, they have given up their benefits 
or they have taken their benefits to invest or buy something that 
either is never seen or doesn't help them, and never is their money 
returning back to them.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida in particular for 
being sensitive enough to listen to his constituents. In listening to 
my constituents and solving cases in our offices, there are cases that 
come into our offices where veterans have had their benefits taken away 
or they wind up homeless because resources are taken away and they 
don't have the necessary resources.
  This is a good, good step to acknowledge their service and how 
important they are; to stop those who think that they are easy prey 
from defrauding our veterans; and to make the right kind of legal 
traps, if you will, that law enforcement can place, not for veterans 
who have served us, but for those who wish to defraud them.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the gentleman from Florida and ask my 
colleagues to support H.R. 450, the Preventing Crimes Against Veterans 
Act of 2019.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 450, the 
``Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act of 2017,'' which provides an 
additional tool to deter, detect, and punish fraudulent activity 
against veterans.
  The Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act of 2017 would make it 
unlawful to knowingly execute, or attempt to execute, any scheme or 
artifice to defraud an individual of veterans' benefits, or in 
connection with obtaining veterans benefits.
  We honor our veterans' service and their sacrifices; it is important 
that we protect veterans from fraud and ensure the integrity of the 
system of benefits we provide for them.
  Currently, there are approximately 21 million veterans of the United 
States Armed Forces living in our country.
  It is estimated that about 30 percent of all Vietnam veterans have 
had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and up to 20 percent of 
veterans serving in more recent conflicts in the Middle East are 
estimated to suffer from PTSD in a given year.
  Given the extreme sacrifice by our veterans and the hardships many of 
them continue to face after their military service, it is our duty to 
provide, to the best of our ability, an appropriate measure of 
compensation for them--particularly for those in need.
  For instance, we provide disability payments to those with service-
connected disabilities, pensions for veterans with limited incomes, 
education and training under the GI Bill, and various life insurance 
benefits.
  Over 71,749 veterans reside in my 18th Congressional District and one 
of my top priorities is to fight for their benefits and to fight for 
the rights of our most patriotic Americans.
  H.R. 450 provides law enforcement with another tool to bring to 
justice those who knowingly defraud a veteran of their benefits or 
engage in fraud in connection with obtaining veterans' benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, 476,515 veterans are living with PTSD and need their 
benefits to obtain needed care for their disorder; it is criminal that 
some are left untreated.
  Those who defraud veterans and the system of veterans' benefits harm 
the victims and diminish resources needed to pay the claims and fund 
the programs that are needed to help those who have served their 
country.
  I urge all Members to join me in voting to pass H.R. 450.

                              {time}  1330

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I think this is something we can 
all get around. I think, again, when we deal with our veterans, I have 
made the comments many times before, not specifically in dealing with 
this fraud and dealing with the issues here that are just heinous--and 
anybody who would do this definitely would put themselves on the 
margins of society--but also on a broader picture with our veterans.
  I think this scenario where we can all come together--I long for a 
time in which my constituents services folks back in Georgia, I long 
for a time when I listen to their report each week, and I want to come 
to a time when there are no veteran issues.
  We should strive in our country to have a time in which no veteran 
should feel the need to have to go to their Congressman to get help. 
That is something that we can all shoot for. That is a worthy goal. I 
would love to have that time to let them help other people and not 
these men and women who have served us so proudly. Mr. Speaker, I know 
you would join me in that.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, we should do everything we can to protect our 
veterans who have given so much of themselves to our Nation.
  Our veterans have laid their lives on the line. We owe them much, and 
we should repay our gratitude whenever we can. Certainly, helping to 
ensure that their veterans benefits are protected against fraud, as 
H.R. 450 would do, is one way of expressing our appreciation, and it is 
the right and the just thing to do. For these reasons, I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEADOWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a bill to 
provide real consequences against those who would seek to commit fraud 
at the expense of America's Veterans.
  H.R 450, the Bipartisan ``Preventing Crimes Against Veterans Act,'' 
would close loopholes in existing laws and provide law enforcement with 
additional tools to crack down on fraud cases in connection with 
Veterans' benefits.
  In recent history, financial predators have increasingly begun 
targeting America's veterans, particularly those in low income housing, 
looking to commit fraud and rob them of their federal benefits. Many of 
these fraudsters pose as federal caseworkers, offering to expedite 
Veterans' claims or assist them with unanswered questions--only to 
charge them exorbitant fees while providing little or no service in 
return.
  Absolutely no veteran should be defrauded of their well-earned 
benefits, particularly those in need. Those who defraud veterans and 
their families of their benefits not only harm these victims, but they 
also diminish resources required to pay the claims and fund the 
programs needed to assist those who have served our Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress has both a responsibility and an obligation to 
step up and protect our Veterans against this activity.
  Unfortunately, current law hamstrings prosecutors and allows for 
criminals engaging in this type of conduct to escape with minimal 
penalty.
  H.R. 450 would make needed changes to that process. It would impose 
new penalties on fraudsters--including a fine, imprisonment of up to 
five years, or both. By attaching a criminal penalty to this behavior, 
the bill provides prosecutors with the tools to take adequate and 
appropriate legal action against those who seek to defraud veterans.

[[Page H1409]]

  This is a common sense reform that would send a loud and clear 
message of support to those who have served our country so faithfully 
and protect them against any effort to rob them of their hard earned 
benefits.
  Finally, I want to thank the gentleman from Florida, Ted Deutch, who 
is the lead Democratic cosponsor, for his leadership on this important 
measure.
  I support this bill and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Bass) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 450, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. BASS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

                          ____________________