[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S5596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6062. Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. Rounds) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. 
Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) and intended to be proposed to the 
bill H.R. 7900, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
       At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. IMPROVING PROCESSING BY DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS OF DISABILITY CLAIMS FOR POST-TRAUMATIC 
                   STRESS DISORDER.

       (a) Training for Claims Processors Who Handle Claims 
     Relating to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.--
       (1) Update training programs.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall, acting through the Under Secretary 
     for Benefits, update an ongoing, national training program 
     for claims processors who review claims for compensation for 
     service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder.
       (2) Participation required.--Beginning on the date that is 
     180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary shall require that each claims processor described 
     in paragraph (1) participates in the training established 
     under paragraph (1) at least once each year beginning in the 
     second year in which the claims processor carries out the 
     duties of the claims processor for the Department.
       (3) Required elements.--The training established under 
     paragraph (1) shall include instruction on stressor 
     development and verification.
       (b) Standardization of Training at Regional Offices.--Not 
     later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary, shall 
     standardize the training provided at regional offices of the 
     Veterans Benefits Administration to the employees of such 
     regional offices.
       (c) Formal Process for Conduct of Annual Analysis of 
     Trends.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the 
     Under Secretary, shall establish a formal process to analyze, 
     on an annual basis, training needs based on identified 
     processing error trends.
       (d) Formal Process for Conduct of Annual Studies.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, acting through the 
     Under Secretary, shall establish a formal process to conduct, 
     on an annual basis, studies to help guide the national 
     training program established under subsection (a)(1).
       (2) Elements.--Each study conducted under paragraph (1) 
     shall cover the following:
       (A) Military post-traumatic stress disorder stressors.
       (B) Decisionmaking claims for claims processors.
       (e) Annual Updates to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 
     Procedural Guidance.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently than 
     once each year thereafter, the Secretary, acting through the 
     Under Secretary, shall evaluate the guidance relating to post 
     traumatic stress disorder to determine if updates are 
     warranted to provide claims processors of the Department with 
     better resources regarding best practices for claims 
     processing, including specific guidance regarding development 
     of claims involving compensation for service-connected 
     posttraumatic stress disorder.
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