[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5283-H5284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              RESTORING BENEFITS TO DEFRAUDED VETERANS ACT

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4190) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to repay the estates of deceased 
beneficiaries for certain benefits paid by the Secretary and misused by 
fiduciaries of such beneficiaries, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4190

       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 ``Restoring Benefits to 
     Defrauded Veterans Act''.

     SEC. 2. REISSUANCE BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF 
                   ESTATES OF DECEASED BENEFICIARIES FOR CERTAIN 
                   BENEFITS PAID BY THE SECRETARY AND MISUSED BY 
                   FIDUCIARIES.

       Section 6107 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
     (d) and (e), respectively;
       (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
     subsection (c):
       ``(c) Reissuance of Amounts in the Case of a Deceased 
     Beneficiary.--(1) If a beneficiary described in subsection 
     (a) predeceases a payment under subsection (a) or (b), the 
     Secretary shall pay such benefits, subject to paragraph (2), 
     to an individual or entity in accordance with section 5121 of 
     this title.
       ``(2) The Secretary may not make a payment under this 
     subsection to a fiduciary who misused benefits of the 
     beneficiary.''; and
       (3) in subsection (e), as redesdignated, by striking 
     ``subsection (a) or (b)'' and inserting ``this section''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
H.R. 4190, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4190, as 
amended.
  This bill was introduced by Representative Trone. It ensures that no 
fiduciary who steals a veteran's earned VA benefits can profit from 
their misuse if the veteran passes.
  Mr. Speaker, I support the bill wholeheartedly, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4190, the 
Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an unfortunate reality that veterans, especially 
elderly veterans, find themselves as prime targets for fraud. It is 
even more unfortunate that oftentimes this fraud is perpetuated by 
those closest to the veteran, sometimes even family and friends who are 
tasked with assisting that veteran.
  Thankfully, VA has a set of policies and procedures for uncovering, 
investigating, and prosecuting that fraud, which includes making 
restitution to the veteran.
  Earlier this year, we passed H.R. 4016, the Veteran Fraud 
Reimbursement Act, introduced by Representative Gerry Connolly, to help 
expedite that process. I urge the Senate to quickly take up that bill, 
as well.
  Sadly, though, it sometimes happens that the veteran who was the 
victim of this fraud passes away before VA is able to make restitution, 
but VA is currently barred from making the estate of that beneficiary 
whole.
  H.R. 4190, introduced by Representative   David Trone, seeks to 
create a set of procedures for VA to follow to restore or reinstate 
benefits for veterans who were defrauded but unfortunately die before 
VA can compensate them.
  More importantly, for those veterans who may have been defrauded by a 
family member, it also prevents VA from repaying benefits to anyone who 
may have been a party to the fraud, regardless of whether they may have 
been named in the veteran's will as an heir.
  Mr. Speaker, we owe our veterans and their survivors all the 
protections we can possibly afford them through the law. H.R. 4190 
offers one more avenue to ensure veterans are receiving the benefits 
they have earned in spite of those who seek to defraud them.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this measure, and I 
encourage the Senate to quickly pass this bill, as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers on this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Trone), my good friend who is the author of H.R. 4190. He 
currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Budget 
Committee. He is also a former member of the House Veterans' Affairs 
Committee.
  Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge a ``yes'' vote on my 
bill, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act.
  Today, we must remember that the courageous men and women who have 
dedicated their lives to defend our country and our freedoms still need 
us. My bill addresses this longstanding issue affecting millions of 
veterans: fraud.
  Just last year, the Federal Trade Commission estimated $477 million 
was stolen from veterans, military personnel, and their spouses. This 
is a $63 million, or 15 percent, increase from the year before.
  Under current law, if a veteran passes away before their case is 
resolved, their family cannot be reimbursed for lost dollars. That is 
unacceptable.
  My bill, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, would help 
the veterans and their families reclaim these defrauded dollars and get 
them access to the money that they earned. Specifically, the 
legislation requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reissue the 
misused benefits to a beneficiary's estate in cases where the 
beneficiary passed before the reissuance.
  We must ensure that veterans and their families are able to recapture 
any lost benefits they were scammed out of. It is just the right thing 
to do.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in 
passing H.R. 4190, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support 
this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H5284]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 4190, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________