This bill, called the GUARD VA Benefits Act, would change a part of title 38 of the United States Code about fees charged to veterans for help with VA benefit claims. It renames the section heading to "Penalties," inserts a subsection label for withholding of benefits, and adds a new penalty rule. The new rule says that, except as allowed by sections 5904 or 1984, anyone who asks for, agrees to, charges, receives, or tries to get a fee or payment for preparing, presenting, or prosecuting a VA benefit claim can be fined under title 18 of the U.S. Code. The bill was introduced in the House on February 27, 2025, by Representative Chris Pappas with many cosponsors and is listed as having committee hearings held and currently in progress.
If this bill becomes law, people who are not allowed under the listed exceptions would face criminal fines if they try to charge veterans money for preparing or filing VA benefit claims. The bill targets people who solicit or receive fees for work on VA claims unless they are covered by the exceptions in sections 5904 or 1984.
No publicly available information.
The bill’s title and text indicate it aims to reinstate penalties to stop unauthorized representatives from charging veterans fees for VA claims and to make those actions punishable by fines under title 18.
No publicly available information.