H.R. 3854

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3854 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3854

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 16, 2025

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan to expand 
the use of certain automation tools in the Department 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 ``Modernizing All Veterans and 
Survivors Claims Processing Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT ON CAUSES OF DEATH 
AMONG VETERANS.

(a) In General.--Subchaper II of chapter 5 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 534. Annual report on causes of death among veterans
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate an 
annual report that contains data and information on causes of death 
among veterans.
``(b) Elements.--Such report shall include--
``(1) for each veteran that died during the period covered 
by the report an identification of--
``(A) whether such veteran had a service-connected 
disability rated as total;
``(B) the primary cause of death;
``(C) the secondary cause of death, if applicable; 
and
``(D) the manner of death;
``(2) for each primary cause of death identified pursuant 
to paragraph (1), a statement of the total number of veterans 
that died from such primary cause of death during the period 
covered by the report; and
``(3) for each manner of death identified pursuant to 
paragraph (1), a statement of the total number of veterans that 
died in such manner during the period covered by the report.
``(c) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on the date that is 
five years after the date of the enactment of the Justice for America's 
Veterans and Survivors Act of 2025.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 5 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 533 the following new item:

``534. Annual report on causes of death among veterans''.

SEC. 3. PLAN FOR USE OF AUTOMATION TOOLS TO PROCESS CLAIMS UNDER LAWS 
ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives the plan of the Secretary to make available, to the 
maximum extent practicable, an automation tool described in subsection 
(b) to elements of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purpose 
of processing claims under laws administered by the Secretary.
(b) Automation Tool Described.--An automation tool described in 
this subsection is a technology developed for the Compensation Service 
of the Veterans Benefits Administration that--
(1) automates the retrieval of the service record or health 
records of a veteran;
(2) compiles evidence relevant to the determination of a 
claim for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary;
(3) provides automated decision support relevant to such a 
determination;
(4) automates information sharing between Federal agencies; 
and
(5) assists in generating correspondence regarding such a 
claim.
(c) Analysis.--In developing the plan required under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall conduct an analysis of each of the following:
(1) The feasibility and benefits of the use of an 
automation tool described in subsection (b) by elements of the 
Department for the purpose of processing claims under laws 
administered by the Secretary.
(2) Any modification to an existing automation tool that 
could render such tool usable for such purpose by such an 
element.
(3) Any requirement of any such element pertaining to such 
purpose that cannot be addressed by using an automation tool.
(4) The extent to which the technology offices of such 
elements may need to collaborate with the technology office 
responsible for developing an automation tool in the course of 
the development and use of the tool by the element for such 
purpose.
(5) A timeline for modifying and implementing any 
automation tool for use by such elements for such purpose.
(d) Priority.--In providing an automation tool described in 
subsection (b) to elements of the Department pursuant to the plan 
required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to the 
following elements:
(1) The Pension and Fiduciary Service of the Veterans 
Benefits Administration.
(2) The Education Service of the Veterans Benefits 
Administration.
(3) Program offices of the Veterans Benefits 
Administration, as determined by the Secretary.
(4) The Debt Management Center.
(5) The Board of Veterans' Appeals.

SEC. 4. OTHER REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY AT DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Automatic Notices Regarding Benefits for Certain Children of 
Veterans.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall implement policies, processes, and technological 
capabilities, including in the National Work Queue (or 
successor system), to ensure that, in the case of any covered 
situation, a claims processors is made aware of, and assigned 
to address, such covered situation.
(2) Definitions.--In this subsection:
(A) The term ``covered situation'' means--
(i) any increase in the amount of 
dependency compensation paid to a beneficiary 
for a child under the laws administered by the 
Secretary; and
(ii) any educational assistance paid to the 
child of a veteran under the laws administered 
by the Secretary.
(B) The term ``child'' has the meaning given such 
term in section 101(4)(A)(iii) of title 38, United 
States Code.
(b) Correct Labeling of Documents.--Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives a plan to ensure that documents in the Veterans 
Benefits Management System (or any successor system) are correctly 
labeled when such documents are uploaded, including when such documents 
are labeled using automation tools.

Passed the House of Representatives September 15, 2025.

Attest:

KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

Clerk.