Veterans' Credit Protection Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to: (1) conduct outreach to inform veterans of how to resolve credit issues caused by a delayed payment (i.e., a proper invoice that is not paid by the Secretary until after the required payment date); and (2) establish a toll-free telephone number for veterans to report such issues to the Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
Requires the Secretary to report annually on the effectiveness of each Network in providing timely payment of proper invoices during both the preceding five-year period and the preceding one-year period. Requires such report to include:
Directs the Comptroller General (GAO) to conduct a study that compares the effectiveness of Networks in providing timely payment of proper invoices.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5193 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5193
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct outreach to
veterans regarding the effect of delayed payments by the Veterans
Integrated Service Networks and to direct the Secretary to submit to
Congress an annual report regarding such delayed payments.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2014
Mr. Boustany (for himself, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. McAllister, Mr. Scalise,
and Mr. Richmond) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct outreach to
veterans regarding the effect of delayed payments by the Veterans
Integrated Service Networks and to direct the Secretary to submit to
Congress an annual report regarding such delayed payments.
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 ``Veterans' Credit Protection Act''.
SEC. 2. OUTREACH TO VETERANS REGARDING EFFECT OF DELAYED PAYMENTS BY
VETERANS INTEGRATED SERVICE NETWORKS.
(a) Outreach.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct
outreach, including through national and local veterans service
organizations, to inform veterans of how to resolve credit issues
caused by a delayed payment. The Secretary shall establish a toll-free
telephone number for veterans to report such credit issues to the
Veterans Integrated Service Networks.
(b) Annual Report.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
annually submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness of
each Veterans Integrated Service Network in providing timely
payment of a proper invoice by the required payment date during
both the five-year period preceding the date of the report and
the one-year period preceding such date.
(2) Matters included.--The reports under paragraph (1)
shall include, for each period covered by the report, the
following:
(A) The number of veterans who contacted the
Secretary regarding a delayed payment that negatively
affected, or will potentially negatively affect, the
credit of the veteran.
(B) The total amount of interest penalties paid by
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 3902 of
title 31, United States Code, by reason of a delayed
payment.
(C) The number of proper invoices submitted, listed
in a table for each quarter and fiscal year of each
such period that includes--
(i) the total amount owed by the Secretary
under the proper invoices;
(ii) the payment status of each proper
invoice, as of the date of the report; and
(iii) the period that elapsed until each
proper invoice was paid, including an
explanation of any delayed payment.
(D) Any comments regarding delayed payments made by
medical providers.
(E) An identification of the Veterans Integrated
Service Network with the least number of delayed
payments and the Veterans Integrated Service Network
with the most number of delayed payments.
(F) A description of the best practices that a
Veterans Integrated Service Network can carry out to
provide timely payment of a proper invoice, including a
plan for underperforming Veterans Integrated Service
Networks to improve such timely payments.
(c) Comptroller General Study.--
(1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study that compares the effectiveness of
each Veterans Integrated Service Network in providing timely
payment of a proper invoice by the required payment date.
(2) Submittal.--The Comptroller General shall submit to
Congress a report on the study conducted under paragraph (1),
including the total amount of interest penalties paid by the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 3902 of title 31,
United States Code, by reason of a delayed payment.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``delayed payment'' means a proper invoice
that is not paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs until
after the required payment date.
(2) The term ``proper invoice'' has the meaning given that
term in section 3901(a) of title 31.
(3) The term ``required payment date'' means the date that
payment is due for a contract pursuant to section 3903(a) of
title 31.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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