Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study Act of 2019

II Calendar No. 425 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 3110 To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on disability and pension benefits provided to members of the National Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES DECEMBER 19, 2019 Mr. TILLIS introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs FEBRUARY 13, 2020 Reported by Mr. MORAN, without amendment A BILL To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on disability and pension benefits pro- vided to members of the National Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by the De- partment of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:44 Feb 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3110.RS S3110 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 3110 RS SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Identifying Barriers 2 and Best Practices Study Act of 2019’’. 3 SEC. 2. COMPTROLLER GENERAL STUDY ON DISABILITY 4 AND PENSION BENEFITS PROVIDED TO MEM- 5 BERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD AND MEM- 6 BERS OF RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE 7 ARMED FORCES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF 8 VETERANS AFFAIRS. 9 (a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 36 months 10 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comp- 11 troller General of the United States shall complete a study 12 on disability and pension benefits provided to members of 13 the National Guard and members of reserve components 14 of the Armed Forces by the Department of Veterans Af- 15 fairs. 16 (b) ELEMENTS.—In conducting such study required 17 by subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall review, 18 for the period beginning on January 1, 2008, and ending 19 on December 31, 2018, each of the following: 20 (1) The number of members of the National 21 Guard and the number of members of reserve com- 22 ponents of the Armed Forces who received disability 23 compensation or pension provided by the Depart- 24 ment of Veterans Affairs. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:44 Feb 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3110.RS S3110 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 3110 RS (2) A comparison of each of the following be- 1 tween veterans who served in the National Guard or 2 reserve components and veterans who served in the 3 regular components of the Armed Forces: 4 (A) The percentage of each group of such 5 veterans with service-connected disabilities. 6 (B) The number of veterans in each group 7 with each disability rating. 8 (C) The number of veterans in each group 9 with a service-connected disability, including the 10 number of each of the following types of such 11 veterans in each group: 12 (i) Pilots. 13 (ii) Veterans who served in the special 14 forces. 15 (iii) Veterans who participated in the 16 Personnel Reliability Program. 17 (iv) Veterans who underwent diving or 18 flight physicals as a regular component of 19 their service in the Armed Forces and who 20 have a muscular-skeletal or mental health 21 condition. 22 (D) The number of total claims for dis- 23 ability compensation and pension submitted, ap- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:44 Feb 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3110.RS S3110 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •S 3110 RS proved, and disapproved for each group of vet- 1 erans. 2 (3) An identification of common barriers for 3 members of the National Guard and members of re- 4 serve components in obtaining disability benefits 5 under the laws administered by the Secretary of Vet- 6 erans Affairs, including barriers relating to docu- 7 mentation of injuries incurred while serving, such as 8 line of duty letters. 9 (c) REPORTS.— 10 (1) PRELIMINARY REPORT.—Not later than 11 540 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 12 the Comptroller General shall submit to the Com- 13 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the 14 Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 15 Representatives a preliminary report on the findings 16 of the Comptroller General with respect to the study 17 required by subsection (a). 18 (2) FINAL REPORT.—Upon completion of the 19 study, the Comptroller General shall submit to such 20 committees a final report on such study. 21 VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:44 Feb 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3110.RS S3110 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:44 Feb 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3110.RS S3110 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS Calendar No. 425 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 3110 A BILL To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on disability and pen- sion benefits provided to members of the Na- tional Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by the Department of Vet- erans Affairs, and for other purposes. FEBRUARY 13, 2020 Reported without amendment VerDate Sep 11 2014 21:44 Feb 13, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\S3110.RS S3110 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS