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I
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 6590
To defer action regarding certain debts arising from benefits under laws
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a period of time
including the COVID-19 emergency period.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APRIL 21, 2020
Mr. PAPPAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To defer action regarding certain debts arising from benefits
under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs for a period of time including the COVID-19
emergency period.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. DEFERRAL OF CERTAIN DEBTS ARISING FROM
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BENEFITS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY
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THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—During the covered period, the
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Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not—
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(1) take any action to collect a covered debt (in-
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cluding the offset of any payment by the Secretary);
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(2) record a covered debt;
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(3) issue notice of a covered debt to a person
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or a consumer reporting agency;
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(4) allow any interest to accrue on a covered
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debt; or
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(5) apply any administrative fee to a covered
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debt.
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(b) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding subsection (a),
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the Secretary may collect a payment regarding a covered
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debt (including interest or any administrative fee) from
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a person (or the fiduciary of that person) who elects to
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make such a payment during the covered period.
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(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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(1) The term ‘‘consumer reporting agency’’ has
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the meaning given that term in section 5701 of title
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38, United States Code.
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(2) The term ‘‘covered debt’’ means a debt—
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(A) owed by a person (including a fidu-
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ciary) to the United States;
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(B) arising from a benefit under a covered
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law; and
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(C) that is not subject to recovery under—
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(i) section 3729 of title 31, United
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States Code;
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(ii) section 1729 of title 38, United
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States Code; or
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(iii) Public Law 87–693 (42 U.S.C.
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2651).
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(3) The term ‘‘covered law’’ means any law ad-
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ministered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
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through—
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(A) the Under Secretary for Health; or
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(B) the Under Secretary for Benefits.
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(4) The term ‘‘covered period’’ means—
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(A) the COVID-19 emergency period; and
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(B) the 60 days immediately following the
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date of the end of the COVID-19 emergency pe-
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riod.
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(5) The term ‘‘COVID-19 emergency period’’
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means the emergency period described in section
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1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
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1320b–5(g)(1)(B)).
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Æ
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