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II
116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
S. 3887
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, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JUNE 3, 2020
Mrs. SHAHEEN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
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, and for other purposes.
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. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veteran Debt Relief
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During COVID–19 Act of 2020’’.
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•S 3887 IS
SEC. 2. DEFERRAL OF CERTAIN DEBTS ARISING FROM BEN-
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EFITS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE
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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) CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCY.—The term
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‘‘consumer reporting agency’’ has the meaning given
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that term in section 5701 of title 38, United States
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Code.
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(2) COVERED DEBT.—The term ‘‘covered debt’’
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means a debt—
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•S 3887 IS
(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) COVERED LAW.—The term ‘‘covered law’’
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means any law administered by the Secretary of Vet-
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erans Affairs 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) COVERED PERIOD.—The term ‘‘covered pe-
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riod’’ 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
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period.
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(5) COVID–19
EMERGENCY
PERIOD.—The
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term ‘‘COVID–19 emergency period’’ means the
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emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B)
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•S 3887 IS
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–
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5(g)(1)(B)).
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