Sponsors (60)
The bill increases transparency, qualifications, and enforcement to improve representation and protect veterans from improper fees, but it adds regulatory and enforcement costs and penalties that could reduce the pool of available representatives and shift VA resources, potentially harming access in some areas.
Veterans and claimants will get broader, faster access to accredited agents/attorneys because the VA will publish and regularly update an accredited-representative list, post the qualification test, allow temporary conditional recognition, and add portal links/warnings—reducing delays and making representation easier to find.
Veterans will be better protected from unlawful or excessive preparer fees and fraud through required fee-warning portals, a reporting system for non‑accredited preparers, criminalization of unauthorized fee-taking, VA authority to revoke recognition, and directing fines into a VA claimant-assistance fund.
Greater transparency and qualification standards—public posting of the agent/attorney knowledge test and increased CLE—should raise practitioner competency and let prospective representatives prepare in advance, improving representation quality.
Stricter requirements (audits, increased CLE, application/reporting burdens, fee caps, and enforcement) and heavier compliance costs risk shrinking the pool of available accredited representatives, worsening access—especially in rural and underserved areas.
VA and taxpayers will incur added administrative costs and diverted staff time to build/maintain public lists and portals, issue and implement regulations, run enforcement and audits, respond to GAO recommendations, and administer expanded testing/CLE requirements.
Harsh penalties and potential criminal liability (large fines and possible imprisonment) tied to unclear definitions risk creating compliance uncertainty and deterring individuals who might otherwise assist veterans.
Based on analysis of 14 sections of legislative text.
Strengthens VA oversight of representatives by adding application/temporary-recognition rules, a public roster and reporting system, fee assessments and penalties, testing/CLE, GAO review, and a short pension date extension.
Introduced May 1, 2025 by John Bergman · Last progress May 1, 2025
Requires the VA to strengthen oversight and consumer protections for people who help veterans file benefits claims. It creates new application and temporary-recognition rules for attorneys and agents, a public searchable list and reporting system, a published knowledge test and higher continuing education requirements, limits and auditing of fees, and new civil and criminal penalties for unauthorized or excessive fees. The bill also directs GAO reviews, adds a federal preemption rule over inconsistent State laws, and extends a statutory pension payment date to April 30, 2032.