Sponsors (60)
The bill increases transparency, standardization, and enforcement to protect veterans and improve representation quality, but does so by imposing new administrative burdens, compliance costs, and penalties that could reduce the pool of representatives and temporarily divert VA resources.
Veterans will have easier, more transparent access to accredited representatives because VA must publish and regularly update a public list, post the agent/attorney knowledge test, add portal warnings/links, and allow temporary recognition to shorten waiting times for representation.
Veterans and claimants gain stronger protections against unlawful or excessive fees because unauthorized fee-taking is criminalized, VA can revoke and bar bad actors, and claimants can report non‑accredited preparers.
Prospective and current representatives may deliver higher‑quality service since VA will make qualification criteria public and require increased continuing legal education (CLE), improving practitioner competency for veteran claims.
Agents, attorneys, and nonprofit representatives face higher compliance costs, new assessments, large fines and potential criminal penalties, which could deter practitioners and shrink the pool of available representatives for veterans.
VA must absorb significant administrative work—building/updating websites and portals, running recognition programs, issuing regulations, auditing, and enforcing penalties—which could divert staff and slow claims processing during implementation.
Stricter qualification requirements (more CLE, posted tests, audits and bans for violations) could prompt some representatives to stop assisting claimants, reducing access—especially in underserved and rural areas—and increasing wait times for veterans.
Based on analysis of 14 sections of legislative text.
Tightens oversight of VA claims representatives by creating public lists, conditional recognition, testing/CLE rules, fee assessments, new penalties, and GAO/VA reviews; extends one pension date.
Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow for certain fee agreements for services rendered in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of initial claims and supplemental claims for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 1, 2025 by John Bergman · Last progress May 1, 2025
Strengthens oversight of people and organizations who prepare, present, or prosecute VA benefit claims by requiring VA to maintain public lists, publish the recognition exam, set application timelines including conditional temporary recognition, increase continuing legal education, create fee limits and reporting/audit tools, and impose civil and criminal penalties for improper fees. It also requires GAO and VA reports and extends a pension payment authority date to April 30, 2032.