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H.R. 1039

U.S. House•In Senate Committee

Summary

H.R. 1039, the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act, was introduced in the House on Feb 6, 2025 by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) with 9 co-sponsors. It was referred to Veterans' Affairs, and last saw action on Apr 8, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Record

Text

H.R. 1039 has 9 co-sponsors and 1 roll call.

hb1039/engrossed-in-house.txt
119 HR 1039 EH: Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 I
 119th CONGRESS   1st Session
 H. R. 1039
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center for an assessment of notice letters that the Secretary sends to claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act  .
2.
Independent assessment of notices that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs sends to claimants
(a)
Agreement
Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter into an agreement with an FFRDC for an assessment of notices that the Secretary sends to claimants.
(b)
Assessment
An FFRDC that enters to an agreement under subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary a written assessment of such notices. The assessment shall include the following:
(1)
The determination of the FFRDC, made in consultation with covered entities, whether each such notice may be feasibly altered to reduce paper consumption by, and costs to, the Federal Government.
(2)
The recommendations of the FFRDC regarding how the Secretary may make such notices clearer to claimants, better organized, and more concise.
(c)
Report; implementation
Not later than 90 days after the Secretary receives the assessment under subsection (b), the Secretary shall—
(1)
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a copy of such assessment; and
(2)
implement the recommendations in the assessment that are in compliance with the laws administered by the Secretary.
(d)
Deadline for implementation
The Secretary shall complete the implementation of such recommendations pursuant to subsection (c)(2) by not later than one year after the date on which the Secretary commences such implementation.
(e)
Definitions
In this section:
(1)
The term  FFRDC  means a federally funded research and development center.
(2)
The term  covered entities  includes—
(A)
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
(B)
an expert in laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
(C)
a veterans service organization recognized under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code;
(D)
an entity that advocates for veterans; and
(E)
an entity that advocates for the survivors of veterans.
(3)
The terms  claimant  and  notice  have the meanings given such terms in section 5100 of title 38, United States Code.
3.
Extension of certain limits on payments of pension
Section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking  November 30, 2031  and inserting  December 31, 2031 .
      Passed the House of Representatives April 7, 2025.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-02-06
  2. Passed House2025-04-07
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Introduced in House Feb 6, 2025

hb1039/introduced-in-house.md

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (02/06/2025)

Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to assess notices that the VA sends to claimants applying for or submitting claims for VA benefits. The VA must report on the findings of the assessment and implement recommendations in the assessment.

The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through June 23, 2034, under the VA's home loan program.

Sponsors

Rep. Tom Barrett (R) sponsors H.R. 1039, and 9 members have co-sponsored it, 2 of them from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 1039 went before 3 committees: Veterans' Affairs, Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee and Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs
Veterans' Affairs
Referred To · Apr 8, 2025
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee
Hearings By (subcommittee) · Mar 26, 2025 · 62 Bills
Veterans' Affairs
Veterans' Affairs
Referred To · Feb 6, 2025 · 285 Bills

Actions

H.R. 1039 has taken 13 actions since Feb 6, 2025, the latest on Apr 8, 2025.

ChamberAction
Apr 8, 2025
Senate
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.Veterans' Affairs Committee
Apr 7, 202517:00
House
Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Apr 7, 202517:00
House
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1437-1439)
Apr 7, 202517:00
House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1039.
Apr 7, 202517:13
House
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

Votes

H.R. 1039 went to 1 roll call in the House, the latest on Apr 7, 2025 at 412–0.

ChamberQuestion
Yea
Nay
Apr 7, 2025
House
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
412
0

3 bills are related to H.R. 1039.

Titles

H.R. 1039 goes by 6 titles, 3 of them short titles.

  • To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center for an assessment of notice letters that the Secretary sends to claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act — Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
  • Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act — Short Title(s) as Passed House
  • Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act — Display Title
  • Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center for an assessment of notice letters that the Secretary sends to claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Lobbying

3 clients hired 3 firms and 20 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 1039 in 13 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Veterans, Budget/Appropriations, Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, Government Issues, Medical/Disease Research/Clinical Labs, Medicare/Medicaid, Taxation/Internal Revenue Code, Transportation.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS—District of Columbia16—
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA—District of Columbia16—
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF VETERANS' ADVOCATES, INC.—District of Columbia11—

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS16—
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA16—
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF VETERANS' ADVOCATES, INC.11—

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
HEATHER ANSLEY116
JEREMY VILLANUEVA116
JON RETZER116
JULIE HOWELL116
MORGAN BROWN116
NAOMI MATHIS116
PETER DICKINSON116
SHAMALA CAPIZZI116
JOSEPH LEMAY115
SHANE LIERMANN115
ANTHONYA JAMES114
JOY ILEM114
LISA ELIJAH114
ANTHONYA HOLLINS112
DANICA GONZALVES112
JENNIFER HUNT112
KEVIN MILLER112
MARQUIS BAREFIELD112
ROSCOE BUTLER112
DIANE RAUBER111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2026 first_quarter$175.9K1st Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2025 fourth_quarter$161.3K4th Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2026 second_quarter$149.2K2nd Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2025 third_quarter$141.4K3rd Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2025 second_quarter$141.4K2nd Quarter - Report
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANSDISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS2025 first_quarter$141.4K1st Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2026 second_quarter$112.1K2nd Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2026 first_quarter$108.2K1st Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2025 second_quarter$89.2K2nd Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2025 first_quarter$88.6K1st Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2025 fourth_quarter$87.2K4th Quarter - Report
PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICAPARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA2025 third_quarter$87.2K3rd Quarter - Report
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF VETERANS' ADVOCATES, INC.NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF VETERANS' ADVOCATES, INC.2025 first_quarter$67K1st Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 1039 under Armed Forces and National Security, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 8 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 1039’s is Armed Forces and National Security.

hr1039/policy-areas.txt
Armed Forces and National SecurityAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationTransportation and Public WorksWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 1039 carries 8 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Congressional oversight to Veterans' pensions and compensation.

hr1039/subjects.txt
Congressional oversightGovernment information and archivesGovernment lending and loan guaranteesHousing finance and home ownershipResearch and developmentUser charges and feesVeterans' loans, housing, homeless programsVeterans' pensions and compensation

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 1039, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 25 (Thursday, February 6, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. BARRETT:H.R. 1039.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1, Section 8[Page H556]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com