S. 3000

119 S3000 IS: Fraud Reduction And Uncovering Deception in Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Exams Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-10-09
 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.
 II  119th CONGRESS  1st Session  S. 3000  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES   October 9, 2025   Mr. Blumenthal  introduced the following
  bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Veterans’ Affairs    A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to identify and report
  instances of disability benefit questionnaire fraud, and for other
 purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Fraud Reduction And Uncovering Deception in Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Exams Act of 2025   or the   FRAUD in VA Disability Exams Act of 2025  .
2.
Identification and reporting of veterans disability benefit questionnaire
 fraud
(a)
In general
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall—
(1)
carry out actions to identify fraudulent activity relating to the submittal of disability benefit questionnaire data to the Secretary, without regard to the origin of the questionnaires; and
(2)
transmit to appropriate investigatory bodies, including the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, reports of suspected activity identified pursuant to paragraph (1).
(b)
Requirements
Actions carried out pursuant to paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
Establishment of a process for claim processors of the Department to identify instances of disability benefit questionnaire fraud and to transmit reports of suspected fraud as described in paragraph (2) of such subsection.
(2)
Establishment of a recurring audit of disability benefit questionnaires submitted to the Secretary, without regard to the origin of the questionnaires.
(3)
Informing individuals who have applied for, or submitted a claim for, a benefit under a law administered by the Secretary when their disability benefit questionnaires have raised suspicion of fraud.
(c)
Authority of Inspector General of the Department of Veterans
 Affairs
The Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs may use any authority applicable to an inspector general of the Federal Government not otherwise available to the Inspector General that the Inspector General considers necessary to investigate suspected activity identified pursuant to subsection (a)(1).
(d)
Limitation
The Secretary may not reopen or change a decision of the Department regarding an application from an individual for, or claim of the individual for, a benefit under a law administered by the Secretary pursuant to an investigation carried out under subsection (c), except in a case in which, pursuant to such investigation, the individual has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction of fraud.
(e)
Annual report to Congress
Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the administration of subsections (a) and (b).