HR 4864 106th Congress House Armed Forces and National Security Administrative remedies Department of Veterans Affairs Disability evaluation Disabled Disabled veterans Economics and Public Finance Evidence (Law) Government Operations and Politics Government paperwork Health Judicial review of administrative acts Law Medical records Medical tests Physical examinations User charges Veterans' benefits Veterans' disability compensation Veterans' medical care

Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000

Introduced: July 17, 2000 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 31 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Nov 9, 2000

Became Public Law No: 106-475.

Nov 9, 2000

Signed by President.

Nov 1, 2000

Presented to President.

Oct 17, 2000

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Oct 17, 2000

On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote. (consideration: CR H9912-9918; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H9912-9913)

Oct 17, 2000

Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by voice vote.(consideration: CR H9912-9918; text as House agreed to Senate amendment: CR H9912-9913)

Oct 17, 2000

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on the motion.

Oct 17, 2000

Mr. Stump moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.

Sep 26, 2000

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Sep 25, 2000

Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

Sep 25, 2000

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

Sep 25, 2000

Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S9211-9213)

Sep 25, 2000

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Jul 25, 2000

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Jul 25, 2000

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Jul 25, 2000

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 414 - 0 (Roll no. 432). (text: CR H6786-6787)

Jul 25, 2000

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.

Jul 25, 2000

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 414 - 0 (Roll no. 432).(text: CR H6786-6787)

Jul 25, 2000

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6841-6842)

Jul 25, 2000

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4864.

Jul 25, 2000

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6786-6790)

Jul 25, 2000

Mr. Stump moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

Jul 24, 2000

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 448.

Jul 24, 2000

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 106-781.

Jul 20, 2000

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Jul 20, 2000

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Jul 18, 2000

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.

Jul 18, 2000

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Jul 18, 2000

Referred to the Subcommittee on Benefits.

Jul 17, 2000

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Jul 17, 2000

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Jul 25, 2000	House · vote #432	Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended	Passed	414–0	See who voted →

Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 - Amends Federal veterans benefits provisions to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take specified steps to assist claimants. Requires the Secretary: (1) to notify a claimant whose application is incomplete of the evidence necessary to complete the application (existing law), including the information and medical and lay evidence necessary to substantiate the claim and, as part of such notice, to indicate which portion of such evidence is to be provided by the claimant and which portion the Secretary will attempt to obtain on behalf of the claimant; (2) to make reasonable efforts to assist in obtaining evidence necessary to establish a claimant's eligibility for a benefit (but allows the Secretary to decide a claim without providing such assistance when no reasonable possibility exists that such assistance will aid in the establishment of eligibility) and to obtain relevant records that the claimant adequately identifies to the Secretary and authorizes the Secretary to obtain; and (3) to inform the claimant whenever the Secretary is unable to obtain such records and to request the claimant to notify the Secretary if the claimant intends to obtain such records independently.

Requires, in the case of a veteran's claim for disability compensation, the Secretary to: (1) obtain the claimant's existing service medical records and, if the claimant has furnished sufficient information, other relevant service records, existing records of relevant medical treatment or examination of the veteran at Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities or at the expense of the Department, and specified information to be furnished by other agencies; and (2) provide a medical examination or obtain a medical opinion when the evidence of record before the Secretary establishes that the claimant has a current disability or has current symptoms and that there was an event, injury, or disease (or combination thereof) during the claimant's active military, naval, or air service capable of causing or aggravating the claimant's current disability or symptoms, but is insufficient to establish service-connection.

(Sec. 4) Places on the claimant the burden of proving entitlement to benefits (currently, of submitting evidence sufficient to justify a belief by a fair and impartial individual that the claim is well grounded).

(Sec. 5) Prohibits any Federal department or agency from imposing any charge for providing to the Secretary information for purposes of determining benefit eligibility.

(Sec. 6) Provides for: (1) the applicability of provisions of this Act concerning the burden of proof to claims filed before, and not final as of, the date of enactment of this Act; and (2) the readjudication of claims for benefits that were denied, because the claims were not well grounded, during the period between July 14, 1999, and this Act's enactment date.

What's happening now November 9, 2000

Became Public Law No: 106-475.

Committees of jurisdiction 3