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H.R. 1139 118th Congress House

GUARD VA Benefits Act

Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees relating to claims for benefits under the laws ad… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to reinstate penalties for persons charging veterans unauthorized fees relating to claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 21, 2023 Introduced by: Chris Pappas Democratic · New Hampshire See on congress.gov
Armed Forces and National Security Civil actions and liabilityFraud offenses and financial crimesUser charges and feesVeterans' pensions and compensation
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This bill died when the 118th Congress ended
It never became law before the 118th Congress (2023–2024) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 29, 2023
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Mar 20, 2023
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Feb 21, 2023
Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 21, 2023
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 29, 2023

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act

This bill imposes fines on individuals for soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • S 740 GUARD VA Benefits Act of 2023
  • HR 1822 PLUS for Veterans Act of 2023
  • S 1789 PLUS for Veterans Act of 2023
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
 Lobbying activity 2

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

  • THE VOGEL GROUP
    for VETERANS GUARDIAN VA CLAIM CONSULTING · North Carolina · 1st Quarter 2026 (Jan 1 - Mar 31)
  • THE VOGEL GROUP
    for VETERANS GUARDIAN VA CLAIM CONSULTING · North Carolina · 4th Quarter 2025 (Oct 1 - Dec 31)

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

 Cosponsors 224
All 224 Democratic 120 Republican 66
R
Wilson, Joe
South Carolina · Dec 16, 2024
 D
Khanna, Ro
California · Oct 18, 2024
 R
Kustoff, David
Tennessee · Oct 18, 2024
 D
Matsui, Doris O.
California · Oct 18, 2024
 D
Norcross, Donald
New Jersey · Oct 18, 2024
 R
Johnson, Dusty
South Dakota · Sep 23, 2024
 D
Neal, Richard E.
Massachusetts · Sep 23, 2024
 D
Carter, Troy A.
Louisiana · Sep 16, 2024
 D
Garcia, Robert
California · Sep 16, 2024
 R
Miller, Mary E.
Illinois · Sep 16, 2024
Molinaro, Marcus
· Sep 16, 2024
Armstrong, Kelly
· Sep 11, 2024
 R
Kim, Young
California · Sep 11, 2024
 R
McClain, Lisa C.
Michigan · Sep 11, 2024
 R
Stauber, Pete
Minnesota · Aug 2, 2024
 D
Sánchez, Linda T.
California · May 16, 2024
 D
Garamendi, John
California · May 7, 2024
 R
Joyce, David P.
Ohio · May 7, 2024
 R
LaHood, Darin
Illinois · May 7, 2024
 D
Slotkin, Elissa
Michigan · May 7, 2024
 D
Amo, Gabe
Rhode Island · Mar 29, 2024
 R
Banks, Jim
Indiana · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Bishop, Sanford D.
Georgia · Mar 29, 2024
Blumenauer, Earl
· Mar 29, 2024
 R
Buchanan, Vern
Florida · Mar 29, 2024
 R
Burlison, Eric
Missouri · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Cleaver, Emanuel
Missouri · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Mar 29, 2024
 R
Fulcher, Russ
Idaho · Mar 29, 2024
 R
Gimenez, Carlos A.
Florida · Mar 29, 2024
 R
Gooden, Lance
Texas · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Hayes, Jahana
Connecticut · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Ivey, Glenn
Maryland · Mar 29, 2024
 D
McClellan, Jennifer L.
Virginia · Mar 29, 2024
 R
Moore, Blake D.
Utah · Mar 29, 2024
 R
Owens, Burgess
Utah · Mar 29, 2024
Peltola, Mary
· Mar 29, 2024
 D
Raskin, Jamie
Maryland · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Schrier, Kim
Washington · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Soto, Darren
Florida · Mar 29, 2024
 D
Trahan, Lori
Massachusetts · Mar 29, 2024
Williams, Brandon
· Mar 19, 2024
 R
Steil, Bryan
Wisconsin · Mar 15, 2024
 R
Cole, Tom
Oklahoma · Mar 7, 2024
 R
Hill, J. French
Arkansas · Mar 7, 2024
 R
Lawler, Michael
New York · Mar 7, 2024
 R
Mace, Nancy
South Carolina · Mar 7, 2024
 D
Quigley, Mike
Illinois · Mar 7, 2024
 D
Stansbury, Melanie A.
New Mexico · Mar 7, 2024
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Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1139: GUARD VA Benefits Act. 118th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1139/
MLA
"H.R. 1139: GUARD VA Benefits Act." 118th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1139/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1139, 118th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1139/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1139: GUARD VA Benefits Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-1139/)
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