S. 1198 – Veterans Care Financial Protection Act of 2017

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 3:44 PM UTC

The Veterans Care Financial Protection Act of 2017 aims to shield veterans who qualify for an increased pension because they need regular aid and attendance from fraudulent or predatory practices. It requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to work with federal, state and expert partners to create protective standards and to send those standards to the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs committees within 180 days. If the Secretary misses the deadline, the Comptroller General must provide alternative standards within a year and later evaluate how well the standards work.

Key Provisions

The VA Secretary must develop federal and state standards, in collaboration with other agencies and experts, to protect individuals receiving increased aid‑and‑attendance pension.
The Secretary must submit the developed standards to the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs committees no later than 180 days after the law takes effect.
If the standards are not submitted on time, the Comptroller General must submit effective standards to the same committees within one year of enactment.
The Comptroller General must complete a study on the implemented standards and report the findings to the committees within 540 days of enactment.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

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

Veterans' Affairs Committee

May 22, 2017

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

May 22, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

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

Veterans' Affairs Committee

May 22, 2017

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued May 22, 2017

II

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 1198

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 22, 2017

Ms. Warren (for herself and Mr. Rubio) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To protect individuals who are eligible for increased pension under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on the basis of need of regular aid and attendance from dishonest, predatory, or otherwise unlawful practices, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veterans Care Financial Protection Act of 2017.

2.

Protection of individuals eligible for increased pension under laws administered by Secretary of Veterans Affairs on basis of need for regular aid and attendance

(a)

Development and implementation of standards

(1)

In general

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall work with the heads of Federal agencies, States, and such experts as the Secretary considers appropriate to develop and implement Federal and State standards that protect individuals from dishonest, predatory, or otherwise unlawful practices relating to increased pension available to such individuals under chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, on the basis of need for regular aid and attendance.

(2)

Submittal to Congress

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives the standards developed under paragraph (1).

(b)

Conditional recommendation by Comptroller General

If the Secretary does not, on or before the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives standards that are developed under subsection (a)(1), the Comptroller General of the United States shall, not later than the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to such committees a report containing standards that the Comptroller General determines are standards that would be effective in protecting individuals as described in such subsection.

(c)

Study by Comptroller General

Not later than 540 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall complete a study on standards implemented under this section to protect individuals as described in subsection (a)(1) and submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report containing the findings of the Comptroller General with respect to such study.