H.R. 4183House116th Congress (2019-2021)Enacted

Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 8:00 AM UTC

The Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study Act orders the U.S. Comptroller General to examine how the Department of Veterans Affairs provides disability compensation and pension benefits to National Guard and reserve component service members. The study looks at data from 2008‑2018, compares these veterans to those who served in the regular armed forces, and identifies obstacles they face in receiving benefits. Preliminary and final reports must be delivered to the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs committees.

Key Provisions

The Comptroller General must complete the study within 36 months of the law’s enactment.
The study will count how many Guard and reserve members received VA disability or pension benefits during 2008‑2018.
It will compare Guard/reserve veterans to regular‑component veterans on disability rates, rating levels, and specific groups such as pilots, special‑forces members, and those with musculoskeletal or mental‑health conditions.
The study will track the number of disability and pension claims submitted, approved, and denied for each group.
It must identify common barriers Guard and reserve members encounter when trying to obtain VA benefits, including documentation issues like line‑of‑duty letters.
A preliminary report is due 18 months after enactment, and a final report is due after the study is finished, both to the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs committees.

Legislative Activity

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22 earlier actions

Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 116-187.

October 30, 2020

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

August 13, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

August 13, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee

August 22, 2019

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee

October 22, 2019

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

October 29, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

October 29, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

October 29, 2019

HouseFloor

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

December 16, 2019 • 2:58 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H10271-10272)

December 16, 2019 • 2:59 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4183.

December 16, 2019 • 2:59 PM

HouseFloor

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.

December 16, 2019 • 3:07 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H10314)

December 17, 2019 • 10:47 AM

HouseFloor

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): 408 - 1 (Roll no. 685).(text: 12/16/2019 CR H10271)

View vote Passed

December 17, 2019 • 10:54 AM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 408 - 1 (Roll no. 685). (text: 12/16/2019 CR H10271)

View vote Passed

December 17, 2019 • 10:54 AM

HouseFloor

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

December 17, 2019 • 10:54 AM

SenateIntro Referral

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

Veterans' Affairs Committee

December 18, 2019

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

October 1, 2020

SenateDischarge

Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6031)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

October 1, 2020

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

October 1, 2020

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

October 6, 2020

President

Presented to President.

October 20, 2020

Became Law

Signed by President.

October 30, 2020

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 116-187.

October 30, 2020

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

December 17, 2019 at 10:53 AM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

408 - 1

Bill Text

5 versions available

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Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress of the United States of America

At the Second Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty

H. R. 4183

AN ACT

To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on disability and pension benefits provided to members of the National Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Identifying Barriers and Best Practices Study Act.

Comptroller General study on disability and pension benefits provided to members of the National Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by the Department of Veterans Affairs

(a)

In general

Not later than 36 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall complete a study on disability and pension benefits provided to members of the National Guard and members of reserve components of the Armed Forces by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In conducting such study, the Comptroller General shall review, for the period beginning on January 1, 2008, and ending on December 31, 2018, each of the following:

(1)

The number of members of the National Guard and the number of members of reserve components of the Armed Forces who received disability compensation or pension provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

(2)

A comparison of each of the following between veterans who served only in the National Guard or reserve components and veterans who served in the regular components of the Armed Forces:

(A)

The percentage of each group of such veterans with service-connected disabilities.

(B)

The number of veterans in each group with each disability rating.

(C)

The number of veterans in each group with a service-connected disability, including the number of each of the following types of such veterans in each group:

(i)

Pilots.

(ii)

Veterans who served in the special forces.

(iii)

Veterans who participated in the Personnel Reliability Program.

(iv)

Veterans who underwent diving or flight physicals as a regular component of their service in the Armed Forces and who have a muscular-skeletal or mental health condition.

(D)

The number of total claims for disability compensation and pension submitted, approved, and disapproved for each group of veterans.

(3)

An identification of common barriers for members of the National Guard and members of reserve components in obtaining disability benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, including barriers relating to documentation of injuries incurred while serving, such as line of duty letters.

(b)

Reports

(1)

Preliminary report

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a preliminary report on the findings of the study required by subsection (a).

(2)

Final report

Upon completion of the study, the Comptroller General shall submit to such Committees a final report on such study.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.