H.R. 6590House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

To defer action regarding certain debts arising from benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a period of time including the COVID-19 emergency period.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 11:59 AM UTC

The bill temporarily blocks the Department of Veterans Affairs from taking any collection actions on debts that arise from veterans' benefits during the COVID‑19 emergency and for 60 days after that emergency ends. It stops the VA from recording, reporting, charging interest, or adding fees to those debts, but still lets a veteran or their fiduciary choose to pay voluntarily.

Key Provisions

During the defined covered period, the VA Secretary cannot collect, offset, record, notify, accrue interest, or add administrative fees to any "covered debt" tied to a veteran benefit.
A veteran or their fiduciary may still make a voluntary payment on a covered debt, including any interest or fees, if they choose to do so.
"Covered debt" is a debt owed to the United States that comes from a benefit under a law administered by the VA, excluding debts already covered by certain other statutes.
"Covered law" includes any law administered by the VA through its Under Secretary for Health or Under Secretary for Benefits.
The "covered period" is the COVID‑19 emergency period as defined in the Social Security Act, plus the 60 days immediately following the end of that emergency.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee

September 30, 2020

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 21, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Veterans' Affairs Committee

April 21, 2020

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee

September 30, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 21, 2020

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6590

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 21, 2020

Mr. Pappas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To defer action regarding certain debts arising from benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a period of time including the COVID-19 emergency period.

Deferral of certain debts arising from benefits under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

(a)

In general

During the covered period, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not—

(1)

take any action to collect a covered debt (including the offset of any payment by the Secretary);

(2)

record a covered debt;

(3)

issue notice of a covered debt to a person or a consumer reporting agency;

(4)

allow any interest to accrue on a covered debt; or

(5)

apply any administrative fee to a covered debt.

(b)

Exception

Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may collect a payment regarding a covered debt (including interest or any administrative fee) from a person (or the fiduciary of that person) who elects to make such a payment during the covered period.

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term consumer reporting agency has the meaning given that term in section 5701 of title 38, United States Code.

(2)

The term covered debt means a debt—

(A)

owed by a person (including a fiduciary) to the United States;

(B)

arising from a benefit under a covered law; and

(C)

that is not subject to recovery under—

(i)

section 3729 of title 31, United States Code;

(ii)

section 1729 of title 38, United States Code; or

(iii)

Public Law 87–693 (42 U.S.C. 2651).

(3)

The term covered law means any law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs through—

(A)

the Under Secretary for Health; or

(B)

the Under Secretary for Benefits.

(4)

The term covered period means—

(A)

the COVID-19 emergency period; and

(B)

the 60 days immediately following the date of the end of the COVID-19 emergency period.

(5)

The term COVID-19 emergency period means the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)).