Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 4190, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, it is an unfortunate reality that veterans, especially elderly veterans, find themselves as prime targets for fraud. It is even more unfortunate that oftentimes this fraud is perpetuated by those closest to the veteran, sometimes even family and friends who are tasked with assisting that veteran.

Thankfully, VA has a set of policies and procedures for uncovering, investigating, and prosecuting that fraud, which includes making restitution to the veteran.

Earlier this year, we passed H.R. 4016, the Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act, introduced by Representative Gerry Connolly, to help expedite that process. I urge the Senate to quickly take up that bill, as well.

Sadly, though, it sometimes happens that the veteran who was the victim of this fraud passes away before VA is able to make restitution, but VA is currently barred from making the estate of that beneficiary whole.

H.R. 4190, introduced by Representative David Trone, seeks to create a set of procedures for VA to follow to restore or reinstate benefits for veterans who were defrauded but unfortunately die before VA can compensate them.

More importantly, for those veterans who may have been defrauded by a family member, it also prevents VA from repaying benefits to anyone who may have been a party to the fraud, regardless of whether they may have been named in the veteran's will as an heir.

Mr. Speaker, we owe our veterans and their survivors all the protections we can possibly afford them through the law. H.R. 4190 offers one more avenue to ensure veterans are receiving the benefits they have earned in spite of those who seek to defraud them.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this measure, and I encourage the Senate to quickly pass this bill, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone), my good friend who is the author of H.R. 4190. He currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee. He is also a former member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing H.R. 4190, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge a ``yes'' vote on my bill, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act.

Today, we must remember that the courageous men and women who have dedicated their lives to defend our country and our freedoms still need us. My bill addresses this longstanding issue affecting millions of veterans: fraud.

Just last year, the Federal Trade Commission estimated $477 million was stolen from veterans, military personnel, and their spouses. This is a $63 million, or 15 percent, increase from the year before.

Under current law, if a veteran passes away before their case is resolved, their family cannot be reimbursed for lost dollars. That is unacceptable.

My bill, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, would help the veterans and their families reclaim these defrauded dollars and get them access to the money that they earned. Specifically, the legislation requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reissue the misused benefits to a beneficiary's estate in cases where the beneficiary passed before the reissuance.

We must ensure that veterans and their families are able to recapture any lost benefits they were scammed out of. It is just the right thing to do.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4190) to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to repay the estates of deceased beneficiaries for certain benefits paid by the Secretary and misused by fiduciaries of such beneficiaries, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 4190, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4190, as amended.

This bill was introduced by Representative Trone. It ensures that no fiduciary who steals a veteran's earned VA benefits can profit from their misuse if the veteran passes.

Mr. Speaker, I support the bill wholeheartedly, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no speakers on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 4190, which was received from the House and is at the desk.

I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.