February 5, 2025
Mr. Van Orden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide timely equitable relief to an individual who suffers a loss based on an administrative error by the Secretary, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Improvements to equitable relief in the case of an administrative error by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
(a) Affirmative duty To provide timely equitable relief
Section 503 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking may
both places it appears and inserting shall, not later than 120 days after such determination,
.
(b) Cancellation of debt collection
Section 5314 of such title is amended, in subsection (a), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(3)
The Secretary shall promptly cancel any agreement, entered into by the Secretary with a debt collector (as defined in section 803 of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. 1692a)) to collect an amount of indebtedness described in paragraph (1), if the Secretary determines that the determination of such indebtedness was in error.