{"format":1,"id":"119-hr-1039","congress":119,"number":"H.R. 1039","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center for an assessment of notice letters that the Secretary sends to claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center for an assessment of notice letters that the Secretary sends to claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Official Title from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text","title":"To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center for an assessment of notice letters that the Secretary sends to claimants for benefits under laws administered by the Secretary, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2025-02-06","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2025-04-07","vote":{"id":"119-2025-h90","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act","result":"Passed","yea":412,"nay":0,"present":0,"not_voting":21,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/roll090.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"pending","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"not_yet","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.","date":"2025-04-08"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2025-02-06","stage":"Introduced in House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center to assess notices that the VA sends to claimants applying for or submitting claims for VA benefits. The VA must report on the findings of the assessment and implement recommendations in the assessment."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also extends certain loan fee rates through June 23, 2034, under the VA's home loan program."}],"words":81},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek an independent assessment by a federally funded research and development center of the notices sent to benefit claimants, and to implement its recommendations that comply with the laws the Secretary administers.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh#HB089A193399E4889B2083B6474FE2351"}]},"core_areas":["Assessment of Department of Veterans Affairs notices to benefit claimants","Limits on payments of pension under title 38"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to seek to enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and development center for an assessment of notices sent to claimants, not later than 30 days after enactment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh#HB089A193399E4889B2083B6474FE2351"}},{"text":"Requires the center to submit a written assessment that states whether each notice may feasibly be altered to reduce paper consumption by, and costs to, the Federal Government, made in consultation with covered entities.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh#HB089A193399E4889B2083B6474FE2351"}},{"text":"Requires the assessment to include the center's recommendations on how the Secretary may make the notices clearer to claimants, better organized, and more concise.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh#HB089A193399E4889B2083B6474FE2351"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary, within 90 days after receiving the assessment, to submit a copy to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives and to implement the recommendations that comply with the laws the Secretary administers.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh#HB089A193399E4889B2083B6474FE2351"}},{"text":"Requires the Secretary to complete implementation of the recommendations within one year after the date on which implementation begins.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh#HB089A193399E4889B2083B6474FE2351"}},{"text":"Amends section 5503(d)(7) of title 38, United States Code, by striking \"November 30, 2031\" and inserting \"December 31, 2031\".","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh#H1AF0F6B8CDC041CB8B1DF90A73FA325D"}}],"unexpected":[],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2025-04-07","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-09-29","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1039/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/119-hr-1039.png","v":"08602c59c128","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 1039, 119th Congress: Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act. House: 412 Yea, 0 Nay. Senate: not yet considered. Outcome: Passed House, 7 Apr 2025."}}