,i  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bde  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(            
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #i1 #bjae ,mr4
 ,abraham introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0
 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'    
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to codify c]ta9   
exi/+ provisions ( law relat+ to        
effective dates = claims "u ! laws      
adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4        
,codification ( effective dates = claims
 "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y (    
,vet]ans ,affairs  7a7 ,def9itions  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,section #eajj ( title #ch1   
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ to read z 
foll[s3  #eajj4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is      
*apt]3  7#a7 ,! t]m claimant means any  
individual apply+ =1 or submitt+ a claim
 =1 any b5efit "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !  
,secret>y4  7#b7 ,! t]m claim means a   
communication 9 writ+ reque/+ a         
det]m9ation ( entitlem5t or evid5c+ a   
belief 9 entitlem5t to a b5efit "u !    
laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y4  7#c7 ,!  

t]m =mal claim means a claim submitt$ on
 an application =m prescrib$ by !       
,secret>y4  7#d7 ,! t]m in=mal claim    
means a communication 9 writ+ reque/+ a 
det]m9ation ( entitlem5t or evid5c+ a   
belief 9 entitlem5t1 to a b5efit "u !   
laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y t--  7,a7  
is submitt$ 9 a =mat o!r ?an on an      
application =m prescrib$ by ! ,secret>y2
  7,b7 indicates an int5t to apply = "o 
or m b5efits "u ! laws adm9i/]$ by !    
,secret>y2  7,c7 id5tifies ! b5efit     
s\ght2  7,d7 is made or submitt$ by a   
claimant1 8 or h] duly au?oriz$         
repres5tative1 a ,memb] ( ,congress1 or 
ano!r p]son act+ on behalf ( a claimant 
:o meets ! requirem5ts e/abli%$ by !    
,secret>y = su* purpose2 &  7,e7 may    
include a report ( exam9ation or        
hospitalization1 if ! report relates to 
a disability :i* may e/abli% su* an     
entitlem5t4  7#e7 ,! t]m reasonably     
rais$ claim means evid5ce ( an          
entitlem5t to a b5efit "u ! laws        
adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y t is n          

explicitly rais$ 9 a claim b t is       
logically plac$ at issue ^u a sympa!tic 
read+ ( ! claim & ! record develop$ )   
respect to ! claim4  4  7#b7 ,cl]ical   
am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+ 
( *apt] #ea ( su* title is am5d$ by     
/rik+ ! item relat+ to section #eajj &  
ins]t+ ! foll[+ new item3  #eajj4       
,def9itions4  4  7b7 ,in=mal claims     
,section #eaja7;a7 ( su* title is am5d$ 
by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new p>agraph3 
7#c7 7,a7 ,^u receipt ( an in=mal claim1
 if a =mal claim has n be5 fil$1 !      
,secret>y %all provide ! claimant ) an  
application =m on :i* ! claimant may    
submit a =mal claim4 ,9 addition to all 
relevant communications relat+ to any   
claim1 ! ,secret>y %all ma9ta9 9 ! claim
 file a dat$ copy ( ! lett] accompany+ !
 application =m s5t to ! claimant "u ?is
 subp>agraph4  7,b7 ,an in=mal reque/ = 
increase or reop5+ ( a claim %all be    
accept$ & treat$ 9 ! same mann] z a =mal
 claim4  4  7c7 ,effective dates        
,section #eaaj7;a7 ( su* title is       

am5d$-- 7#a7 by /rik+ ,unless & ins]t+  
7#a7 ,unless2 &  7#b7 by add+ at ! end !
 foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#b7 ,9 det]m9+ !
 date ( ! receipt ( an application = any
 b5efit purposes ( ?is section1 !       
,secret>y %all consid] an application to
 be fil$ on ! date on :i* an in=mal     
communication relat+ to su* b5efit is   
submitt$1 z long z ! p]son claim+ or    
apply+ = ! b5efit files an application  
by n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date on  
:i* ! ,secret>y furni%es ! p]son !      
necess>y application =ms "u section     
#eajb ( ?is title4 ,if ! p]son claim+ or
 apply+ = ! b5efit fails to file an     
application by ! date t is #ahj days    
aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y furni%es 
! p]son su* necess>y application =ms1 ! 
,secret>y %all consid] ! application to 
be fil$ on ! date on :i* ! complet$     
application =m is submitt$4  4  7d7     
,reasonably rais$ claims  7#a7 ,9 g5]al 
,*apt] #ea ( su* title is am5d$ by      
ins]t+ aft] section #eajc;,a ! foll[+   
new section3  #eajc;,b4 ,treatm5t (     

reasonably rais$ claims ,! ,secret>y    
%all id5tify1 address1 & adjudicate     
reasonably rais$ claims t are plac$ at  
issue 9 ! c\rse ( address+ or adjudicat+
 any claim1 includ+ evid5ce relat+ to   
entirely sep>ate conditions nev]        
id5tifi$ z "p ( a =mal claim4  4  7#b7  
,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at 
! beg9n+ ( su* *apt] is am5d$ by ins]t+ 
aft] ! item relat+ to section #eajc;,a !
 foll[+ new item3  #eajc;,b4 ,treatm5t (
 reasonably rais$ claims4  4  7e7       
,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by ?is 
,act %all take effect on ! date ( !     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act & %all apply )      
respect to a claim submitt$ on or aft]  
su* date4