,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #agah  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #e1      
#bjai,mr4 ,rubio 7for himself1 ,mr4     
,blunt1 and ,mr4 ,young7 introduced the 
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to reinstate criminal penalties for     
persons charging veterans unauthorized  
fees1 and for other purposes4  #a4      
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,protect ,our ,disabled ,heroes ,act
 of #bjai4  #b4 ,reinstatement of       
penalties for charging veterans         
unauthorized fees  7a7 ,in general      
,section #eije of title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended to read as    
follows3  #eije4 ,penalty for certain   
acts ,except as provided in section     
#eijd or #aihd of this title1 whoever-- 
7#a7 in connection with a proceeding    
before the ,department1 knowingly       
solicits1 contracts for1 charges1 or    

receives any fee or compensation in     
connection for-- 7,a7 the provision of  
advice on how to file a claim for       
benefits under the laws administered by 
the ,secretary2 or  7,b7 the            
preparation1 presentation1 or           
prosecution of such a claim before the  
date on which a notice of disagreement  
is filed in a proceeding on the claim2  
7#b7 attempts to solicit1 contract1     
charge1 or receive as described in      
paragraph 7#a72  7#c7 unlawfully        
withholds from any claimant or          
beneficiary any part of a benefit or    
claim under the laws administered by the
 ,secretary that is allowed and due to  
the claimant or beneficiary1 or attempts
 to do so2  7#d7 commits an offense     
punishable by this chapter1 or aids1    
abets1 counsels1 commands1 or procures  
the commission of such an act2 or  7#e7 
causes an act to be done1 which if      
directly performed would be punishable  
by this chapter1  shall be fined as     
provided in title #ah1 or imprisoned for

 not more than one year1 or both4 4  7b7
 ,effective date ,the amendment made by 
subsection 7a7 shall apply with respect 
to acts committed after the date of the 
enactment of this ,act4