,,ii  #aag? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ajga  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #ab1 #bjba,mr4  
,cruz introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
au?orize ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 to c>ry out a pilot program to provide 
p5sion claim enhancem5t assi/ance to    
individuals submitt+ claims = p5sion f !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 & = o!r 
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,application      
,assi/ance ,ineffici5cy ,decrease ,act (
 #bjba or ! ,,va ,,aid ,act ( #bjba4    
#b4 ,pilot program to provide claim     
enhancem5t assi/ance to individuals     
submitt+ claims = ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans  
,affairs p5sion  7a7 ,pilot program     
au?oriz$ ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] !   
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !         
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all      
comm5ce c>ry+ out a pilot program to    
assess ! feasibility & advisability (   
provid+ claim enhancem5t assi/ance to   

individuals apply+ = p5sion "u sub*apt] 
,,ii or ,,iii ( *apt] #ae ( title #ch1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 9 ord] to r$uce !  
backlog ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs = claims = p5sion "u su* *apt] 
& to exp$ite claims process+ by-- 7#a7  
improv+ ! effici5cy ( ! claims submittal
 process2 &  7#b7 proactively engag+    
claimants ) claim enhancem5t s]vices    
prior to submission ( _! claims4  7b7   
,claim enhancem5t assi/ance ,= purposes 
( ?is subsection1 claim enhancem5t      
assi/ance includes1 ) respect to        
submitt+ claims describ$ 9 subsection   
7a71 ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,consultive s]vices 
to assess & advise claimants bas$ ^u a  
review ( ea* claimant's specific        
circum/ances4  7#b7 ,assi/ance 9 ga!r+  
all necess>y support+ docum5tation = !  
submission4  7#c7 ,! creation ( a fully 
develop$ application ready to be        
submitt$ to ! ,p5sion ,managem5t ,c5t]s 
( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs )     
po/al track+4  7#d7 ,su* o!r assi/ance &
 s]vices z ! ,secret>y consid]s         

appropriate = purposes ( ! pilot        
program4  7c7 ,contract ,! ,secret>y    
%all c>ry out ! pilot program by ent]+  
into a contract ) "o eligible entity to 
provide1 z "p ( ! pilot program1 claim  
enhancem5t assi/ance to individuals &   
sp\ses apply+ = p5sion "u sub*apt] ,,ii 
or ,,iii ( *apt] #ae ( title #ch1 ,unit$
 ,/ate ,code4  7d7 ,eligible entities ,=
 purposes ( ?is section1 an eligible    
entity is any entity t-- 7#a7 is n "p ( 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs2  7#b7  
specializes 9 matt]s relat+ to "o       
specific b5efit exclusively = five or m 
ye>s t is provid$ "u laws adm9i/]$ by ! 
,secret>y1 su* z p5sion "u *apt] #ae (  
su* title2  7#c7 does n engage 9 !      
promotion or sale ( f9ancial products ( 
any type1 includ+ annuities2  7#d7 is n 
affiliat$ ) any entity t is engag$ 9    
promotion or sale describ$ 9 p>agraph   
7#c72  7#e7 does n manage ! assets (    
vet]ans or ! survivors ( vet]ans2  7#f7 
is n a fiduci>y 7z def9$ 9 section #eejf
 ( su* title7 = any p]son submitt+ a    

claim = p5sion "u *apt] #ae ( su* title 
or 9 receipt ( p5sion "u su* *apt]2     
7#g7 is n a fiduci>y "u section #eejb ( 
su* title2  7#h7 has at lea/ "o own] t  
is recogniz$ by ! ,secret>y "u section  
#eijd ( su* title z an ag5t or attorney 
= ! prep>ation1 pres5tation1 &          
prosecution ( claims "u laws adm9i/]$ by
 ! ,secret>y2  7#i7 does n provide heal?
 c>e = a claimant receiv+ claim         
enhancem5t assi/ance f ! entity z "p ( !
 pilot program2 &  7#aj7 demon/rates to 
! ,secret>y t x has ! ability to provide
 claim enhancem5t assi/ance 9 suffici5t 
volume by hav+ curr5t sy/ems1 processes1
 & proc$ures 9 place t are ( suffici5t  
scale4  7e7 ,duration ,! ,secret>y %all 
c>ry out ! pilot program dur+ ! ?ree-ye>
 p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( ! comm5cem5t (
 ! pilot program4  7f7 ,review1 /udy1 & 
report by ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ 
,/ates ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date 
( ! completion ( ! pilot program1 !     
,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
%all-- 7#a7 complete a review ( ! pilot 

program2  7#b7 complete a /udy on !     
feasibility & advisability ( p]man5tly  
ext5d+ claim enhancem5t s]vices to      
individuals & sp\ses apply+ = p5sion "u 
sub*apt] ,,ii or ,,iii ( *apt] #ae ( su*
 title2 &  7#c7 submit to ,congress a   
report on ! f9d+s ( ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al
 ) respect to ! review conduct$ "u      
p>agraph 7#a7 & ! /udy conduct$ "u      
p>agraph 7#b74  7g7 ,rule ( con/ruction 
,no?+ 9 ?is section %all be con/ru$--   
7#a7 to limit ! "r ( a vet]an to apply =
 p5sion "u *apt] #ae ( title #ch1 ,unit$
 ,/ates ,code2 or  7#b7 to au?orize !   
,secret>y to limit su* "r4