,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ebgd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december #ae1 
#bjbb,mr4 ,durbin 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  
fees relating to claims for benefits    
under the laws administered by the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 and   
for other purposes4  #a4 ,reinstatement 
of penalties for charging veterans      
unauthorized fees relating to claims for
 benefits under laws administered by the
 ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs       
,section #eije of title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in the 
section heading1 by striking ,penalty   
and inserting ,penalties 7and conforming
 the table of sections at the beginning 
of chapter #ei of such title            
accordingly72  7#b7 by striking ,whoever

 and inserting the following3  7a7      
,withholding of benefits ,whoever  2 and
  7#c7 by adding at the end the         
following new subsection3  7b7 ,charging
 of unauthorized fees ,except as        
provided in sections #eijd or #aihd of  
this title1 whoever solicits1 contracts 
for1 charges1 or receives1 or attempts  
to solicit1 contract for1 charge1 or    
receive1 any fee or compensation with   
respect to the preparation1             
presentation1 or prosecution of any     
claim for benefits under the laws       
administered by the ,secretary shall be 
fined as provided in title #ah4  4  #b4 
,limitation on attorney fees for        
,federal cause of action relating to    
water at ,camp ,lejeune1 ,north         
,carolina ,section #hjd of the ,sergeant
 ,first ,class ,heath ,robinson         
,honoring our ,promise to ,address      
,comprehensive ,toxics ,act of #bjbb    
7,public ,law #aag-afh2 #bh ,u4,s4,c4   
#bfga note prec47 is amended by adding  
at the end the following new subsection3

  7k7 ,attorney fees  7#a7 ,limitations 
,no legal representative of an          
individual who brings an action under   
subsection 7b7 or who presents a claim  
under section #bfge of title #bh1       
,united ,states ,code1 pursuant to      
subsection 7h7 shall charge1 demand1    
receive1 or collect for services        
rendered in bringing such action or     
presenting such claim1 fees in excess   
of-- 7,a7 #bj percent of an award1      
compromise1 or settlement made or       
reached within #ahj days after          
presenting a claim under section #bfge  
of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1    
pursuant to subsection 7h72 and  7,b7   
#cc4c percent on a claim that is        
resolved by settlement1 compromise1 or  
judgement after the initiation of an    
action4  7#b7 ,terms for payment of fees
 ,any judgment rendered1 settlement     
entered1 compromise made1 or other award
 made with respect to an action brought 
under subsection 7b7 or a claim         
presented under section #bfge of title  

#bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 pursuant to 
subsection 7h7 by a legal representative
 of an individual shall require the     
following3 7,a7 ,all funds from the     
judgment1 settlement1 compromise1 or    
other award shall be deposited into an  
account held in trust for the individual
 in accordance with all applicable      
provisions of ,state law4  7,b7 ,the    
legal representative shall-- 7i7 once   
any funds described in subparagraph 7,a7
 have been deposited into an account    
pursuant to such subparagraph1 notify   
the individual of such deposit2 and     
7ii7 promptly deliver to such individual
 such amount of such funds as the       
individual is entitled to receive4  7,c7
 ,that no funds shall be paid from the  
account described in subparagraph 7,a7  
to a legal representative of the        
individual as compensation for services 
rendered to such individual until the   
relevant funds from such account have   
been disbursed to the individual in     
accordance with subparagraph 7,b74  7#c7

 ,penalties  7,a7 ,fee limitations ,any 
legal representative who charges1       
demands1 receives1 or collects for      
services rendered in connection with an 
action under subsection 7b7 or a claim  
under section #bfge of title #bh1       
,united ,states ,code1 pursuant to      
subsection 7h71 any amount in excess of 
that allowed under paragraph 7#a7 of    
this subsection1 if recovery be had1    
shall be fined not more than #e1jjj4    
7,b7 ,terms for payment ,failure of a   
legal representative subject to         
paragraph 7#b7 to comply with a         
requirement of such paragraph shall be  
punishable consistent with the penalties
 provided in section #bfgh of title #bh1
 ,united ,states ,code4  7#d7 ,rule of  
construction ,nothing in this subsection
 shall be construed to annul1 alter1    
affect1 or exempt any person from       
complying with the laws of any ,state or
 locality with respect to the practice  
of law1 except to the extent that those 
laws are inconsistent with any provision

 of this subsection1 and then only to   
the extent of the inconsistency4  4