,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #aghi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,june #a1 #bjbc,mr4    
,k5n$y introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
improve ! review ( claims = b5efits "u  
laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,pres]v+ ,lawful           
,utilization ( ,s]vices = ,vet]ans ,act 
( #bjbc or ! ,,plus = ,vet]ans ,act (   
#bjbc4  #b4 ,cl>ification ( prep>ation1 
pres5tation1 or prosecution ( a claim "u
 a law adm9i/]$ by ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs ,section #eija ( title #ch1    
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by 
/rik+ ,except & ins]t+ ! foll[+3  7a7 ,9
 g5]al ,except  2 &  7#b7 by add+ at !  
end ! foll[+ new subsection3  7b7       
,exclusion ,! adm9i/ration ( a m$ical   
exam9ation1 or ! writ+ ( a report bas$  
on su* exam9ation1 describ$ 9 section   
#eabe ( ?is title1 does n con/itute !   

prep>ation1 pres5tation1 or prosecution 
( a claim describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  4 
#c4 ,ag5ts & attorneys 9 claims "u laws 
adm9i/]$ by ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs3 recognition2 susp5sion        
,section #eijd ( title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9         
subsection 7a77#a7-- 7,a7 by ins]t+ 7,a7
 be=e ,except2 &  7,b7 by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+ new subp>agraphs3  7,b7 7i7 ,! 
,secret>y %all det]m9e :e!r to recognize
 "u subp>agraph 7,a7 an ag5t or attorney
 :o applies = su* recognition n lat] ?an
 #ij days aft] ! ,secret>y receives su* 
application4  7ii7 ,if ! ,secret>y _c   
v]ify :e!r ! ag5t or attorney meets !   
qualifications & /&>ds prescrib$ "u     
p>agraph 7#b7 be=e ! end ( su* #ij days1
 ! ,secret>y %all recognize ! ag5t or   
attorney "u su* subp>agraph4  7,c7 ,!   
,secret>y may n refuse to recognize "u  
subp>agraph 7,a7 an ag5t or attorney    
solely on ! basis t su* ag5t or attorney
 *>ges a claimant a fee = s]vices r5d]$ 
9 ! prep>ation1 pres5tation1 or         

prosecution ( a claim4  7,d7 ,!         
,secret>y may susp5d "u subsection 7b7  
an ag5t or attorney describ$ 9          
subp>agraph 7,e7 )\t reg>d to ! notice &
 opportunity = a he>+ "u su* subsection4
  7,e7 ,an ag5t or attorney describ$ 9  
?is subp>agraph is an ag5t or attorney--
 7i7 recogniz$ pursuant to subp>agraph  
7,b77ii72 &  7ii7 :om ! ,secret>y       
det]m9es1 aft] ! #ij-;day p]iod describ$
 9 su* subp>agraph1 does n meet !       
qualifications & /&>ds prescrib$ "u     
p>agraph 7#b74  2 &  7#b7 9 subsection  
7b7-- 7,a7 by r$esignat+ p>agraphs 7#a7 
?r\gh 7#i7 z subp>agraphs 7,a7 ?r\gh    
7,i71 respectively2  7,b7 9 ! matt]     
prec$+ subp>agraph 7,a71 z r$esignat$1  
by ins]t+ 7#a7 be=e ,! ,secret>y2 &     
7,c7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new      
p>agraph3  7#b7 ,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] 
! date ( ! enactm5t ( ! ,pres]v+ ,lawful
 ,utilization ( ,s]vices = ,vet]ans ,act
 ( #bjbc & annually !reaft]1 ! ,secret>y
 %all submit to ! ,committee on         
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !       

,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report reg>d+ 
! numb] ( individuals susp5d$ "u ?is    
subsection or d5i$ recognition "u       
subsection 7a71 disaggregat$ by !       
reasons = su* susp5sion or d5ial & :e!r 
! individual is-- 7,a7 a repres5tative (
 an organization recogniz$ "u section   
#eijb ( ?is title2  7,b7 an ag5t2 or    
7,c7 an attorney4  4  #d4 ,fees all[able
 = repres5tation ( vet]ans = claims "u  
laws adm9i/]$ by ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs  7a7 ,fees ,section #eijd (    
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ 
by section #c1 is fur!r am5d$-- 7#a7 9  
subsection 7a77#e71 by /rik+ prep>ation1
 pres5tation1 & prosecution ( a claim   
be=e ! ,dep>tm5t & ins]t+ c\rse (       
repres5tation describ$ 9 subsection     
7c77#b72  7#b7 9 subsection 7c7-- 7,a7 9
 ! subsection head+1 by ins]t+ ,flat fee
 agreem5ts4-- aft] 7c72  7,b7 by am5d+  
p>agraph 7#a7 to read z foll[s3  7#a7   
7,a7 ,9 a case o!r ?an a case describ$ 9
 p>agraph 7#b71 a fee agreem5t betwe5 a 

claimant & an ag5t or attorney1 )       
respect to ! prep>ation1 pres5tation1 or
 prosecution ( a claim "u a law adm9i/]$
 by ! ,secret>y1 %all be a fee agreem5t 
"u-- 7i7 ?is p>agraph1 us+ a /&>d       
agreem5t =m prescrib$ by ! ,secret>y2   
7ii7 subsection 7d72 or  7iii7          
subsection 7e74  7,b7 ,a fee agreem5t "u
 ?is p>agraph is "o "u :i* ! total am\nt
 payable by ! claimant to ! ag5t or     
attorney ) respect to ! claim-- 7i7 may 
n exce$ #ab1ejj 7z adju/$ f "t to "t "u 
subp>agraph 7,c772 &  7ii7 is cont+5t on
 :e!r ! claim is resolv$ 9 a mann]      
favorable to ! claimant4  7,c7          
,effective on ,octob] #a ( ea* ye>      
7beg9n+ 9 ! fir/ fiscal ye> aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ! ,pres]v+ ,lawful       
,utilization ( ,s]vices = ,vet]ans ,act 
( #bjbc71 ! ,secret>y %all increase !   
doll> am\nt 9 effect "u clause 7i7 (    
subp>agraph 7,b7 by a p]c5tage equal to 
! p]c5tage by :i* ! ,consum] ,price     
,index = all urban consum]s 7,u4,s4 city
 av]age7 increas$ dur+ ! #ab-mon? p]iod 

end+ ) ! la/ mon? = :i* ,consum] ,price 
,index data is available4 ,9 ! ev5t t   
su* ,consum] ,price ,index does n       
increase dur+ su* p]iod1 ! ,secret>y    
%all ma9ta9 ! doll> am\nt 9 effect "u   
su* clause dur+ ! previ\s fiscal ye>4   
7,d7 ,! limitation "u subp>agraph       
7,b77i7 does n apply to any fee *>g$1   
all[$1 or paid = s]vices provid$ )      
respect to proce$+s be=e a c\rt4  7,e7  
,= purposes ( subp>agraph 7,b77ii71 a   
claim %all be consid]$ to h be5 resolv$ 
9 a mann] favorable to ! claimant if all
 or any "p ( ! relief s\ght is grant$4  
7,f7 ,! =m prescrib$ by ! ,secret>y "u  
subp>agraph 7,a77i7 %all include !      
foll[+ notifications to ! claimant3 7i7 
,t organizations recogniz$ "u section   
#eijb ( ?is title furni% s]vices conc]n+
 claims "u laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y1
 at no co/ to claimants4  7ii7 ,t !     
claimant may select a private physician 
= a m$ical exam9ation describ$ 9 section
 #eabe ( ?is title reg>d+ ! claim4      
7iii7 ,t su* ag5t or attorney may n ref]

 ! claimant to a private physician      
describ$ 9 clause 7ii7 ) :om ! ag5t or  
attorney has a bus9ess relation%ip      
reg>d+ ! claim4  2  7,c7 9 p>agraph     
7#b71 by /rik+ ref]r$ to 9 p>agraph 7#a7
 ( ?is subsection & ins]t+ reg>d+ a     
claim "u a law adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y2 
7,d7 9 p>agraph 7#c77;,a71 by /rik+ to  
p>agraph 7#b7 & ins]t+ to p>agraph 7#a7 
or 7#b72 &  7,e7 by /rik+ p>agraph 7#d72
 &  7#c7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new  
subsection3  7e7 ,paym5t ( fees out ( an
 aw>d or increas$ aw>d  7#a7 ,:5 a      
claimant & an ag5t or attorney h ent]$  
into a fee agreem5t describ$ 9 p>agraph 
7#b71 ! total fee payable to ! ag5t or  
attorney 7includ+ all ancill>y fees7 may
 n exce$ ! am\nt t is equal to ! product
 ( five & ! am\nt ( ! mon?ly increase ( 
b5efits aw>d$ on ! basis ( ! claim4     
7#b7 ,a fee agreem5t ref]r$ to 9        
p>agraph 7#a7 is "o "u :i* ! total am\nt
 ( ! fee payable to ! ag5t or attorney--
 7,a7 is to be paid to ! ag5t or        
attorney by ! claimant1 aft] comm5cem5t 

( ! mon?ly p]iod ( paym5t ( monet>y     
b5efits bas$ on an aw>d or increas$ aw>d
 7z def9$ 9 section #eaaa7;d7 ( ?is     
title72 &  7,b7 is cont+5t on :e!r !    
matt] is resolv$ 9 a mann] favorable to 
! claimant4  7#c7 ,= ! purposes ( ?is   
subsection1 a claim %all be consid]$ to 
h be5 resolv$ 9 a mann] favorable to !  
claimant if all or any "p ( ! relief    
s\ght is grant$4  4  7b7 ,regulations ,n
 lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( !     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all   
prescribe regulations to c>ry out !     
am5dm5ts made by ?is section4  #e4      
,re9/atem5t ( p5alties = *>g+ vet]ans   
unau?oriz$ fees relat+ to claims "u laws
 adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #eije ( 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is      
am5d$-- 7#a7 9 ! section head+1 by /rik+
 ,p5alty & ins]t+ ,p5alties2  7#b7 by   
/rik+ ,:oev] & ins]t+ ! foll[+3  7a7    
,)hold+ ( b5efits ,:oev]  2 &  7#c7 by  
add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new subsection3  
7b7 ,*>g+ ( unau?oriz$ fees ,except z   

provid$ 9 sections #eijd or #aihd ( ?is 
title1 :oev] directly or indirectly     
solicits1 contracts =1 *>ges1 or        
receives1 or attempts to solicit1       
contract =1 *>ge1 or receive1 any fee or
 comp5sation ) respect to ! prep>ation1 
pres5tation1 or prosecution ( any claim 
= b5efits "u a law adm9i/]$ by !        
,secret>y %all be f9$ z provid$ 9 title 
#ah1 or imprison$ n m ?an "o ye>1 or    
bo?4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table (
 sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #ei ( su* 
title is am5d$ by /rik+ ! item relat+ to
 section #eije & ins]t+ ! foll[+ new    
item3  #eije4 ,p5alties = c]ta9 acts4  4
  7c7 ,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made  
by ?is section %all take effect "o ye>  
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4