Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Department of Veterans Affairs Principles of Benefits Automation Act”.
Department of Veterans Affairs Principles of Benefits Automation Act
AN ACT
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a plan to modernize the information technology systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should increase automation in the processing of claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary in accordance with the following principles:
The purpose of automation should be to increase the speed and accuracy of claims processing decisions.
Automation should be conducted in a manner that enhances the productivity of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Automation should be carried out in a manner that achieves greater consistency in the processing and rating of claims by relying on patterns of similar evidence in claim files.
To the greatest extent possible, automation should be carried out by drawing from information in the possession of the Department, other Government agencies, and claimants for benefits.
Automation of any claims process or determination should not be end-to-end.
Employees of the Department should continue to make decisions with respect to the approval of claims and the granting of benefits.
Automation should not be carried out in a manner that reduces or infringes upon—
the due process rights of claimants for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary; or
the duties of the Secretary to assist and notify claimants.
Automation should be carried out while taking all necessary measures to protect the privacy of claimants and their personally identifiable information.
Automation of claims processing should not eliminate or reduce the Veterans Benefits Administration workforce.
Sec. 3 Plan for modernization of Veterans Benefits Administration information technology systems
In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to appropriate congressional committees a plan for the modernization of the information technology systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration. The plan shall cover the first fiscal year that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act and the subsequent four fiscal years and shall include each of the following:
An identification of any information system to be modernized or retired, if applicable, during the period covered by the plan.
A description of how the Secretary intends to incorporate the principles referred to in section 2 into the modernization of such information systems.
An identification of targets, for each fiscal year, by which the Secretary intends to complete the modernization of each information system or major component or functionality of such system identified under paragraph (1).
Cost estimates for the modernization of each information system identified under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year covered by the plan and in total.
Appropriate congressional committees— In this section, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means—
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.