WASHINGTON – To help alleviate the financial distress of veterans who have been defrauded of their benefit, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act. The bill had been passed by the Senate and now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.
“We’d like to believe we live in a country where no one would take advantage of our veterans, but sadly it does happen,” said Tuberville (R-Auburn). “What’s worse is if the money that was lost to fraud is never returned. This bill attempts to help right that wrong by ensuring a veteran’s estate can be reimbursed for any funds that were lost to fraud should the veteran pass away before the funds have been reimbursed.
“It’s my priority to find ways to make the government work better for the American people, and this bill is a small step toward doing just that for our veterans.”
Tuberville originally introduced the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act with Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) in 2022, and then reintroduced it in this Congress in February 2023.
Under current law, if a defrauded veteran dies before their case with the Department of Veterans Affairs is resolved, the veteran’s family cannot seek reimbursement for the defrauded funds. This legislation would change that statute to allow a deceased beneficiary’s estate to receive reissued funds.
Specifically, the legislation would:
- Require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reissue misused benefits to a beneficiary’s estate in cases where the beneficiary predeceased reissuance.
- Provide reissued benefits to either the veteran’s estate, successor, or next inheritor.
The Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act is endorsed by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wounded Warrior Project, and the American Legion.
