HR 1039 United States House · 119th Congress

Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act

HR 1039, the Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act, requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to commission an independent assessment of notices sent to veterans filing claims. Within 30 days of enactment, the VA must partner with a federally funded research center to evaluate these notices, focusing on making them clearer, more concise, and better organized while reducing paper use and government costs. The assessment, developed with input from veterans' groups and experts, must be submitted to Congress within 90 days, and the VA must implement feasible recommendations within one year. This bill directly affects veterans navigating claims processes and aims to improve their experience through clearer communication. The bill also includes a minor technical change to housing loan fee deadlines.

Issues: ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics: Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Feb 6, 2025 Last action Apr 8, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 2 edits · Apr 7, 2025

MINOR

Section 3 of the bill was entirely replaced. The original provision extended a VA housing loan fee expiration date by two weeks (June 9 to June 23, 2034). It was swapped out for a new provision that extends the deadline for certain limits on pension payments by one month (November 30 to December 31, 2031). This shifts the bill's focus from housing loan fees to veterans' pension payment rules.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from VA housing loan fee policy to veterans' pension payment limits. The new provision affects how long certain restrictions on pension payments remain in place before expiring.

SCOPE

Removed a provision that extended the expiration date in the VA housing loan fee table (section 3729(b)(2)) from June 9, 2034 to June 23, 2034.

TIMELINE

Added a provision extending the deadline for certain limits on payments of pension under section 5503(d)(7) from November 30, 2031 to December 31, 2031, giving one additional month before those payment limits take effect.

Floor votes · House Apr 7, 2025

How they voted

412–0

Passed · 21 other

Total votes 433

Apr 7, 2025

D Democratic213

207 Yea 6

97% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican219

204 Yea 15

93% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 8, 2025

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 0 (Roll no. 90). (text: CR H1437)

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 - 0 (Roll no. 90). (text: CR H1437: 1)

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Introduced

Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee Hearings Held

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

lower

Feb 6, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 9 co-sponsors