Bills · HR 1732
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 1732Civil actions and liabilityFraud offenses and financial crimes
GUARD VA Benefits Act
INTRO FEB 27· LAST ACTION MAR 18
READING
2MIN
COSPONSORS
129
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it addresses a long-standing vulnerability for veterans seeking the benefits they earned through their service. For years, a legal loophole made it difficult to punish unscrupulous individuals and companies that charged veterans unlawful fees for help with their VA claims, leading to financial exploitation.
If this bill becomes law, it will restore the government's ability to impose significant fines on those who attempt to defraud veterans. This provides a crucial layer of protection, helping ensure veterans receive the full benefits they are entitled to without losing money to predatory schemes. Without this law, the loophole would remain open, leaving veterans susceptible to continued exploitation and potentially deterring them from seeking necessary assistance for fear of being scammed.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Reinstates penalties for charging veterans unauthorized fees for assistance with VA benefit claims.
This aims to protect veterans from predatory practices and ensures they don't lose money to illegal charges.
PROVISION 02
Amends Title 38, United States Code, to explicitly criminalize the solicitation, contracting for, charging, or receiving of unauthorized fees related to VA claims.
This directly updates federal law to provide a clear legal basis for prosecuting those who exploit veterans.
PROVISION 03
Specifies that violators 'shall be fined as provided in title 18,' referring to the federal criminal code.
This ensures that specific, legally defined financial penalties can be applied to individuals or entities that commit these offenses.
PROVISION 04
Clarifies that the prohibition on fees does not apply to exceptions already allowed by law, such as certain fees charged by accredited representatives (sections 5904 or 1984).
This distinguishes legitimate, regulated fee structures from illegal, unauthorized charges, protecting proper legal representation while penalizing fraud.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 129
D· New Hampshire
YRS IN OFFICE
7
BILLS LED
56
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 25%
DEM 113 REP 16 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
5 EVENTSMAR 18
Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged
MAR 18
Committee Hearings Held
MAR 27
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
FEB 27
Introduced in House
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 1732
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedFeb 27, 2025
Last actionMar 18, 2026
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 27, 2025
House BillHR 1732Civil actions and liabilityFraud offenses and financial crimes
GUARD VA Benefits Act
INTRODUCED FEB 27, 2025· LAST ACTION MAR 18, 2026
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
2 min
COSPONSORS
129
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
