Congressman Hamadeh Introduces Standardized Accreditation Information for Veteran Ease (SAVE) Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of his commitment to work across the aisle for the benefit of our nation’s Veterans, Congressman Abraham J. Hamadeh (AZ-08) has joined Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-04) in introducing H.R.1746, the Standardized Accreditation Information for Veteran Ease (SAVE) Act.

The SAVE Act is endorsed by the Arizona Department of Veterans Services, Veterans of Foreign Wars of Arizona, and Disabled Vets of America.

"I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan effort to ensure that Arizona's Veterans have access to accurate and up-to-date information so that they can file for the benefits they earned serving our country so selflessly. Veterans should not have to question whether or not the information provided by a government agency could put them at risk of fraudsters or unaccredited organizations that would take advantage of their need for assistance."

Federal laws and regulations require individuals to be accredited by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ (VA) Office of General Counsel to assist a Veteran with benefit claims.

This bipartisan bill aims to prevent Veterans from being preyed upon by nefarious actors by issuing a certification symbol to be used on the websites and other promotional materials by recognized individuals and organizations serving Veterans and their families.

The certification symbol would help veterans more easily differentiate between those who are legitimately accredited by the VA and those who are not. The Act also requires the VA to establish civil penalties for misuse of the certification symbol.

According to Congressman Stanton, despite the VA’s claims that it updates three times a week a database of accredited attorneys, claims agents, and veterans service organizations’ (VSO) representatives, when his office called through 100 listed phone numbers, less than half were currently accredited and practicing.

The SAVE ACT will:

- Require the VA to remind recognized individuals or organizations to update their contact information once per year and to update the public database accordingly.

- Create a certification symbol for recognized individuals to use on websites and other promotional materials.

- Require the VA to submit an annual report to Congress listing the requirements that individuals must meet to be recognized to prepare, present, and prosecute claims before the VA—plus what information VA gathers on each person and how VA verifies that information for accuracy.

Read H.R.1746 here.