CHOICE for Veterans Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Bergman
In Committee
Summary
Creates regulated accreditation and fee limits for people who help veterans file VA benefits claims. It would set a national recognition system for agents, attorneys, and organizations, standardize fee agreements, and expand claimants' access to no-cost accredited help.
Show full summary
- Veterans and families: Veterans would get a public, quarterly-updated list of accredited representatives and an online warning about fees. The VA must point claimants to recognized organizations that offer no-cost claim preparation.
- Representatives: Agents and attorneys would need formal recognition and a knowledge test and must meet higher continuing education requirements. The VA could grant temporary recognition and charge an assessment of up to $500 for recognition applications.
- Oversight and penalties: The VA would gain audit authority and must report annually to Congress while the Government Accountability Office would review the recognition process. The bill creates civil and criminal-like penalties, requires revocation for violators, and sets a $50,000 penalty for repeat offenses.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Find accredited, no-cost VA claim help
If enacted, the VA would have to tell unrepresented claimants about free, accredited help. The VA would keep a public online list of accredited helpers and update it at least every quarter. Claim portals would show fee warnings and links to that list. You could also report unaccredited preparers and any fees they charged.
Federal rules override conflicting state laws
If enacted, the bill’s federal rules would override any state law that conflicts with them. States could not enforce rules that undercut the rights this bill creates.
New fee limits for VA claims
If enacted, you would see new rules on fees for VA claims. Fees must be contingency-only and may not be more than the lower of $12,500 or five times your monthly benefit increase. If fees are higher than your past‑due award, the representative would have to offer installments, with each payment no more than your monthly increase. Representatives could not charge in some cases, like presumptive service‑connection claims, claims filed on active duty, certain delays they caused, or when the same organization already charged you. The cap would also rise each October 1 with inflation (CPI).
Pension date extended to April 2032
If enacted, a VA pension payment limit date would move from November 30, 2031 to April 30, 2032. This would keep the current rule in place a few months longer.
More oversight of VA recognition program
If enacted, VA and GAO would review and report on how VA recognizes agents and attorneys. VA would finish its own review within 180 days and send recommendations to Congress. GAO would report within one year with findings and suggested fixes. VA would also report to Congress each year on denials, suspensions, and penalties, with reasons.
Criminal ban on unauthorized claim fees
If enacted, it would be a crime to charge or try to charge VA claim fees unless the law allows it. Penalties could include a fine under federal law, up to one year in jail, or both. The VA would define what “preparation, presentation, or prosecution” of a claim means within 90 days, and the new penalty rules would start 180 days after those regulations are issued. The ban would not cover independent medical exams with no business tie to a recognized representative.
Stronger penalties for rule-breaking representatives
If enacted, conditionally recognized representatives who break VA rules could lose recognition and face steep penalties. Each violation could bring a $50,000 fine, a 1‑year bar the first time, and a 10‑year bar after that. The VA would also add new misconduct rules, like poor data security, selling personal data, steering clients to doctors they have business ties with, or using overseas call centers for claim work.
New recognition rules and application fee
If enacted, people seeking VA recognition to help with claims would face new steps. The VA would post an on‑demand knowledge test within 180 days and raise continuing education rules within one year. If VA cannot verify qualifications in 180 days, applicants would get one year of conditional recognition, with 180‑day extensions until verification is done. The VA could charge an application assessment up to $500 to those who plan to charge fees. VA could not deny recognition just for past fee‑charging or for being a nonprofit employee acting in that role.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bergman
MI • R
Cosponsors
Bost
IL • R
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Self
TX • R
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Van Orden
WI • R
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Harris (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Alford
MO • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Van Drew
NJ • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Rouzer
NC • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Miller-Meeks
IA • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Newhouse
WA • R
Sponsored 5/5/2025
Franklin, Scott
FL • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Kelly (PA)
PA • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
DesJarlais
TN • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
LaLota
NY • R
Sponsored 6/2/2025
Moore (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Rose
TN • R
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Moore (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Edwards
NC • R
Sponsored 8/5/2025
Webster (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 9/2/2025
Kustoff
TN • R
Sponsored 9/10/2025
James
MI • R
Sponsored 9/10/2025
Calvert
CA • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Salazar
FL • R
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Lawler
NY • R
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Evans (CO)
CO • R
Sponsored 10/3/2025
McCormick
GA • R
Sponsored 10/8/2025
Crawford
AR • R
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Meuser
PA • R
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Steil
WI • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Smucker
PA • R
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Burchett
TN • R
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Miller (OH)
OH • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Harrigan
NC • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Huizenga
MI • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
McDowell
NC • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Kelly (MS)
MS • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Wagner
MO • R
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Crenshaw
TX • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
McCaul
TX • R
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Stauber
MN • R
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 12/5/2025
Ogles
TN • R
Sponsored 12/15/2025
Dunn (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Bice
OK • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Wied
WI • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Westerman
AR • R
Sponsored 3/16/2026
Gimenez
FL • R
Sponsored 3/20/2026
Knott
NC • R
Sponsored 3/27/2026
Pfluger
TX • R
Sponsored 3/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in