# 117-hr-8736: GUARD VA Benefits Act

117-hr-8736, GUARD VA Benefits Act, is a 117th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH); status Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-8736
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 117-hr-8736
- Congress: 117
- Title: GUARD VA Benefits Act
- Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
- Introduced: 2022-08-19
- Sponsor: Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH)
- Cosponsors: 118
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes criminal penalties and/or fines on individuals for directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine or imprisonment.

## Cosponsors (118)

- Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17] (R-TX), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50] (D-CA), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2] (R-NJ), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4] (D-PA), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1] (D-NV), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11] (D-VA), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Axne, Cynthia [D-IA-3] (D-IA), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] (D-TN), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1] (R-WV), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lawrence, Brenda L. [D-MI-14] (D-MI), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12] (D-NY), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. San Nicolas, Michael F. Q. [D-GU-At Large] (D-GU), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] (D-CA), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9] (D-MA), 2022-09-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13] (D-OH), 2022-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (D-CA), 2022-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3] (D-KS), 2022-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA), 2022-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Resident Commissioner González-Colón, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large] (R-PR), 2022-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14] (D-IL), 2022-09-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1] (D-MA), 2022-09-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kirkpatrick, Ann [D-AZ-1] (D-AZ), 2022-09-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Luria, Elaine G. [D-VA-2] (D-VA), 2022-09-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO), 2022-09-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6] (D-PA), 2022-09-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wild, Susan [D-PA-7] (D-PA), 2022-09-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10] (D-WA), 2022-09-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2] (R-NY), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Green, Mark E. [R-TN-7] (R-TN), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stefanik, Elise M. [R-NY-21] (R-NY), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3] (R-FL), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7] (D-AZ), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large] (R-AS), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4] (R-TN), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (R-VA), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Manning, Kathy E. [D-NC-6] (D-NC), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] (D-FL), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15] (R-PA), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Higgins, Brian [D-NY-26] (D-NY), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1] (R-CA), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2] (D-RI), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2] (D-MN), 2022-09-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McEachin, A. Donald [D-VA-4] (D-VA), 2022-09-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. LaTurner, Jake [R-KS-2] (R-KS), 2022-09-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21] (D-CA), 2022-09-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8] (D-CA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5] (R-NC), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11] (D-IL), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Spanberger, Abigail Davis [D-VA-7] (D-VA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22] (R-CA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kilmer, Derek [D-WA-6] (D-WA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2] (R-IA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7] (D-TX), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (D-IL), 2022-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] (D-CA), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1] (R-MN), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2] (D-IL), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D-CA-40] (D-CA), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6] (D-MI), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6] (D-GA), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] (D-NJ), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1] (D-HI), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Buck, Ken [R-CO-4] (R-CO), 2022-09-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8] (D-WA), 2022-09-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36] (D-CA), 2022-09-28T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9] (D-OH), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] (D-IL), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cárdenas, Tony [D-CA-29] (D-CA), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1] (D-OR), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11] (D-MI), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Trone, David J. [D-MD-6] (D-MD), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Joyce, David P. [R-OH-14] (R-OH), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lesko, Debbie [R-AZ-8] (R-AZ), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] (D-CO), 2022-10-25T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Buchanan, Vern [R-FL-16] (R-FL), 2022-12-01T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33] (D-TX), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Phillips, Dean [D-MN-3] (D-MN), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Franklin, Scott [R-FL-18] (R-FL), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51] (D-CA), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-34] (D-TX), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8] (D-PA), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] (D-TX), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Bill [R-OH-6] (R-OH), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hern, Kevin [R-OK-1] (R-OK), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jones, Mondaire [D-NY-17] (D-NY), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Allred, Colin Z. [D-TX-32] (D-TX), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2] (D-CT), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4] (D-AZ), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2] (D-PA), 2022-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kildee, Daniel T. [D-MI-8] (D-MI), 2022-12-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ellzey, Jake [R-TX-6] (R-TX), 2022-08-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bustos, Cheri [D-IL-17] (D-IL), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cicilline, David N. [D-RI-1] (D-RI), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Grothman, Glenn [R-WI-6] (R-WI), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3] (R-LA), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2] (D-NH), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] (D-MA), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] (D-AZ), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47] (D-CA), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Sablan, Gregorio Kilili Camacho [D-MP-At Large] (D-MP), 2022-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 117-hr-1282: Major Richard Star Act
- 117-hr-5577: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 Crown Road Southwest in Atlanta, Georgia, as the "John R. Lewis Post Office Build…
- 117-hr-3630: Lymphedema Treatment Act
- 117-hr-82: Social Security Fairness Act of 2021
- 117-hr-3537: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act
- 117-hr-1842: Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act

## Sources
- [117-hr-8736 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8736)

## Related
- [117-hr-1282: Major Richard Star Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-1282)
- [117-hr-5577: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3900 C…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-5577)
- [117-hr-3630: Lymphedema Treatment Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3630)
- [117-hr-82: Social Security Fairness Act of 2021](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-82)
- [117-hr-3537: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-3537)
- [117-hr-1842: Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-1842)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/117-hr-8736 (as of 2025-11-18).