SAFEGUARD Veterans Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
In Committee
Summary
Recriminalizes charging veterans unauthorized fees and builds a transparent, VA-run accreditation system for people who help with VA benefit claims. This bill would create criminal penalties and bar offenders from VA recognition while requiring public lists, disclosure forms, and stronger safeguards against predatory communications.
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- Veterans: Stronger protections. Charging a veteran unauthorized fees would be punishable by fines or up to one year in prison, and offenders would be barred from VA recognition for one year for a first violation and 10 years for each subsequent violation.
- Claimants and accredited helpers: Claimants could only get assistance from VA-recognized agents or attorneys or those under their direct supervision. The VA must add fee questions to claim forms, let claimants name their helper, and maintain an online list of accredited, suspended, or excluded persons updated at least quarterly.
- VA operations and oversight: The VA must complete rulemaking within 90 days and review recognition rules within 180 days. The department must build an accreditation system with 99.9% uptime that accepts complaints and report staffing and cost estimates for administering Chapter 59 in budget submissions.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Stop unauthorized fees for veterans
The bill would make it a crime to charge a fee for preparing, presenting, or prosecuting a VA benefits claim except where other law allows. Violators could face a federal fine, up to one year in jail, or both. The VA would have to bar violators from being recognized as agents or attorneys for one year for a first offense and 10 years for later offenses. The bill would also say only VA-recognized agents or attorneys, or people they directly supervise, may help claimants. It would define what counts as claim preparation but would not treat private doctors giving medical opinions or expert reports as claim preparation. Federal rules would override conflicting state rules about recognition and fee agreements.
VA list, complaints, and warnings
The bill would require the VA to run an online, searchable list of recognized agents and of people who are suspended or excluded. The system would let agents certify their status and let clients file complaints about misconduct. Every VA claim form and filing portal would have a question asking if you were charged for help and let you name who helped. VA websites would show fee warnings and links to the accredited list and to report non-accredited representatives. A warning telling veterans not to share VA or bank log-ins would start 180 days after enactment and be run by the Chief Veterans Experience Officer.
VA rulemaking, review, and budgets
The bill would make VA include cost and staff estimates for administering recognition rules in the documents it sends with the President's budget. Not later than 180 days after enactment, VA would review recognition regulations and send findings and recommendations to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. The VA General Counsel would have to start rulemaking within 90 days to define key terms and implement the new penalties.
Ban on automated robocalls to agencies
The bill would prohibit using automated calling equipment that, after being turned on, makes repeated calls and exchanges information with phone numbers assigned to a federal department or agency when the equipment is run by someone other than the call's intended party. This aims to curb autonomous robocalls to agency phone lines and reduce predatory outreach.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
NH • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5]
OR • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
MA • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]
MN • D
Sponsored 6/2/2026
Rep. Golden, Jared F. [D-ME-2]
ME • D
Sponsored 6/29/2026
Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/29/2026
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
CT • D
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7]
NJ • R
Sponsored 8/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov