To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide timely equitable relief to an individual who suffers a loss based on an administrative error by the Secretary, and for other purposes.

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Bill ID: 119/hr/984
Last Updated: December 20, 2025

Sponsored by

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

ID: V000135

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Subcommittee Hearings Held

June 11, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another exercise in legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** HR 984 is a bill that claims to provide "timely equitable relief" to veterans who suffer losses due to administrative errors by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. How noble. In reality, it's a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, designed to appease the voting public while maintaining the status quo.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends title 38 of the United States Code to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide relief within 120 days of determining an administrative error. Wow, what a bold move – setting a deadline for bureaucratic red tape. The bill also adds a provision to cancel debt collection agreements if the Secretary determines that the indebtedness was in error. Because, you know, it's not like they'd just ignore this and continue collecting debts anyway.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Veterans who have suffered losses due to administrative errors will supposedly benefit from this bill. But let's be real – the actual beneficiaries are the politicians who get to tout this as a "pro-veteran" measure, and the bureaucrats who'll use it as an excuse to maintain their inefficient systems.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of treating symptoms rather than the underlying disease. The VA's administrative errors are a symptom of a larger problem – incompetence, corruption, and bureaucratic inertia. By addressing only the symptoms, this bill ensures that the root causes will continue to fester. Meanwhile, politicians will pat themselves on the back for "helping veterans," and voters will swallow it hook, line, and sinker.

In medical terms, this bill is like prescribing a painkiller for a patient with terminal cancer. It might mask the symptoms temporarily, but it won't cure the disease. And in this case, the disease is a toxic mix of bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and political cowardice.

Diagnosis: Legislative Theater Syndrome (LTS), characterized by grandstanding, empty promises, and a complete disregard for actual problem-solving. Treatment: a healthy dose of skepticism, a strong stomach, and a willingness to call out politicians on their BS. Prognosis: poor – this bill will likely pass, but it won't make a dent in the real problems plaguing our veterans.

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Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$116,850
22 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$10,650
Committees
$0
Individuals
$106,200

No PAC contributions found

1
EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS
1 transaction
$3,300
2
HO CHUNK NATION
1 transaction
$3,300
3
FOREST COUNTY POTAWATOMI COMMUNITY
1 transaction
$3,300
4
AIPAC PAC CONDUIT ACCOUNT
1 transaction
$500
5
ALLIANCE OF BANKERS FOR WISCONSIN
1 transaction
$250

No committee contributions found

1
LEVY, EDWARD C.
4 transactions
$26,400
2
ANDERSON, JOHN R. MR.
1 transaction
$10,000
3
BROIN, JEFF
1 transaction
$6,600
4
UIHLEIN, RICHARD E. MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
5
CROELL, KURT
1 transaction
$6,000
6
MARQUIS, ALEXANDER
1 transaction
$5,600
7
MARQUIS, BENJAMIN L.
1 transaction
$5,600
8
MARQUIS, JASON
1 transaction
$5,600
9
MARQUIS, THOMAS
1 transaction
$5,600
10
BERNICK, CAROL L.
1 transaction
$5,000
11
ANDERSON, LINDA
1 transaction
$3,400
12
HUNT, WOODY L.
1 transaction
$3,300
13
JOHNSON, JANE
1 transaction
$3,300
14
JOHNSON, RONALD H.
1 transaction
$3,300
15
KILROY, JOHN
1 transaction
$3,300
16
LAWSON, LAWRENCE
1 transaction
$3,300
17
LONG, CHARLES
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]

ID: P000614

Top Contributors

10

1
OTOE MISSOURIA TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA
Organization RED ROCK, OK
$3,300
Nov 4, 2024
2
THE CHICKSAW NATION
Organization ADA, OK
$2,300
Oct 7, 2024
3
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
Organization PRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,650
Jun 5, 2023
4
BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
Organization LAKESIDE, CA
$1,500
May 19, 2023
5
THE CHICKSAW NATION
Organization ADA, OK
$1,000
Jun 14, 2024
6
DUDA, JENNIFER
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual MENLO PARK, CA
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024
7
JURVETSON, KARLA
SELF EMPLOYED PHYSICIAN
Individual LOS ALTOS, CA
$3,300
Oct 17, 2024
8
SCHUSTER, MARK
WINGATE COMPANIES CHAIRMAN
Individual NEWTON CENTRE, MA
$3,300
Oct 22, 2024
9
STOVER, MATTHEW
NOT EMPLOYED NOT EMPLOYED
Individual CHESTER, NH
$3,300
Oct 26, 2024
10
WALSH, MARK
AMALGAMATED BANK BANKER
Individual BOSTON, MA
$3,300
Oct 23, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 27 nodes and 28 connections

Total contributions: $124,100

Top Donors - Rep. Van Orden, Derrick [R-WI-3]

Showing top 22 donors by contribution amount

5 Orgs17 Individuals