# Plain Language Summary: Veterans Collaboration Act

This bill creates a two-year test program where the Department of Veterans Affairs will team up with nonprofits and colleges to help veterans navigate the claims process. Right now, many veterans struggle to file disability compensation claims or appeals on their own. This bill directs the VA to work with veterans service organizations that have trained staff to help with paperwork and with law schools that offer free legal help to veterans. The goal is to make it easier for veterans to get the benefits they've earned without having to figure out the complicated system alone.

The VA will focus this pilot program in states with the most veterans living there, so the help reaches the people who need it most. The department will also measure which organizations and schools do the best job helping veterans, then try to get more of those high-performing groups involved in the program. This means if a nonprofit or law school proves they're really good at helping veterans succeed with their claims, the VA will actively recruit them to participate.

To spread the word, the VA will use social media to tell veterans about these partnerships and available help. Every three months, the VA has to report back to Congress with numbers showing how many veterans used the program and how well the social media outreach worked. This keeps the program transparent and lets lawmakers see whether this collaboration approach actually helps veterans get their benefits faster and more easily.

Veterans Collaboration Act

Wittman, Robert J.

Veterans Collaboration Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to carry out a two-year pilot program in states with the highest veteran populations to promote collaboration between the VA, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher learning. The VA shall emphasize collaboration with (1) veterans service organizations that provide personnel with appropriate credentials to assist veterans in filing disability compensation claims and appeals with the VA, and (2) educational institutions that provide veterans with pro bono legal assistance.