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HR 984

CONGRATS-REP. LANCE YEDNOCK

103rd Regular Session Introduced by Dave Vella

Imposes a 120-day deadline on VA action after debt determinations and requires canceling debt-collection contracts if the indebtedness is found in error, shielding veterans.

Placed on Calendar Agreed Resolutions
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Bill Summary · HR 984

Summary — H.R. 984

Status: Placed on Calendar — Agreed Resolutions
Introduced: February 5, 2025
Classification: Resolution
Primary sponsors (as listed): Derrick Van Orden; Dar’shun Kendrick; Karla Drenner; Saira Draper; Imani Barnes; Shea Roberts; Karen Bennett

Note on source material: the available record for H.R. 984 appears to contain two distinct texts merged together — (A) short amendments to Title 38, U.S. Code concerning VA debt determinations and debt-collection contracts, and (B) a state House memorial/congratulatory resolution honoring Janel Jeras Green (Georgia House language LC 129 0497). The legislative action timeline likewise mixes procedural steps typical of a state House local & consent calendar with federal-style references. Because of these inconsistencies, the summary below separates and explains both components and highlights areas requiring verification with the official legislative source.

Overview / Purpose

  • Part A (Federal statutory text fragment): Proposes to strengthen VA procedural obligations when determining indebtedness and to require cancellation of debt-collection contracts when a VA determination of indebtedness is found to be erroneous. The changes are targeted at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ handling of beneficiary debt and contracts with private debt collectors.
  • Part B (State resolution text): A Georgia House resolution honoring the life and service of Janel Jeras Green, expressing sympathy and directing that a copy be provided to her family.

Key provisions (as provided)

Part A — Amendments to Title 38, U.S. Code
- Section 503 amendment: Replace occurrences of the word “may” with language making it mandatory — specifically inserting “shall, not later than 120 days after such determination,” — thereby imposing a 120-day deadline on an unspecified Secretary action following a determination (text fragment does not show full sentence).
- Section 5314 amendment (new paragraph (3) in subsection (a)): Requires the Secretary to “promptly cancel any agreement” with a debt collector (as that term is defined in 15 U.S.C. 1692a, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) to collect an indebtedness described in paragraph (1), if the Secretary determines the indebtedness was in error.

Part B — Georgia House Resolution (LC 129 0497 / H.R. 984)
- Honors the life and memory of Janel Jeras Green (born Oct 28, 1968; deceased Nov 2, 2023).
- Recites her community work (Georgia Alliance for Social Justice, March For Our Lives organizing, voter registration and civic engagement) and expresses the House’s regret at her passing.
- Directs the Clerk to make an appropriate copy of the resolution available to the family.

Who is affected

  • Part A: Veterans, beneficiaries, and their families who may be determined to owe money to the VA; the Department of Veterans Affairs and its contracting practices; private debt collectors engaged under VA agreements.
  • Part B: The family, friends, and community of Janel Jeras Green; members of the Georgia House of Representatives (ceremonial recognition).

Procedural / Timeline notes (as reported)

  • Introduced in House: 2025-02-05
  • Referred to House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: 2025-02-05
  • Referred to Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations: 2025-03-07
  • Reported enrolled: 2025-05-24; Placed on Congrat. & Memorial Res. Calendar and Adopted: 2025-05-23 (state-style actions)
  • Subcommittee hearings held: 2025-06-11 (appears after adoption in the record — suggests mixed/overlapping records)
  • Additional state-house procedural entries (Filed, Read and Adopted, Local & Consent Calendars) dated April–May 2025.

Impact assessment

  • Part A: If enacted, the changes would create a mandatory timing obligation (120 days) for the Secretary in the specified circumstance and protect individuals from continued collection actions by requiring cancellation of debt-collection contracts when indebtedness determinations are found erroneous. This could reduce harm to veterans from unlawful or erroneous collections and shift administrative responsibilities onto the VA (and potentially affect contracts with private collectors).
  • Part B: Solely ceremonial; no substantive legal or fiscal effect.

Important caveats / recommended next steps

  • The available text appears conflated between two different measures (federal statutory amendments and a state commemorative resolution). Confirm the authoritative bill text via the official legislative repository:
    • For federal action: Congress.gov (H.R. 984) or the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee docket.
    • For Georgia state resolution: the Georgia General Assembly bill tracker for LC 129 0497 / H.R. 984.
  • Verify sponsor attributions and which chamber/state the resolution applies to, since sponsor names and procedural entries mix federal and state patterns.

If you want, I can fetch and compare the official text(s) and create a corrected, single-source summary.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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