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H.R. 1264: Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2003

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H.R. 1264: Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2003

108th Congress · introduced 2003-03-13 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1240)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2003-03-13 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Baca, Joe [D-CA-43] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1240) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2003

Plain summary

Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to: (1) identify the current backlog of veterans' claims for benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs and to categorize those claims; and (2) identify claims that need further development and refer them to a geographically appropriate County Veterans Service Office. Allows veterans' claims to be submitted to County Veterans Service Officers (in lieu of the Department) and authorizes the Officers to fully develop such claims. Requires appropriate information sharing between the Department's Benefits Delivery Network and the Offices. Requires funding provided by this Act to be allocated to States based on their respective populations of veterans and allocates such funds to the appropriate Office. Prohibits Federal funding from exceeding 50 percent of the costs of Office operations. Allows funding to be used to establish Officer programs in States that do not have one.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Backlog Reduction Act of 2003

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Baca, Joe [D-CA-43] · 72 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

James P. McGovern (D-MA), Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and 12 more.

Agencies named in this bill

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No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong108-hr1264 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong108 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong108