{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-tuberville-legislation-to-restore-benefits-to-defrauded-veterans/", "Senate Passes Tuberville Legislation to Restore Benefits to Defrauded Veterans", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "AL", "Tommy Tuberville", "T000278", "www.tuberville.senate.gov", "tuberville", "https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/press-releases/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Last night, the U.S. Senate passed the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act, Senator Tuberville\u2019s legislation to reissue benefits to defrauded veterans. The bill will now head to President Biden\u2019s desk to be signed into law.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019d like to believe we live in a country where no one would take advantage of our veterans, but sadly it does happen. What\u2019s worse is if the money that was lost to fraud is never returned. This bill attempts to help right that wrong by ensuring a veteran\u2019s estate can be reimbursed for any funds that were lost to fraud should the veteran pass away before the funds have been reimbursed. It\u2019s my priority to find ways to make the government work better for the American people, and this bill is a small step toward doing just that for our veterans,\u201d said Senator Tuberville.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nAs Alabama\u2019s voice on the Senate Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee, Senator Tuberville has introduced multiple pieces of targeted legislation to help veterans and their families, including the Supporting Families of the Fallen Act that was signed into law in 2022. Senator Tuberville originally introduced the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act with Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) in 2022, and then reintroduced it again this Congress in February 2023.\n\nUnder current law, if a veteran passes away before the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) has determined that the veteran was defrauded of his or her benefits, the funds are not distributed to the veteran\u2019s family or estate. This legislation would change that statute to allow a deceased beneficiary\u2019s estate to receive reissued funds.\n\nSpecifically, the Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act would:\n\nRequire the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reissue misused benefits to a beneficiary\u2019s estate in cases where the beneficiary predeceased reissuance.\n\nProvide reissued benefits to either the veteran\u2019s estate, successor, or next inheritor.\n\nThe Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act is endorsed by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wounded Warrior Project, and the American Legion.\n\nMORE:\n\nTuberville Continues Work to Protect Vets from Predatory Lawyers\n\nTuberville Pushes Legislation to Improve Quality, Access to Care for Veterans\n\nTuberville Veterans Bill Passes Senate, Will Streamline Post-9/11 GI Bill Benefits\n\nTuberville Op-Ed in The Birmingham News: Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference\n\nTuberville Holds VA Accountable for Facilitating Drug Abuse\n\nTuberville\u2019s Second Bill Becomes Law\n\nTuberville Denounces Settlement to Rehire Fired VA Employees\n\nTuberville Joins Legislation to Expand Access to CDL Programs for Veterans\n\nSenator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans\u2019 Affairs, and HELP Committees.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-tuberville-legislation-to-restore-benefits-to-defrauded-veterans/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6427731607109308, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}