VETRA Act

Bill Number

H.R. 9152

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Armed Forces and National Security

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-06-04: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Last Updated

2026-06-08T17:34:48Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose This legislation directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot program that modernizes the Department of Veterans Affairs' digital identity proofing and authentication systems. The goal is to replace older verification methods with more secure, multi-layered solutions while reducing fraud, improving access for eligible users, and evaluating cost savings before broader rollout.

Key Provisions

• The Secretary must select up to three high-volume digital service platforms for the pilot, such as the disability compensation claims system, veterans health care enrollment portal, educational benefits system, or home loan benefits system.
• The program uses a risk-tiered approach: transactions are categorized by sensitivity and fraud risk, with adaptive authentication that adjusts requirements based on context.
• Digital identity solutions must be commercially available (not custom-built exclusively for the VA), meet or exceed Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) and Authentication Assurance Level 2 (AAL2) standards from National Institute of Standards and Technology guidelines, and comply with existing federal privacy and cybersecurity rules.
• Funding is capped at $25 million from existing Information Technology Systems appropriations, with no new funds authorized.
• Required reports include an implementation plan within 120 days, an interim performance report after one year, and a final report before the pilot ends. The Government Accountability Office must also conduct an independent evaluation.
• The pilot authority ends two years after enactment, and expansion requires new congressional approval.

Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill introduces a new, time-limited pilot program under existing VA authority in chapter 57 of title 38, United States Code. It does not amend or repeal prior statutes but adds specific requirements for digital identity modernization, risk-based authentication, and mandatory reporting and evaluation processes.

Potential Impacts

• Government agencies: The VA may see reduced fraud and improper payments, along with operational efficiencies, though it must manage implementation costs within current budgets.
• Citizens: Veterans and other benefit-eligible individuals could gain more secure and reliable access to online services, with potential improvements in account recovery and reduced barriers for some users.
• International relations: None identified in the legislation.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• The Department of Veterans Affairs and its Secretary.
• Veterans and other individuals eligible for VA benefits.
• Congressional committees on Veterans' Affairs.
• The Government Accountability Office for oversight.
• Vendors providing commercially available digital identity solutions.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation emphasizes compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014. It adopts a risk-based framework to balance security with access, limits the program's scope to prevent automatic expansion, and requires independent evaluation to inform future decisions. No constitutional issues are addressed in the bill itself.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

Recent Actions

• 2026-06-04: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
• 2026-06-04: Introduced in House
• 2026-06-04: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Veterans Electronic Trust and Records Authentication Act — issued 2026-06-04 — PDF (9 pages)