-CITE- 38 USC CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION -HEAD- CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION -MISC1- SUBCHAPTER I - ORGANIZATION; GENERAL Sec. 7701. Organization of the Administration. 7703. Functions of the Administration. SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE 7731. Establishment. 7732. Functions. 7733. Personnel. 7734. Annual report to Congress. AMENDMENTS 2006 - Pub. L. 109-233, title IV, Sec. 402(d)(2), June 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 411, substituted "QUALITY ASSURANCE" for "VETERANS OUTREACH SERVICES PROGRAM" in item for subchapter II and struck out former items 7721 "Purpose; definitions", 7722 "Outreach services", 7723 "Veterans assistance offices", 7724 "Outstationing of counseling and outreach personnel", 7725 "Use of other agencies", 7726 "Annual report to Congress", 7727 "Outreach for eligible dependents", and subchapter III "QUALITY ASSURANCE". 2001 - Pub. L. 107-14, Sec. 6(b)(2), June 5, 2001, 115 Stat. 31, added item 7727. 1999 - Pub. L. 106-117, title VIII, Sec. 801(a)(2), Nov. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 1586, added heading for subchapter III and items 7731 to 7734. -End- -CITE- 38 USC SUBCHAPTER I - ORGANIZATION; GENERAL 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER I - ORGANIZATION; GENERAL -HEAD- SUBCHAPTER I - ORGANIZATION; GENERAL -End- -CITE- 38 USC Sec. 7701 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER I - ORGANIZATION; GENERAL -HEAD- Sec. 7701. Organization of the Administration -STATUTE- (a) There is in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Veterans Benefits Administration. The primary function of the Veterans Benefits Administration is the administration of nonmedical benefits programs of the Department which provide assistance to veterans and their dependents and survivors. (b) The Veterans Benefits Administration is under the Under Secretary for Benefits, who is directly responsible to the Secretary for the operations of the Administration. The Under Secretary for Benefits may be referred to as the Chief Benefits Director. -SOURCE- (Added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 399; amended Pub. L. 102-405, title III, Sec. 302(c)(1), (3), Oct. 9, 1992, 106 Stat. 1984.) -MISC1- AMENDMENTS 1992 - Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102-405 substituted "Under Secretary for Benefits" for "Chief Benefits Director" and inserted at end "The Under Secretary for Benefits may be referred to as the Chief Benefits Director." -End- -CITE- 38 USC Sec. 7703 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER I - ORGANIZATION; GENERAL -HEAD- Sec. 7703. Functions of the Administration -STATUTE- The Veterans Benefits Administration is responsible for the administration of the following programs of the Department: (1) Compensation and pension programs. (2) Vocational rehabilitation and educational assistance programs. (3) Veterans' housing loan programs. (4) Veterans' and servicemembers' life insurance programs. (5) Outreach programs and other veterans' services programs. -SOURCE- (Added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 399.) -End- -CITE- 38 USC SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE -HEAD- SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE -MISC1- PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior subchapter II of this chapter, consisting of sections 7721 to 7727, related to the veterans outreach services program, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109-233, title IV, Sec. 402(c), June 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 411. See chapter 63 of this title. Section 7721, added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 400; amended Pub. L. 107-14, Sec. 6(a), June 5, 2001, 115 Stat. 30, stated purpose of program and defined "other governmental programs" and "eligible dependent" for purposes of the subchapter. See section 6301 of this title. Section 7722, added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 400; amended Pub. L. 102-590, Sec. 5, Nov. 10, 1992, 106 Stat. 5139; Pub. L. 107-103, title III, Sec. 304, Dec. 27, 2001, 115 Stat. 992, directed Secretary to provide outreach services. See section 6303 of this title. Section 7723, added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 401; amended Pub. L. 107-103, title III, Sec. 301, Dec. 27, 2001, 115 Stat. 991; Pub. L. 108-183, title III, Sec. 309(c)(1), Dec. 16, 2003, 117 Stat. 2663, directed Secretary to establish and maintain veterans assistance offices. See section 6304 of this title. Section 7724, added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 401, related to outstationing of counseling and outreach personnel. See section 6305 of this title. Section 7725, added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 401, related to use of other agencies. See section 6306 of this title. Section 7726, added Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 2(b), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 402, related to the required annual report to Congress. See section 6308 of this title. Section 7727, added Pub. L. 107-14, Sec. 6(b)(1), June 5, 2001, 115 Stat. 31, related to outreach for eligible dependents. See section 6307 of this title. AMENDMENTS 2006 - Pub. L. 109-233, title IV, Sec. 402(d)(1), June 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 411, redesignated subchapter III of this chapter as this subchapter. -End- -CITE- 38 USC Sec. 7731 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE -HEAD- Sec. 7731. Establishment -STATUTE- (a) The Secretary shall carry out a quality assurance program in the Veterans Benefits Administration. The program may be carried out through a single quality assurance division in the Administration or through separate quality assurance entities for each of the principal organizational elements (known as "services") of the Administration. (b) The Secretary shall ensure that any quality assurance entity established and operated under subsection (a) is established and operated so as to meet generally applicable governmental standards for independence and internal controls for the performance of quality reviews of Government performance and results. -SOURCE- (Added Pub. L. 106-117, Sec. 801(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 1585.) -MISC1- EFFECTIVE DATE Pub. L. 106-117, title VIII, Sec. 801(b), Nov. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 1586, provided that: "Subchapter III [now Subchapter II] of chapter 77 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect at the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 30, 1999]." -End- -CITE- 38 USC Sec. 7732 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE -HEAD- Sec. 7732. Functions -STATUTE- The Under Secretary for Benefits, acting through the quality assurance entities established under section 7731(a), shall on an ongoing basis perform and oversee quality reviews of the functions of each of the principal organizational elements of the Veterans Benefits Administration. -SOURCE- (Added Pub. L. 106-117, Sec. 801(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 1585.) -End- -CITE- 38 USC Sec. 7733 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE -HEAD- Sec. 7733. Personnel -STATUTE- The Secretary shall ensure that the number of full-time employees of the Veterans Benefits Administration assigned to quality assurance functions under this subchapter is adequate to perform the quality assurance functions for which they have responsibility. -SOURCE- (Added Pub. L. 106-117, Sec. 801(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 1585.) -End- -CITE- 38 USC Sec. 7734 01/08/2008 -EXPCITE- TITLE 38 - VETERANS' BENEFITS PART V - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES CHAPTER 77 - VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SUBCHAPTER II - QUALITY ASSURANCE -HEAD- Sec. 7734. Annual report to Congress -STATUTE- The Secretary shall include in the annual report to the Congress required by section 529 of this title a report on the quality assurance activities carried out under this subchapter. Each such report shall include - (1) an appraisal of the quality of services provided by the Veterans Benefits Administration, including - (A) the number of decisions reviewed; (B) a summary of the findings on the decisions reviewed; (C) the number of full-time equivalent employees assigned to quality assurance in each division or entity; (D) specific documentation of compliance with the standards for independence and internal control required by section 7731(b) of this title; and (E) actions taken to improve the quality of services provided and the results obtained; (2) information with respect to the accuracy of decisions, including trends in that information; and (3) such other information as the Secretary considers appropriate. -SOURCE- (Added Pub. L. 106-117, Sec. 801(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 1585.) -End-