VETRA Act
To prevent identity theft and fraud, this bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to launch a two-year pilot program that upgrades login security for veterans accessing online benefits. Veterans using selected systems—such as disability claims, healthcare enrollment, education, or home loans—will transition away from simple passwords to more secure, multi-layered login verification. The VA will spend up to $25 million from its existing budget on commercially certified verification software to test whether these security upgrades reduce fraudulent payouts and protect veteran data. Independent investigators will also study whether these new security measures accidentally lock out veterans who have disabilities, live in rural areas, or have low digital literacy.
- Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Introduced in House
- Introduced in House
The provisions, in plain language.
The Department of Veterans Affairs must run a two-year pilot program to upgrade digital login security on up to three major online systems (such as those for disability claims, health care enrollment, education, or home loans) by replacing older security methods with commercial, high-security multi-factor authentication.
The Department must adjust its online login requirements so that stricter security checks are only applied when warranted by the sensitivity or fraud risk of a specific online action.
The Department may spend up to $25 million from its existing information technology budget to complete the pilot program, with no new funding authorized.
The Department must submit an implementation plan, a one-year performance report tracking login success and fraud reduction, and a final evaluation with legislative recommendations to Congress.
The Comptroller General of the United States must independently evaluate the pilot program's security standards, costs, and impacts on veterans—specifically examining any access barriers created for rural, disabled, or less tech-savvy individuals—and recommend whether the program should be expanded, modified, or stopped.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Veterans and VA benefit claimantsGain improved secure access to VA digital platforms (such as disability claims and healthcare portals) and reduced risk of identity fraud, with adaptive security checks that only apply stricter requirements when risk warrants it.
- Commercial digital identity vendorsGain business opportunities because the bill mandates that the digital identity solutions used in the pilot must be commercially available and not developed exclusively for the VA.
Who it burdens
- Department of Veterans AffairsMust establish and run a two-year pilot program to upgrade digital login security on up to three major online systems, implement adaptive risk-based authentication, and submit multiple implementation and performance reports to Congress.
- Comptroller General of the United StatesMust conduct an independent evaluation of the pilot program's security, costs, and impacts on veterans (specifically examining barriers for rural, disabled, or less tech-savvy individuals) and submit a report with recommendations to Congress within 18 months.
Who backs it
- Department of Veterans AffairsMust fund the pilot program (up to $25 million) out of its existing Information Technology Systems budget, as no new funds are authorized.