(a) In general.—During the covered period, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not—

(1) take any action to collect a covered debt (including the offset of any payment by the Secretary);

(2) record a covered debt;

(3) issue notice of a covered debt to a person or a consumer reporting agency;

(4) allow any interest to accrue on a covered debt; or

(5) apply any administrative fee to a covered debt.

(b) Exception.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Secretary may collect a payment regarding a covered debt (including interest or any administrative fee) from a person (or the fiduciary of that person) who elects to make such a payment during the covered period.

(c) Definitions.—In this section:

(1) The term “consumer reporting agency” has the meaning given that term in section 5701 of title 38, United States Code.

(2) The term “covered debt” means a debt—

(A) owed by a person (including a fiduciary) to the United States;

(B) arising from a benefit under a covered law; and

(C) that is not subject to recovery under—

(i) section 3729 of title 31, United States Code;

(ii) section 1729 of title 38, United States Code; or

(iii) Public Law 87–693 (42 U.S.C. 2651).

(3) The term “covered law” means any law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs through—

(A) the Under Secretary for Health; or

(B) the Under Secretary for Benefits.

(4) The term “covered period” means—

(A) the COVID-19 emergency period; and

(B) the 60 days immediately following the date of the end of the COVID-19 emergency period.

(5) The term “COVID-19 emergency period” means the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1)(B)).