38 U.S.C. § 501 — Rules and regulations

(a) The Secretary can write any rules and regulations needed to carry out the laws the Department administers, as long as they match those laws. This includes: (1) rules about what proof and evidence are needed to establish a right to benefits, and how to gather and submit them; (2) the forms claimants must use to apply; (3) how investigations and medical exams are conducted; and (4) how decisions and awards are made and written up. (b) Any rule, regulation, guideline, or other published interpretation or order (and any changes to it) issued under this section or any other part of this title must cite the specific law or legal authority it's based on. That citation must appear right after each substantive part of the document. (c) When applying section 552(a)(1) of title 5 to the Department, the Secretary must make sure the Department follows subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E) of that section — especially for opinions and interpretations from the General Counsel. (d) Section 553 of title 5 — the public rulemaking process — applies to matters involving loans, grants, or benefits the Secretary administers, except that subsection (a)(2) of that section (which would otherwise exempt these matters) does not apply.