,i  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #dfaf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,may #h1 #bjad ,mr4   
,o',r\rke 7= himself & ,mr4 ,cook7      
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a 
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs to c>ry out a pilot   
program to provide vet]ans ! option (   
us+ an alt]native appeals process to m  
quickly det]m9e claims = disability     
comp5sation4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act 
may be cit$ z ! ,express ,appeals ,act4 
#b4 ,pilot program on express appeals   
7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs %all c>ry out a pilot program  
to provide ! option ( an alt]native     
appeals process t %all m quickly det]m9e
 su* appeals 9 accordance ) ?is section4
  7b7 ,election  7#a7 ,fil+ ,9          
accordance ) p>agraph 7#b71 a claimant  
may elect to file an express appeal "u !
 pilot program "u subsection 7a7 by fil+
 ) ! ,secret>y ! foll[+3  7,a7 ,! notice
 ( disagreem5t "u *apt] #ga ( title #ch1

 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7,b7 ,all evid5ce
 t ! claimant believes is ne$$ = !      
appeal z ( ! date ( ! fil+4  7,c7 ,a    
/atem5t ( ! argum5t 9 support ( ! claim1
 if any4  7,d7 ,! writt5 election ( !   
claimant to h ! appeal det]m9$ "u !     
pilot program4  7#b7 ,tim+ ,a claimant  
%all make an election "u p>agraph 7#a7--
  7,a7 if ! claimant has fil$ a         
traditional appeal ) respect to ! claim 
= disability comp5sation be=e ! date on 
:i* ! pilot program "u subsection 7a7   
comm5ces1 at any "t dur+ ! traditional  
appeal process2 or  7,b7 if ! claimant  
has n s fil$ a traditional appeal )     
respect to ! claim = disability         
comp5sation be=e su* date1 by n lat] ?an
 #ij days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y
 provides to ! claimant ! notice ( !    
det]m9ation ( ! claim4  7#c7 ,*ange (   
process+ ,if a claimant describ$ 9      
p>agraph 7#b77;,a7 seeks to elect to    
make an election "u p>agraph 7#a7 to    
*ange a traditional appeal to an express
 appeal1 ! ,secret>y %all--  7,a7 in=m !

 claimant ( :e!r1 9 light ( su*         
traditional appeal be+ process$1 !      
claimant w a*ieve any "t sav+s ?r\gh su*
 an express appeal2 &  7,b7 if !        
claimant elects to file su* express     
appeal1 process ! express appeal 9      
accordance ) ?is section to ! ext5t     
practicable4  7#d7 ,rev]sion ,at any "t1
 a claimant :o makes an election "u     
p>agraph 7#a7 may elect to rev]t to !   
traditional appeals process )\t any     
p5alty to ! claimant o!r ?an ! loss ( ! 
docket numb] associat$ ) ! express      
appeal4  7#e7 ,use ( express appeal ,a  
claimant may only make an election "u   
p>agraph 7#a7 ) respect to a claim =    
disability comp5sation fil$ by !        
claimant t is n1 ) respect to a claim   
previ\sly decid$ by express appeal1 a   
petition to reop5 ! claim or a sep>ate  
claim = an increas$ rat+ = ! claim4     
7#f7 ,outrea* ,9 provid+ claimants )    
notices ( ! det]m9ation ( a claim dur+ !
 p]iod 9 :i* ! pilot program "u         
subsection 7a7 is c>ri$ out1 ! ,secret>y

 %all provide to ! claimant in=mation   
reg>d+--  7,a7 ! pilot program2  7,b7 h[
 to make an election "u p>agraph 7#a72  
7,c7 :at docum5ts ! claimant mu/ provide
 dur+ ! c\rse ( ! appeals process2 &    
7,d7 ! ability ( ! claimant to seek     
advice & education reg>d+ su* process f 
vet]ans s]vice organizations & attorneys
 recogniz$ "u *apt] #ei ( title #ch1    
,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7c7 ,treatm5t by  
,dep>tm5t & ,bo>d  7#a7 ,process ,^u !  
election ( a claimant to file an express
 appeal pursuant to subsection 7b77#a71 
! ,secret>y %all--  7,a7 n provide !    
claimant ) a /atem5t ( ! case nor       
require ! claimant to file a sub/antive 
appeal2 &  7,b7 transf] jurisdiction ov]
 ! express appeal directly to ! ,bo>d ( 
,vet]ans' ,appeals4  7#b7 ,docket ,!    
,bo>d ( ,vet]ans' ,appeals %all--  7,a7 
ma9ta9 express appeals on a sep>ate     
docket ?an traditional appeals2  7,b7   
he> express appeals 9 ! ord] t ! express
 appeals are receiv$ on ! express appeal
 docket2 &  7,c7 decide n m ?an "o      

express appeal = ea* f\r traditional    
appeals decid$4  7#c7 ,new evid5ce  7,a7
 ,if a claimant submits to ! ,bo>d (    
,vet]ans' ,appeals any new evid5ce      
relat+ to an express appeal aft] fil+   
su* appeal1 ! claimant may--  7i7 rev]t 
to ! traditional appeals process        
pursuant to subsection 7b77#d7 & use su*
 new evid5ce dur+ ! c\rse ( su* process2
 or  7ii7 )draw su* new evid5ce &       
cont9ue ! express appeal4  7,b7 ,if a   
claimant )draws new evid5ce pursuant to 
subp>agraph 7,a77ii71 ! ,secret>y %all  
in=m ! claimant1 aft] ! ,bo>d decides ! 
express appeal1 ( ! ability ( ! claimant
 to use su* new evid5ce z ! basis = a   
petition to reop5 ! claim or z a sep>ate
 claim = an increas$ rat+4  7#d7        
,prohibition on rem& to regional (fice  
,if ! ,bo>d ( ,vet]ans' ,appeals        
det]m9es t an express appeal requires   
additional in=mation1 includ+ any m$ical
 exam9ation1 ! ,bo>d %all--  7,a7 direct
 ! ,vet]ans ,b5efits ,adm9i/ration to   
take su* actions z may be necess>y to   

develop su* in=mation2  7,b7 reta9      
jurisdiction ( ! express appeal )\t     
requir+ a det]m9ation by ! ,vet]ans     
,b5efits ,adm9i/ration bas$ on su*      
in=mation2  7,c7 direct ! ,vet]ans      
,b5efits ,adm9i/ration to ensure !      
claimant receives a copy ( su*          
in=mation2 &  7,d7 provide ! claimant a 
p]iod ( #de days aft] ! receipt ( su*   
in=mation to provide ! ,bo>d any        
additional evid5ce4  7#e7 ,he>+s        
,not)/&+ section #gajg ( title #ch1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 ! ,bo>d ( ,vet]ans'
 ,appeals may n provide he>+s ) respect 
to express appeals4 ,a claimant may     
reque/ to hold a he>+ pursuant to su*   
section #gajg if ! claimant rev]ts to ! 
traditional appeals process pursuant to 
subsection 7b77#d74  7d7 ,duration2     
application ,! ,secret>y %all c>ry out !
 pilot program "u subsection 7a7 = a    
five-ye> p]iod beg9n+ "o ye> aft] ! date
 ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4 ,?is section  
%all apply only to express appeals t are
 fil$ dur+ su* p]iod4  7e7 ,reports     

,dur+ ea* ye> 9 :i* ! pilot program "u  
subsection 7a7 is c>ri$ out1 ! ,secret>y
 %all submit to ! ,committees on        
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate a report on !
 pilot program4 ,! fir/ su* report %all 
be submitt$ by n lat] ?an #ahj days aft]
 ! date on :i* ! pilot program comm5ces4
  7f7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3  7#a7 
,! t]m claimant has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9
 section #eajj ( title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code4  7#b7 ,! t]m comp5sation  
has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #aja ( 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7#c7 ,!
 t]m express appeal means an appeal ( a 
claim = disability comp5sation t is--   
7,a7 fil$ by a claimant 9 accordance )  
subsection 7b77#a72 &  7,b7 consid]$ 9  
accordance ) ?is section4  7#d7 ,! t]m  
traditional appeal means an appeal ( a  
claim = disability comp5sation t is n an
 express appeal4