,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ibh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,may #i1 #bjac ,mr4 
,sanders introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs  ,a  
,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 to improve the processing
 of claims for compensation under laws  
administered by the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title2 table of   
contents  7a7 ,short title ,this ,act   
may be cited as the ,claims ,processing 
,improvement ,act of #bjac4  7b7 ,table 
of contents ,the table of contents for  
this ,act is as follows3  ,sec4 #a4     
,short title2 table of contents4 ,,title
 ,i--,agency of original jurisdiction   
,sec4 #aja4 ,establishment of working   
group to improve employee work credit   
and work management systems of ,veterans
 ,benefits ,administration4 ,sec4 #ajb4 
,establishment of task force on         
retention and training of ,department of

 ,veterans ,affairs claims processors   
and adjudicators4 ,sec4 #ajc4           
,streamlining non-,department of        
,veterans ,affairs ,federal records     
requests4 ,sec4 #ajd4 ,recognition of   
representatives of ,indian tribes in the
 preparation1 presentation1 and         
prosecution of claims under laws        
administered by the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs4 ,sec4 #aje4 ,pilot  
program on participation of local and   
tribal governments in improving quality 
of claims for disability compensation   
submitted to ,department of ,veterans   
,affairs4 ,sec4 #ajf4 ,quarterly reports
 on progress of ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs in eliminating backlog of     
claims for compensation that have not   
been adjudicated4 ,,title ,,ii--,board  
of ,veterans' ,appeals and ,court of    
,appeals for ,veterans ,claims ,sec4    
#bja4 ,modification of filing period for
 notice of disagreement to initiate     
appellate review of decisions of        
,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 ,sec4

 #bjb4 ,determination of manner of      
appearance for hearings before ,board of
 ,veterans' ,appeals4 ,sec4 #bjc4       
,disclosure of certain medical records  
in appellate proceedings in certain     
courts4 ,,title ,,iii--,other matters   
,sec4 #cja4 ,extension of authority for 
operations of ,manila ,department of    
,veterans ,affairs ,regional ,office4   
,sec4 #cjb4 ,extended period for        
scheduling of medical exams for veterans
 receiving temporary disability ratings 
for severe mental disorder4 ,sec4 #cjc4 
,extension of marriage delimiting date  
for surviving spouses of ,persian ,gulf 
,war veterans to qualify for death      
pension4 ,sec4 #cjd4 ,making effective  
date provision consistent with provision
 for benefits eligibility of a veteran's
 child based upon termination of        
remarriage by annulment4 ,sec4 #cje4    
,extension of temporary authority for   
performance of medical disabilities     
examinations by contract physicians4  ,i
 ,agency of original jurisdiction  #aja4

 ,establishment of working group to     
improve employee work credit and work   
management systems of ,veterans         
,benefits ,administration  7a7 ,in      
general ,not later than #ij days after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs    
shall establish a working group to      
assess and develop recommendations for  
the improvement of the employee work    
credit and work management systems of   
the ,veterans ,benefits ,administration4
  7b7 ,composition ,the working group   
shall be composed of the following3     
7#a7 ,the ,secretary or the ,secretary's
 designee4  7#b7 ,individuals selected  
by the ,secretary from among employees  
of the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs
 who--  7,a7 handle claims for          
compensation and pension benefits2 and  
7,b7 are recommended to the ,secretary  
by a labor organization for purposes of 
this section4  7#c7 ,not fewer than     
three individuals selected by the       
,secretary to represent different       

organizations recognized by the         
,secretary for the representation of    
veterans under section #eijb of title   
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  7c7 ,duties
 ,the duties of the working group are as
 follows3  7#a7 ,to assess and develop  
recommendations for the improvement of  
the employee work credit and work       
management systems of the ,veterans     
,benefits ,administration4  7#b7 ,to    
develop a data based methodology to be  
used in revising the employee work      
credit system of the ,department and a  
schedule by which revisions to such     
system should be made4  7#c7 ,to assess 
and develop recommendations for         
improvement of the resource allocation  
model of the ,veterans ,benefits        
,administration4  7d7 ,review and       
incorporation of findings from prior    
study ,in carrying out its duties under 
subsection 7c71 the working group shall 
review the findings and conclusions of  
the ,secretary regarding previous       
studies of the employee work credit and 

work management systems of the ,veterans
 ,benefits ,administration4  7e7        
,reports  7#a7 ,interim report ,not     
later than #ahj days after the date of  
the establishment of the working group1 
the working group shall submit to       
,congress a report on the progress of   
the working group4  7#b7 ,final report  
,not later than one year after the date 
of the establishment of the working     
group1 the working group shall submit to
 ,congress the methodology and schedule 
developed under subsection 7c77#b74  7f7
 ,implementation of methodology and     
schedule ,after submitting the report   
under subsection 7e71 the ,secretary    
shall take such actions as may be       
necessary to apply the methodology      
developed under subsection 7c77#b7 and  
apply such methodology according to the 
schedule developed under such           
subsection4  #ajb4 ,establishment of    
task force on retention and training of 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs claims
 processors and adjudicators  7a7       

,establishment ,the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs shall establish a    
task force to assess retention and      
training of claims processors and       
adjudicators that are employed by the   
,department of ,veterans ,affairs and   
other ,federal agencies and departments4
  7b7 ,composition ,the task force shall
 be composed of the following3  7#a7    
,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4  
7#b7 ,the ,director of the ,office of   
,personnel ,management4  7#c7 ,the      
,commissioner of ,social ,security4     
7#d7 ,an individual selected by the     
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs who    
represents an organization recognized by
 the ,secretary for the representation  
of veterans under section #eijb of title
 #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  7#e7 ,such
 other individuals selected by the      
,secretary who represent such other     
organizations and institutions as the   
,secretary considers appropriate4  7c7  
,duration ,the task force established   
under subsection 7a7 shall terminate not

 later than two years after the date on 
which the task force is establish under 
such subsection4  7d7 ,duties ,the      
duties of the task force are as follows3
  7#a7 ,to identify key skills required 
by claims processors and adjudicators to
 perform the duties of claims processors
 and adjudicators in the various claims 
processing and adjudication positions   
throughout the ,federal ,government4    
7#b7 ,to identify reasons for employee  
attrition from claims processing        
positions4  7#c7 ,not later than one    
year after the date of the establishment
 of the task force1 to develop a        
,government-wide strategic and          
operational plan for promoting          
employment of veterans in claims        
processing positions in the ,federal    
,government4  7#d7 ,to coordinate with  
educational institutions to develop     
training and programs of education for  
members of the ,armed ,forces to prepare
 such members for employment in claims  
processing and adjudication positions in

 the ,federal ,government4  7#e7 ,to    
identify and coordinate offices of the  
,department of ,defense and the         
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
located throughout the ,united ,states  
to provide information about1 and       
promotion of1 available claims          
processing positions to members of the  
,armed ,forces transitioning to civilian
 life and to veterans with disabilities4
  7#f7 ,to establish performance        
measures to assess the plan developed   
under paragraph 7#c71 to assess the     
implementation of such plan1 and revise 
such plan as the task force considers   
appropriate4  7#g7 ,to establish        
performance measures to evaluate the    
effectiveness of the task force4  7e7   
,reports  7#a7 ,submittal of plan ,not  
later than one year after the date of   
the establishment of the task force1 the
 ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall 
submit to ,congress a report on the plan
 developed by the task force under      
subsection 7d77#c74  7#b7 ,assessment of

 implementation ,not later than #abj    
days after the termination of the task  
force1 the ,secretary shall submit to   
,congress a report that assesses the    
implementation of the plan developed by 
the task force under subsection 7d77#c74
  #ajc4 ,streamlining non-,department of
 ,veterans ,affairs ,federal records    
requests  7a7 ,in general ,paragraph    
7#b7 of section #eajc;,a7c7 of title    
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
to read as follows3  7#b7 7,a7 ,whenever
 the ,secretary attempts to obtain      
records from a ,federal department or   
agency1 other than the ,department1     
under this subsection1 the ,secretary   
shall make not fewer than two attempts  
to obtain the records1 unless the       
records are obtained or the response to 
the first request makes evident that a  
second request for such records would be
 futile4  7,b7 ,the notification        
requirements under subsection 7b77#b7 of
 this section shall apply if the        
,secretary is unable to obtain all of   

the records sought from a ,federal      
department or agency other than the     
,department4  4  7b7 ,subsequent        
attainment of records ,such section is  
further amended by adding at the end the
 following new paragraph3  7#c7 ,if1    
after adjudicating a claim for a benefit
 under a law administered by the        
,secretary1 the ,secretary receives a   
record relevant to such claim 7or       
associates with the file for such claim 
a record7 that the ,secretary requested 
from a ,federal department or agency    
before the adjudication1 the record     
received 7or associated7 shall be deemed
 to have been in the file for such claim
 as of the date of the original filing  
of the claim for such benefit4  4  7c7  
,effective date ,the amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on the   
date that is #ahj days after the date of
 the enactment of this ,act and shall   
apply with respect to any claim that--  
7#a7 is filed on or after the date that 
is #ahj days after the date of the      

enactment of this ,act2 or  7#b7 was    
filed before the date of the enactment  
of this ,act and was not final as of    
such date4  #ajd4 ,recognition of       
representatives of ,indian tribes in the
 preparation1 presentation1 and         
prosecution of claims under laws        
administered by the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs ,section             
#eijb7;a77#a7 of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code1 is amended by inserting  
,indian tribes 7as defined in section #d
 of the ,indian ,self-,determination and
 ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be       
,u4,s4,c4 #dej;b77 after ,foreign       
,wars14  #aje4 ,pilot program on        
participation of local and tribal       
governments in improving quality of     
claims for disability compensation      
submitted to ,department of ,veterans   
,affairs  7a7 ,pilot program required   
,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs   
shall carry out a pilot program to      
assess the feasibility and advisability 
of entering into memorandums of         

understanding with local governments and
 tribal organizations--  7#a7 to improve
 the quality of claims submitted to the 
,secretary for compensation under       
chapter #aa and pension under chapter   
#ae of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2
 and  7#b7 to provide assistance to     
veterans who may be eligible for such   
compensation or pension in submitting   
such claims4  7b7 ,minimum number of    
participating tribal organizations ,in  
carrying out the pilot program required 
by subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall 
enter into memorandums of understanding 
with at least--  7#a7 two tribal        
organizations2 and  7#b7 #aj ,state or  
local governments4  7c7 ,tribal         
organization defined ,in this section1  
the term tribal organization has the    
meaning given that term in section #cgfe
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4   
#ajf4 ,quarterly reports on progress of 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs in    
eliminating backlog of claims for       
compensation that have not been         

adjudicated  7a7 ,in general ,not later 
than #ij days after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act and not less     
frequently than quarterly thereafter    
through calendar year #bjae1 the        
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives a report on 
the backlog of claims filed with the    
,department of ,veterans ,affairs for   
compensation that have not been         
adjudicated by the ,department4  7b7    
,contents ,each report submitted under  
subsection 7a7 shall include the        
following3  7#a7 ,for each month through
 calendar year #bjae1 a projection of   
the following3  7,a7 ,the number of     
claims completed4  7,b7 ,the number of  
claims received4  7,c7 ,the number of   
claims backlogged at the end of the     
month4  7,d7 ,the number of claims      
pending at the end of the month4  7,e7  
,a description of the status of the     

implementation of initiatives carried   
out by the ,secretary to address the    
backlog4  7#b7 ,for each quarter through
 calendar year #bjae1 a projection of   
the average accuracy of disability      
determinations for compensation claims  
that require a disability rating 7or    
disability decision74  7#c7 ,for each   
month during the most recently completed
 quarter1 the following3  7,a7 ,the     
number of claims completed4  7,b7 ,the  
number of claims received4  7,c7 ,the   
number of claims backlogged at the end  
of the month4  7,d7 ,the number of      
claims pending at the end of the month4 
7,e7 ,a description of the status of the
 implementation of initiatives carried  
out by the ,secretary to address the    
backlog4  7#d7 ,for the most recently   
completed quarter1 an assessment of the 
accuracy of disability determinations   
for compensation claims that require a  
disability rating 7or disability        
decision74  7c7 ,availability to public 
,the ,secretary shall make each report  

submitted under subsection 7a7 available
 to the public4  7d7 ,definitions ,in   
this section3  7#a7 ,backlogged ,the    
term backlogged1 with respect to a claim
 for compensation received by the       
,secretary1 means a claim that has been 
pending for more than #abe days4  7#b7  
,pending ,the term pending1 with respect
 to a claim for compensation received by
 the ,secretary1 means a claim that has 
not been adjudicated by the ,secretary4 
,,ii ,board of ,veterans' ,appeals and  
,court of ,appeals for ,veterans ,claims
  #bja4 ,modification of filing period  
for notice of disagreement to initiate  
appellate review of decisions of        
,department of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7  
,filing of notice of disagreement by    
claimants  7#a7 ,in general ,paragraph  
7#a7 of section #gaje7;b7 of title #ch1 
,united ,states ,code1 is amended--     
7,a7 by striking one year and inserting 
#ahj days in the first sentence2 and    
7,b7 by striking one-year and inserting 
#ahj-;day in the third sentence4  7#b7  

,electronic filing ,such paragraph is   
further amended by inserting or         
transmitted by electronic means after   
postmarked4  7#c7 ,good cause exception 
for untimely filing of notices of       
disagreement ,such section #gaje7;b7 is 
amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraph3  7#c7 7,a7 ,a  
notice of disagreement not filed within 
the time prescribed by paragraph 7#a7   
shall be treated by the ,secretary as   
timely filed if--  7i7 the ,secretary   
determines that the claimant1 legal     
guardian1 or other accredited           
representative1 attorney1 or authorized 
agent filing the notice had good cause  
for the lack of filing within such time2
 and  7ii7 the notice of disagreement is
 filed not later than #ahf days after   
the period prescribed by paragraph 7#a74
  7,b7 ,for purposes of this paragraph1 
good cause shall include the following3 
7i7 ,circumstances relating to any      
physical1 mental1 educational1 or       
linguistic limitation of the claimant1  

legal guardian1 representative1         
attorney1 or authorized agent concerned 
7including lack of facility with the    
,english language74  7ii7 ,circumstances
 relating to significant delay in the   
delivery of the initial decision or of  
the notice of disagreement because of   
natural disaster or factors relating to 
geographic location4  7iii7 ,a change in
 financial circumstances1 including the 
payment of medical expenses or other    
changes in income or net worth that are 
considered in determining eligibility   
for benefits and services on an         
annualized basis for purposes of        
needs-based benefits under chapters #ac1
 #ae1 and #ag of this title4  4  7b7    
,application by ,department for review  
on appeal ,section #gajf of such title  
is amended in the first sentence by     
striking one-year period described in   
section #gaje and inserting period      
described in section #gaje7;b77#a74  7c7
 ,effective date ,the amendments made by
 this section shall apply with respect  

to claims for compensation and benefits 
under laws administered by the          
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs filed  
with the ,secretary after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act4  #bjb4      
,determination of manner of appearance  
for hearings before ,board of ,veterans'
 ,appeals  7a7 ,in general ,section     
#gajg of title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code1 is amended--  7#a7 by            
redesignating subsection 7f7 as         
subsection 7g72  7#b7 in subsection     
7a77#a71 by striking in subsection 7f7  
and inserting in subsection 7g72 and    
7#c7 by striking subsections 7d7 and 7e7
 and inserting the following new        
subsections3  7d7 7#a7 ,except as       
provided in paragraph 7#b71 a hearing   
before the ,board shall be conducted    
through picture and voice transmission1 
by electronic or other means1 in such a 
manner that the appellant is not present
 in the same location as the members of 
the ,board during the hearing4  7#b7    
7,a7 ,a hearing before the ,board shall 

be conducted in person upon the request 
of an appellant4  7,b7 ,in the absence  
of a request under subparagraph 7,a71 a 
hearing before the ,board may also be   
conducted in person as the ,board       
considers appropriate4  7e7 7#a7 ,in a  
case in which a hearing before the      
,board is to be held as described in    
subsection 7d77#a71 the ,secretary shall
 provide suitable facilities and        
equipment to the ,board or other        
components of the ,department to enable 
an appellant located at an appropriate  
facility within the area served by a    
regional office to participate as so    
described4  7#b7 ,any hearing conducted 
as described in subsection 7d77#a7 shall
 be conducted in the same manner as1 and
 shall be considered the equivalent of1 
a personal hearing4  7f7 7#a7 ,in a case
 in which a hearing before the ,board is
 to be held as described in subsection  
7d77#b71 the appellant may request that 
the hearing be held at the principal    
location of the ,board or at a facility 

of the ,department located within the   
area served by a regional office of the 
,department4  7#b7 ,a hearing to be held
 within an area served by a regional    
office of the ,department shall 7except 
as provided in paragraph 7#c77 be       
scheduled to be held in accordance with 
the place of the case on the docket     
under subsection 7a7 relative to other  
cases on the docket for which hearings  
are scheduled to be held within that    
area4  7#c7 ,a hearing to be held within
 an area served by a regional office of 
the ,department may1 for cause shown1 be
 advanced on motion for an earlier      
hearing4 ,any such motion shall set     
forth succinctly the grounds upon which 
the motion is based4 ,such a motion may 
be granted only--  7,a7 if the case     
involves interpretation of law of       
general application affecting other     
claims2  7,b7 if the appellant is       
seriously ill or is under severe        
financial hardship2 or  7,c7 for other  
sufficient cause shown4  4  7b7         

,effective date ,the amendments made by 
subsection 7a7 shall apply with respect 
to cases received by the ,board of      
,veterans' ,appeals pursuant to notices 
of disagreement submitted on or after   
the date of the enactment of this ,act4 
#bjc4 ,disclosure of certain medical    
records in appellate proceedings in     
certain courts ,section #gccb7;b77#b7 of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended--  7#a7 by redesignating        
subparagraphs 7,e7 through 7,g7 as      
subparagraphs 7,f7 through 7,h71        
respectively2 and  7#b7 by inserting    
after subparagraph 7,d7 the following   
new subparagraph 7,e73  7,e7 ,to the    
,supreme ,court of the ,united ,states1 
the ,united ,states ,court of ,appeals  
for the ,federal ,circuit1 or the       
,united ,states ,court of ,appeals for  
,veterans ,claims1 and all parties of   
record1 in a case that is appealed to   
such court and such records are included
 in the record on appeal4 ,upon         
disclosure of such records1 the court   

concerned shall impose appropriate      
safeguards against unauthorized         
disclosure that are consistent with the 
provisions of section #gbfh of this     
title4  4  ,,iii ,other matters  #cja4  
,extension of authority for operations  
of ,manila ,department of ,veterans     
,affairs ,regional ,office ,section     
#cae7;b7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states  
,code1 is amended by striking ,december 
#ca1 #bjac and inserting ,december #ca1 
#bjad4  #cjb4 ,extended period for      
scheduling of medical exams for veterans
 receiving temporary disability ratings 
for severe mental disorder ,section     
#aaef7;a77#c7 of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code1 is amended by striking   
six months and inserting #edj days4     
#cjc4 ,extension of marriage delimiting 
date for surviving spouses of ,persian  
,gulf ,war veterans to qualify for death
 pension ,section #aeda7;f77#a77;,e7 of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by striking ,january #a1 #bjaa  
and inserting the date that is #aj years

 and one day after the date on which the
 ,persian ,gulf ,war was terminated1 as 
prescribed by ,presidential proclamation
 or by law4  #cjd4 ,making effective    
date provision consistent with provision
 for benefits eligibility of a veteran's
 child based upon termination of        
remarriage by annulment ,section        
#eaaj7l7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states  
,code1 is amended by striking 1 or of an
 award or increase of benefits based on 
recognition of a child upon termination 
of the child's marriage by death or     
divorce14  #cje4 ,extension of temporary
 authority for performance of medical   
disabilities examinations by contract   
physicians  7a7 ,in general ,section    
#gjd7;c7 of the ,veterans ,benefits ,act
 of #bjjc 7,public ,law #ajh-ahc2 #ch   
,u4,s4,c4 #eaja note7 is amended by     
striking ,december #ca1 #bjac and       
inserting ,december #ca1 #bjad4  7b7    
,report on disability medical           
examinations furnished by ,department of
 ,veterans ,affairs  7#a7 ,in general   

,not later than #ahj days after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the         
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,house of ,representatives a report on 
the furnishing of general medical and   
specialty medical examinations by the   
,department of ,veterans ,affairs for   
purposes of adjudicating claims for     
benefits under laws administered by the 
,secretary4  7#b7 ,contents ,the report 
submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall    
include the following3  7,a7 ,the number
 of general medical examinations        
furnished by the ,department during the 
period of fiscal years #bjji through    
#bjab for purposes of adjudicating      
claims for benefits under laws          
administered by the ,secretary4  7,b7   
,the number of general medical          
examinations furnished by the           
,department during the period of fiscal 
years #bjji through #bjab for purposes  

of adjudicating a claim in which a      
comprehensive joint examination was     
conducted1 but for which no disability  
relating to a joint1 bone1 or muscle had
 been asserted as an issue in the claim4
  7,c7 ,the number of specialty medical 
examinations furnished by the           
,department during the period of fiscal 
years #bjji through #bjab for purposes  
of adjudicating a claim4  7,d7 ,the     
number of specialty medical examinations
 furnished by the ,department during the
 period of fiscal years #bjji through   
#bjab for purposes of adjudicating a    
claim in which one or more joint        
examinations were conducted4  7,e7 ,a   
summary 7including citations of7 any    
medical and scientific studies which    
provide a scientific basis for          
determining that three repetitions is   
adequate to determine the effect of     
repetitive use on functional            
impairments4  7,f7 ,the names of all    
examination reports1 including general  
medical examinations and ,disability    

,benefits ,questionnaires1 used for     
evaluation of compensation and pension  
disability claims which require         
measurement of repeated ranges of motion
 testing and the number of examinations 
requiring such measurements which were  
conducted in fiscal year #bjab4  7,g7   
,the average amount of time taken by an 
individual conducting a medical         
examination to perform the three        
repetitions4  7,h7 ,a discussion of     
whether there are more efficient and    
effective scientifically reliable       
methods of testing for functional loss  
on repetitive use of an extremity other 
than the three time repetition currently
 used by the ,department4  7,i7         
,recommendations as to the continuation 
of the practice of measuring functional 
impairment by using three repetitions   
during the examination as a criteria for
 evaluating the effect of repetitive    
motion on functional impairment with    
supporting rationale4  7c7 ,report on   
progress of ,acceptable ,clinical       

,evidence initiative  7#a7 ,in general  
,not later than #ahj days after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report on the        
progress of the ,acceptable ,clinical   
,evidence initiative of the ,department 
of ,veterans ,affairs in reducing the   
necessity for in-person disability      
examinations and other efforts to comply
 with the provisions of section #eabe of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  7#b7
 ,contents ,the report required by      
paragraph 7#a7 shall include the        
following3  7,a7 ,the number of claims  
eligible for the ,acceptable ,clinical  
,evidence initiative during the period  
beginning on the date of the initiation 
of the initiative and ending on the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1         
disaggregated by fiscal year4  7,b7 ,the
 total number of claims eligible for the

 ,acceptable ,clinical ,evidence        
initiative that required a medical      
examiner of the ,department to          
supplement the evidence with information
 obtained during a telephone interview  
with a claimant4  7,c7 ,information on  
any other initiatives or efforts of the 
,department to further encourage the use
 of private medical evidence and        
reliance upon reports of a medical      
examination administered by a private   
physician if the report is sufficiently 
complete to be adequate for the purposes
 of adjudicating a claim4