,i  #aadth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #gcb  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of   
,,representatives  ,february #d1 #bjae  
,mr4 ,ruiz 7for himself1 ,mrs4          
,walorski1 ,ms4 ,norton1 ,mr4           
,cartwright1 ,ms4 ,brownley of          
,california1 ,mrs4 ,napolitano1 ,mr4    
,jolly1 ,ms4 ,kuster1 ,mr4 ,honda1 ,mr4 
,mc,govern1 ,mr4 ,thompson of           
,california1 and ,mr4 ,rangel7          
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to improve the opportunity for veterans 
to use video conferencing for hearings  
before the ,board of ,veterans'         
,appeals4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,veterans ,access to
 ,speedy ,review ,act4  #b4 ,board of   
,veterans' ,appeals video hearings      
,section #gajg of title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended--  7#a7 in    
subsection 7d71 by amending paragraph   
7#a7 to read as follows3  7#a7 7,a7     

,upon request for a hearing1 the ,board 
shall determine1 for purposes of        
scheduling the hearing for the earliest 
possible date1 whether a hearing before 
the ,board will be held at its principal
 location or at a facility of the       
,department or other appropriate        
,federal facility located within the    
area served by a regional office of the 
,department4 ,the ,board shall also     
determine whether to provide a hearing  
through the use of the facilities and   
equipment described in subsection       
7e77#a7 or by the appellant personally  
appearing before a ,board member or     
panel4  7,b7 ,the ,board shall notify   
the appellant of the determinations of  
the location and type of hearing made   
under subparagraph 7,a74 ,upon          
notification1 the appellant may request 
a different location or type of hearing 
as described in such subparagraph4 ,if  
so requested1 the ,board shall grant    
such request and ensure that the hearing
 is scheduled at the earliest possible  

date without any undue delay or other   
prejudice to the appellant4  2 and  7#b7
 in subsection 7e71 by amending         
paragraph 7#b7 to read as follows3  7#b7
 ,any hearing provided through the use  
of the facilities and equipment         
described in paragraph 7#a7 shall be    
conducted in the same manner as1 and    
shall be considered the equivalent of1 a
 personal hearing  4