,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #abhf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #aa1 #bjae ,mrs4  
,%ahe5 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,leahy1 ,ms4     
,baldw91 ,mr4 ,c>d91 ,mr4 ,b5net1 ,mr4  
,br[n1 ,ms4 ,klobu*>1 ,mr4 ,udall1 &    
,mr4 ,:iteh\se7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2
 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to !         
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a    
,,bill  ,to am5d title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 to r$uce ! backlog (      
appeals ( decisions ( ! ,secret>y (     
,vet]ans ,affairs by facilitat+ pro bono
 legal assi/ance = vet]ans be=e ! ,unit$
 ,/ates ,c\rt ( ,vet]ans ,appeals & !   
,bo>d ( ,vet]ans' ,appeals1 to provide !
 ,secret>y ) au?ority to address        
unreasonably delay$ claims1 & = o!r     
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,vet]ans ,appeals          
,assi/ance & ,improvem5t ,act ( #bjae4  
#b4 ,program ( f9ancial assi/ance =     
support ( programs t furni% legal       
assi/ance to vet]ans seek+ review by    
,unit$ ,/ates ,c\rt ( ,appeals =        

,vet]ans ,claims  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt]   
#ei ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is
 am5d$ by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new    
section3  #eijf4 ,program ( f9ancial    
assi/ance = support ( programs t furni% 
legal assi/ance to vet]ans seek+ review 
by ,unit$ ,/ates ,c\rt ( ,appeals =     
,vet]ans ,claims  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,unit$
 ,/ates ,c\rt ( ,appeals = ,vet]ans     
,claims %all e/abli% a program = !      
provision ( f9ancial assi/ance 7?r\gh   
grant or contract made1 to ! maximum    
ext5t feasible7 to facilitate ! furni%+ 
( legal & o!r assi/ance1 )\t *>ge1 ?r\gh
 programs describ$ 9 subsection 7b71 =  
vet]ans & o!r p]sons :o are unable to   
af=d ! co/ ( legal repres5tation 9      
connection ) decisions to :i* section   
#gbeb7;a7 ( ?is title may apply or ) o!r
 proce$+s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,c\rt (     
,appeals = ,vet]ans ,claims4  7b7       
,programs describ$ ,programs describ$ 9 
?is subsection are programs t furni%    
case scre5+ & ref]ral1 tra9+ & education
 = attorney & relat$ p]sonnel1 &        

enc\ragem5t & facilitation ( pro bono   
repres5tation by memb]s ( ! b> & law    
s*ool cl9ical & o!r appropriate         
programs1 su* z vet]ans s]vice          
organizations1 & ?r\gh defray+ exp5ses  
incurr$ 9 provid+ repres5tation to      
p]sons describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7c7  
,legal ,s]vices ,corporation  7#a7 ,!   
,unit$ ,/ates ,c\rt ( ,appeals =        
,vet]ans ,claims %all c>ry out          
subsection 7a7 by ent]+ into an         
int]ag5cy agreem5t ) ! ,legal ,s]vices  
,corporation4 ,! agreem5t %all specify t
 ! ,corporation %all c>ry out ! f9ancial
 assi/ance program describ$ 9 subsection
 7a74  7#b7 ,grants or contracts aw>d$  
"u ! f9ancial assi/ance program describ$
 9 subsection 7a7 %all be made by !     
,legal ,s]vices ,corporation pursuant to
 a reimbursable paym5t f ! ,c\rt 9      
accordance ) ?is section4  7#c7 ,!      
,legal ,s]vices ,corporation may receive
 a reimbursable paym5t f ! ,c\rt = !    
purpose ( provid+ ! f9ancial assi/ance  
describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7d7         

,limitation on use ( funds ,no funds    
appropriat$ or o!rwise made available to
 c>ry out ?is section may be us$ = !    
paym5t ( attorney's fees4  7e7          
,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is  
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry out  
?is section #c1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal   
ye>s #bjae ?r\gh #bjah4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical
 am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+
 ( *apt] #ei is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] !  
item relat+ to section #eije ! foll[+   
new item3  #eijf4 ,program ( f9ancial   
assi/ance = support ( programs t furni% 
legal assi/ance to vet]ans seek+ review 
by ,unit$ ,/ates ,c\rt ( ,appeals =     
,vet]ans ,claims4  4  #c4 ,program (    
f9ancial assi/ance = support ( programs 
t furni% legal assi/ance to vet]ans     
seek+ review by ,bo>d ( ,vet]ans'       
,appeals  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #ei (     
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ 
by section #b7;a71 is fur!r am5d$ by    
add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new section3     
#eijg4 ,program ( f9ancial assi/ance =  
support ( programs t furni% legal       

assi/ance to vet]ans seek+ review by    
,bo>d ( ,vet]ans' ,appeals  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% a program = !
 provision ( f9ancial assi/ance 7?r\gh  
grant or contract made1 to ! maximum    
ext5t feasible7 to facilitate ! furni%+ 
( legal & o!r assi/ance1 )\t *>ge1 ?r\gh
 programs describ$ 9 subsection 7b71 to 
vet]ans & o!r p]sons :o are unable to   
af=d ! co/ ( legal repres5tation 9      
connection ) decisions to :i* section   
#gajd ( ?is title may apply or ) o!r    
proce$+s ( ! ,bo>d ( ,vet]ans' ,appeals4
  7b7 ,programs describ$ ,programs      
describ$ 9 ?is subsection are programs t
 furni% case scre5+ & ref]ral1 tra9+ &  
education = attorney & relat$ p]sonnel1 
& enc\ragem5t & facilitation ( pro bono 
repres5tation by memb]s ( ! b> & law    
s*ool cl9ical & o!r appropriate         
programs1 su* z vet]ans s]vice          
organizations1 & ?r\gh defray+ exp5ses  
incurr$ 9 provid+ repres5tation to      
p]sons describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7c7  
,legal ,s]vices ,corporation  7#a7 ,!   

,secret>y %all c>ry out subsection 7a7  
by ent]+ into an int]ag5cy agreem5t ) ! 
,legal ,s]vices ,corporation4 ,!        
agreem5t %all specify t ! ,corporation  
%all c>ry out ! f9ancial assi/ance      
program describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7#b7
 ,grants or contracts aw>d$ "u !        
f9ancial assi/ance program describ$ 9   
subsection 7a7 %all be made by ! ,legal 
,s]vices ,corporation pursuant to a     
reimbursable paym5t f ! ,secret>y 9     
accordance ) ?is section4  7#c7 ,!      
,legal ,s]vices ,corporation may receive
 a reimbursable paym5t f ! ,secret>y = !
 purpose ( provid+ ! f9ancial assi/ance 
describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  7d7         
,limitation on use ( funds ,no funds    
appropriat$ or o!rwise made available to
 c>ry out ?is section may be us$ = !    
paym5t ( attorney's fees4  7e7          
,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re is  
au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry out  
?is section #c1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal   
ye>s #bjae ?r\gh #bjah4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical
 am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+

 ( *apt] #ei1 z am5d$ by section #b7;b71
 is fur!r am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] ! item   
relat+ to section #eijf ! foll[+ new    
item3  #eijg4 ,program ( f9ancial       
assi/ance = support ( programs t furni% 
legal assi/ance to vet]ans seek+ review 
by ,bo>d ( ,vet]ans' ,appeals4  4  #d4  
,exp$it$ treatm5t ( unreasonably delay$ 
claims  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,section #gaab (   
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$
 to read z foll[s3  #gaab4 ,exp$it$     
treatm5t ( rem&$ or unreasonably delay$ 
claims  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all  
take su* actions z may be necess>y to   
provide = ! exp$iti\s treatm5t by !     
,bo>d ( any claim t--  7#a7 is rem&$ to 
! ,secret>y by ! ,c\rt ( ,appeals =     
,vet]ans ,claims2 or  7#b7 has be5      
subject$ to unreasonable or excessive   
delay4  7b7 ,unreasonable or excessive  
delay ,= purposes ( ?is section1 a claim
 %all be presum$ to h be5 subject$ to   
unreasonable or excessive delay if !    
claim has be5 p5d+ be=e ! ,bo>d = eight 
ye>s or m4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,!  

table ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #ga
 ( su* title is am5d$ by /rik+ ! item   
relat+ to section #gaab & ins]t+ !      
foll[+ new item #gaab3  #gaab4 ,exp$it$ 
treatm5t ( rem&$ or unreasonably delay$ 
claims4  4  #e4 ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates review ( appeals (        
decisions ( ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans        
,affairs reg>d+ claims = disability     
comp5sation  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an   
#ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is
 ,act1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates %all--  7#a7 complete a review ( 
! process+ ( appeals ( decisions ( !    
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs reg>d+    
claims = comp5sation "u *apt]s #aa & #ac
 ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code2 &    
7#b7 submit to ,congress a report on !  
review complet$ "u p>agraph 7#a74  7b7  
,elem5ts ,! review requir$ by subsection
 7a77#a7 %all include ! foll[+3  7#a7   
,assessm5t ( ! regional (fices ( !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs1 ! ,bo>d (
 ,vet]ans' ,appeals1 & ! ,unit$ ,/ates  
,c\rt ( ,appeals = ,vet]ans ,claims4    

7#b7 ,exam9ation ( prolong$ delays 9    
process+ appeals describ$ 9 subsection  
7a77#a7 & assessm5t ( :e!r reviews ( su*
 appeals are meet+ /atutory requirem5ts 
= timel9ess4  7#c7 ,recomm5dations = su*
 legislative & adm9i/rative action z !  
,comptroll] ,g5]al consid]s appropriate 
to improve ! process+ ( su* appeals4