#aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#beac  ,,an ,,act  ,to amend title #ch1 
,united ,states ,code1 to improve       
benefits administered by the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs1 and for other    
purposes4  #a4 ,short title2 table of   
contents ,this ,act may be cited as the 
,veterans ,benefits ,improvement ,act of
 #bjbd4  #b4 ,improvement of publication
 of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
disability benefit questionnaire forms  
,section #eaja of title #ch1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in     
subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 in paragraph      
7#a77;,a71 by inserting 1 including     
7except as provided in paragraph        
7#d77;,a77 all disability benefit       
questionnaire forms available to        
personnel of the ,veterans ,health      
,administration and covered             
non-,department providers for the       
completion of examinations with respect 
to medical disability of applicants for 
benefits under laws administered by the 
,secretary before the semicolon2 and    

7,b7 by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph3  7#d7 7,a7 ,the          
,secretary may exclude from publication 
under clauses 7i7 and 7ii7 of paragraph 
7#a77;,a7 any form described in         
subparagraph 7,b7 of this paragraph that
 the ,secretary determines could not    
reasonably be completed to a clinically 
acceptable standard by someone not an   
employee or a contractor of the         
,department4  7,b7 ,a form described in 
this subparagraph is a form that-- 7i7  
was available or in use at any time     
after the date of the enactment of the  
,veterans ,benefits ,improvement ,act of
 #bjbd2 and  7ii7 has not been published
 under paragraph 7#a74  7,c7 ,the       
,secretary shall include on the same    
internet website as the website on which
 forms are published under paragraph    
7#a77;,a7 a list of forms that have been
 excluded from publication pursuant to  
subparagraph 7,a71 and for each such    
form1 a justification for the exclusion 
of the form from publication4  2 and    

7#b7 in subsection 7e71 by adding at the
 end the following new paragraph3  7#c7 
,the term covered non-,department       
provider means a medical provider who is
 not an employee of the ,department and 
who provides examinations with respect  
to medical disability of applicants for 
benefits under laws administered by the 
,secretary pursuant to a contract with  
the ,department4  4  #c4 ,improvement of
 provision of medical disability        
examinations by contractors  7a7 ,report
 on improving reimbursement for travel  
relating to medical disability          
examinations ,not later than one year   
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs1 after consulting with the     
,secretary of ,state and the            
,commissioner of the ,social ,security  
,administration1 shall submit to the    
,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,senate and the ,house of           
,representatives a report on the efforts
 of the ,secretary to reimburse veterans

 for expenses incurred traveling to a   
facility of the ,department or of a     
covered non-,department provider        
incident to an examination with respect 
to the medical disability of the veteran
 for purposes of benefits under the laws
 administered by the ,secretary1        
regardless of whether the facility is   
located inside or outside the ,united   
,states4  7b7 ,communication by         
non-,department providers providing     
medical disability examinations with    
individuals and organizations designated
 for preparation1 presentation1 and     
prosecution of claims ,any contract     
entered into by the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs after the date of the
 enactment of this ,act under which a   
covered non-,department provider agrees 
to provide examinations with respect to 
medical disability for applicants for   
benefits under the laws administered by 
the ,secretary1 shall include a         
requirement that every communication    
from the covered non-,department        

provider to such an applicant regarding 
the scheduling of a covered medical     
disability examination be               
contemporaneously transmitted to any    
person or organization-- 7#a7 designated
 by the applicant by a power of attorney
 filed with the ,secretary2 and  7#b7   
recognized under sections #eijb1 #eijc1 
and #eijd of title #ch1 ,united ,states 
,code1 for the preparation1             
presentation1 and prosecution of claims4
  7c7 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs 
outreach regarding contact information  
for contractors providing covered       
medical disability examinations ,not    
later than #abj days after the date of  
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs1 in partnership   
with veterans service organizations and 
such other stakeholders as the          
,secretary considers relevant and       
appropriate1 shall implement an outreach
 program to provide veterans with the   
following information3 7#a7 ,contact    
information for covered non-,department 

providers that provide examinations with
 respect to medical disability of       
applicants for benefits under laws      
administered by the ,secretary1         
including the telephone numbers such    
providers may use to contact veterans4  
7#b7 ,notice of the requirement for a   
veteran to provide personally           
identifiable information to such a      
provider when contacted in order to     
verify the identity of the veteran4  7d7
 ,covered non-,department provider ,in  
this section1 the term covered          
non-,department provider means a medical
 provider who is not an employee of the 
,department of ,veterans ,affairs and   
who provides examinations with respect  
to medical disability of applicants for 
benefits under laws administered by the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
pursuant to a contract with the         
,department4  #d4 ,report on supporting 
governmental veterans service officers  
who prepare1 present1 and prosecute     
benefits claims before ,department of   

,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,report ,not    
later than one year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act and after    
consulting veterans service             
organizations and such other            
stakeholders as the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs considers relevant   
and appropriate1 the ,secretary shall   
submit to the ,committee on ,veterans'  
,affairs of the ,senate and the ,house  
of ,representatives a report on         
improving the support by the ,department
 of ,veterans ,affairs of covered       
governmental veterans service officers4 
7b7 ,elements ,the report submitted     
under subsection 7a7 shall include the  
following3 7#a7 ,an assessment of the   
feasibility1 advisability1 and current  
technical limitations of providing      
covered governmental veterans service   
officers enhanced access to certain     
,department systems to better serve     
veterans those governmental service     
officers may not have authorization to  
represent4  7#b7 ,an assessment as to   

whether the ,department would benefit   
from the establishment or designation of
 an office or working group within the  
,department to serve as an              
intergovernmental liaison between the   
,department and governmental veterans   
service officers4  7#c7 ,any other      
recommendations to improve how the      
,department monitors1 coordinates with1 
or provides support to covered          
governmental veterans service officers4 
7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 
,the term covered governmental veterans 
service officer means an employee of a  
,state1 county1 municipal1 or ,tribal   
government-- 7,a7 who is recognized by  
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs as 
a representative of a veterans service  
organization to serve as a veterans     
service officer2 and  7,b7 whose primary
 responsibilities include preparing1    
presenting1 and prosecuting before the  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs claims
 for benefits under laws administered by
 the ,secretary4  7#b7 ,the term        

veterans service organization means an  
organization recognized by the          
,secretary for the representation of    
veterans under section #eijb of title   
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  #e4 ,board 
of ,veterans' ,appeals internship       
program  7a7 ,in general ,chapter #ga of
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is   
amended by adding at the end the        
following new section3  #gaad4          
,internship program ,the ,secretary     
shall establish a competitive internship
 program of the ,board for individuals  
enrolled in the first or second year of 
law schools accredited by the ,american 
,bar ,association4  4  7b7 ,clerical    
amendment ,the table of sections at the 
beginning of chapter #ga of such title  
is amended by adding at the end the     
following new item3  #gaad4 ,internship 
program4  4  7c7 ,deadline ,the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
establish the internship program        
required by section #gaad of such title1
 as added by subsection 7a71 not later  

than one year after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act4  #f4 ,benefits  
for participants in certain programs of 
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs   
7a7 ,establishment ,not later than one  
year after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans  
,affairs shall carry out a program to   
furnish certain benefits to covered     
participants4  7b7 ,benefits3 student   
loan repayment2 reimbursements  7#a7 ,in
 general ,subject to an agreement under 
paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall    
provide to each covered attorney-- 7,a7 
student loan repayment benefits under   
section #ecgi of title #e1 ,united      
,states ,code1 in the case of a covered 
attorney who is eligible for such       
benefits2 and  7,b7 reimbursement for   
the cost of-- 7i7 enrollment in a course
 designed to prepare an individual for  
licensure to practice law in a ,state2  
7ii7 sitting for a bar examination in a 
,state2 and  7iii7 annual dues required 
to maintain membership in the bar of any

 ,state4  7#b7 ,agreement ,the          
,secretary shall enter into an agreement
 with a covered attorney who will       
receive benefits under paragraph 7#a74  
,each such agreement shall specify      
that-- 7,a7 the covered attorney agrees 
to remain in the service of the         
,department for a period of not less    
than three years1 unless involuntarily  
separated2 and  7,b7 if separated       
involuntarily on account of misconduct1 
or voluntarily1 before the end of the   
period specified in the agreement1 the  
covered attorney shall repay to the     
,united ,states the amount of any       
benefits received by the covered        
participant under paragraph 7#a74  7c7  
,professional development activities    
7#a7 ,mentorship ,not later than #ij    
days after the date on which an         
individual becomes a covered            
participant1 the ,secretary shall assign
 the covered participant a mentor who is
 an employee of the ,department who is--
 7,a7 to the extent practicable1 a      

managerial employee2 and  7,b7 outside  
the participant's chain of command4     
7#b7 ,assignments ,at the election of a 
covered participant who has completed at
 least two years of service to the      
,department1 the ,secretary shall assign
 such covered participant to3 7,a7 ,the 
,office of ,general ,counsel1 in a      
position-- 7i7 that includes full-time  
legal responsibilities in order to      
further the professional development of 
the covered participant2 and  7ii7 for a
 period of not less than #abj days and  
not more than #ahj days1 or longer at   
the discretion of the ,secretary4  7,b7 
,in the case of a covered participant   
who has already held a position         
described in subparagraph 7,a71 an      
assignment described in clauses 7i7 and 
7ii7 of such subparagraph with the      
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals4  7#c7    
,other rotational assignments ,the      
,secretary may provide a covered        
participant one or more other short-term
 rotational assignments4 ,such an       

assignment shall be for a period of not 
less than #cj days and not more than    
#ahj days1 at the discretion of the     
,secretary4  7d7 ,periodic reports  7#a7
 ,reports required ,not later than three
 years after the date on which the      
,secretary begins to carry out the      
program under this section1 and not less
 frequently than once every three years 
thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit 
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
 of the ,senate and the ,committee on   
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives regarding such program4
  7#b7 ,elements ,each report submitted 
under paragraph 7#a7 shall include the  
following elements3 7,a7 ,costs to the  
,united ,states to provide benefits     
under subsection 7b74  7,b7 ,the rates  
of retention of covered participants    
compared to other employees of the      
,department4  7,c7 ,recommendations of  
the ,secretary regarding legislative or 
administrative action to improve such   
program4  7e7 ,definitions ,in this     

section3 7#a7 ,the term covered attorney
 means an individual who-- 7,a7 is a    
covered participant2  7,b7 has graduated
 from a law school accredited by the    
,american ,bar ,association2 and  7,c7  
is a member in good standing of the bar 
of a ,state4  7#b7 ,the term covered    
participant means an individual who     
participates in-- 7,a7 the ,honors      
,attorney ,program 7or successor        
program7 of the ,office of ,general     
,counsel of the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs2 or  7,b7 the ,law ,clerk     
,program 7or successor program7 of the  
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals4  7#c7    
,the term ,state has the meaning given  
such term in section #aja of title #ch1 
,united ,states ,code4  #g4 ,increase in
 additional temporary expansion of      
,united ,states ,court of ,appeals for  
,veterans ,claims ,section #gbec7;i7 of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 
by striking ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 
effective as of ,december #ca1 #bjji and

 inserting 7,a7 ,subject to paragraph   
7#b71 effective during the period       
beginning on ,december #ca1 #bjji1 and  
ending on the date of the enactment of  
the ,veterans ,benefits ,improvement    
,act of #bjbd2 and  7,b7 by adding at   
the end the following new subparagraph3 
7,b7 ,subject to paragraph 7#b71        
effective as of the date of the         
enactment of the ,veterans ,benefits    
,improvement ,act of #bjbd1 the         
authorized number of judges of the      
,court specified in subsection 7a7 is   
increased by three4  2 and  7#b7 in     
paragraph 7#b71 by striking ,january #a1
 #bjbf and inserting ,january #a1 #bjbh4
  #h4 ,report on improving access to    
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals           
telehearings  7a7 ,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 improving  
access to hearings before the ,board of 
,veterans' ,appeals held by picture and 
voice transmission4  7b7 ,contents ,the 
report required by subsection 7a7 shall 
include the following3 7#a7             
,recommendations on the feasibility and 
advisability of reimbursing veterans for
 expenses incurred for travel from the  
home of a veteran to the location at    
which a hearing before the ,board of    
,veterans' ,appeals is held by picture  
and voice transmission1 if the          
,secretary determines that travel to    
such location is reasonably necessary   
for such a hearing4  7#b7               
,recommendations on establishment of    
pilot programs to assess the feasibility
 and advisability of using other methods
 that could improve veteran access to   
hearings before the ,board of ,veterans'
 ,appeals held by picture and voice     
transmission from a veteran's home4     
7#c7 ,such other recommendations to     
improve access to hearings before the   

,board of ,veterans' ,appeals held by   
picture and voice transmission as the   
,secretary may receive from             
stakeholders4  ,passed the ,senate      
,december #ab1 #bjbd4,secretary