,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #beac  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #bf1     
#bjbc ,mr4 ,tester 7for himself and ,mr4
 ,moran7 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 benefits      
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 ,veterans ,benefits 
,improvement ,act of #bjbc4  7b7 ,table 
of contents ,the table of contents for  
this ,act is as follows3  ,sec4 #a4     
,short title2 table of contents4 ,sec4  
#b4 ,definitions4 ,,title ,i--,board of 
,veterans' ,appeals matters ,sec4 #aja4 
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals internship
 program4 ,sec4 #ajb4 ,pilot program on 
establishment of ,board of ,veterans'   
,appeals honors program4 ,sec4 #ajc4    
,report on improving access to ,board of

 ,veterans' ,appeals telehearings4      
,,title ,,ii--,medical disability exam  
matters ,sec4 #bja4 ,improving          
requirement to publish disability       
benefit questionnaire forms of          
,department of ,veterans ,affairs4 ,sec4
 #bjb4 ,report on improving medical     
disability examinations for veterans who
 live abroad4 ,sec4 #bjc4 ,department of
 ,veterans ,affairs requirement for     
communication by contractors providing  
covered medical disability examinations 
with persons recognized by power of     
attorney for preparation1 presentation1 
and prosecution of claims4 ,sec4 #bjd4  
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
outreach regarding contact information  
for contractors providing covered       
medical disability examinations4 ,,title
 ,,iii--,other matters ,sec4 #cja4      
,report on supporting governmental      
veterans service officers4  #b4         
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7        
,claimant ,the term claimant has the    
meaning given that term in section #eajj

 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4   
7#b7 ,department ,the term ,department  
means the ,department of ,veterans      
,affairs4  7#c7 ,secretary ,the term    
,secretary means the ,secretary of      
,veterans ,affairs4  ,i ,board of       
,veterans' ,appeals matters  #aja4      
,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 within the ,department for the 
purpose of providing an opportunity for 
high-achieving students at law schools  
accredited by the ,american ,bar        
,association to gain experience with the
 ,board4  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 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  #ajb4 ,pilot   
program on establishment of ,board of   
,veterans' ,appeals honors program  7a7 
,establishment ,not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,secretary shall establish a  
pilot program to assess the feasibility 
and advisability of establishing a      
competitive honors program within the   
,department for the purpose of          
recruiting high-achieving law school    
students1 recent law school graduates1  
and entry-level attorneys for employment
 with the ,board4  7b7 ,duration ,the   
,secretary shall carry out the pilot    
program required by subsection 7a7      
during the nine-year period beginning on
 the date of the establishment of the   
pilot program4  7c7 ,honors program     
7#a7 ,in general ,under the pilot       
program required by subsection 7a71 the 

,secretary shall carry out a competitive
 honors program as described in such    
subsection4  7#b7 ,priority             
consideration ,the ,secretary shall give
 priority consideration in application  
for the honors program to individuals   
who successfully complete the internship
 program established under section #gaad
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 as
 added by section #aja7;a74  7#c7       
,student loan repayment benefits  7,a7  
,in general ,the ,secretary shall       
provide student loan repayment benefits 
under section #ecgi of title #e1 ,united
 ,states ,code1 to each participant in  
the pilot program who is eligible for   
student loan repayment benefits under   
such section4  7,b7 ,bar costs ,in      
addition to student loan repayment      
benefits under subparagraph 7,a71 the   
,secretary shall provide each           
participant in the pilot program        
reimbursement for cost of--  7i7        
enrollment in a course designed to      
prepare an individual for licensure to  

practice law in a ,state2 and  7ii7     
sitting for a bar examination in a      
,state4  7,c7 ,agreements ,the          
,secretary shall enter into an agreement
 with each participant in the pilot     
program who will receive benefits       
described in subparagraph 7,a71 in      
accordance with such section4  7,d7     
,commitment ,an agreement described in  
subparagraph 7,c7 shall include a       
requirement that the participant will   
remain in the service of the ,department
 for a period of not less than three    
years1 unless involuntarily separated1  
in accordance with subsection 7c7 of    
such section4  7#d7 ,professional       
development activities  7,a7 ,assignment
 of mentors ,not later than #ij days    
after the date on which an individual   
begins participating in the pilot       
program required by subsection 7a71 the 
,secretary shall assign the participant 
a mentor who is a managerial employee of
 the ,department outside the            
participant's chain of command4  7,b7   

,assignments to ,office of ,general     
,counsel  7i7 ,in general ,the          
,secretary shall provide each           
participant in the pilot program at     
least one assignment within the ,office 
of ,general ,counsel of the ,department 
that includes full-time legal           
responsibilities in order to further the
 professional development of the        
participant4  7ii7 ,period of assignment
 ,an assignment provided under clause   
7i7 shall be for a period of not less   
than #abj days and not more than #ahj   
days1 or longer at the discretion of the
 ,secretary4  7,c7 ,other rotational    
assignments  7i7 ,in general ,the       
,secretary may provide a participant in 
the pilot program one or more other     
short-term rotational assignments4  7ii7
 ,period of assignment ,an assignment   
provided under clause 7i7 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  
first accepts a participant into the    
honors program carried out under        
subsection 7c77#a7 and not less         
frequently than once every three years  
thereafter for the duration of the pilot
 program1 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        
findings of the ,secretary with respect 
to the pilot program4  7#b7 ,contents   
,each report submitted under paragraph  
7#a7 shall include the following3 7,a7  
,the findings of the ,secretary with    
respect to the feasibility and          
advisability of establishing a          
competitive honors program as described 
in subsection 7a74  7,b7 ,such          
recommendations as the ,secretary may   
have for legislative or administrative  
action to improve recruitment and       
retention of staff at the ,board of     

,veterans' ,appeals4  7,c7 ,an          
accounting of the costs incurred by the 
,federal ,government in carrying out    
subsection 7c74  7,d7 ,an assessment of 
the rates of retention of participants  
in the pilot program compared to other  
employees of the ,board of ,veterans'   
,appeals4  #ajc4 ,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  
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  ,,ii        
,medical disability exam matters  #bja4 
,improving requirement to publish       
disability benefit questionnaire forms  
of ,department of ,veterans ,affairs    
,section #eaja7;d7 of title #ch1 ,united
 ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in    

paragraph 7#a77;,a71 by striking 2 and  
and inserting 81 including 7except as   
provided in paragraph 7#d77;,a77--  7i7 
all disability benefit questionnaire    
forms available to personnel of the     
,veterans ,health ,administration and   
contracted personnel for the completion 
of compensation and pension             
examinations2 and  7ii7 all factsheets  
available to such personnel to inform   
completion of such examinations2 and  2 
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 in effect after ,january #a1 #bjbj2 
7ii7 is current2 and  7iii7 has not been

 published under paragraph 7#a74  7,c7  
,for each form excluded under           
subparagraph 7,a71 the ,secretary       
shall-- 7i7 list the form on the same   
internet website as the forms published 
under paragraph 7#a77;,a7 with an       
indication that the form has been       
excluded2 and  7ii7 provide with such   
listing a justification for such        
exclusion4  4  #bjb4 ,report on         
improving medical disability            
examinations for veterans who live      
abroad ,not later than one year 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 efforts
 of the ,secretary to provide           
reimbursement for a veteran's travel to 
a ,department facility or a facility of 
a ,department-contracted provider1      
regardless of whether the facility is   
inside or outside the ,united ,states1  

when such travel is incident to a       
scheduled compensation and pension      
examination4  #bjc4 ,department of      
,veterans ,affairs requirement for      
communication by contractors providing  
covered medical disability examinations 
with persons recognized by power of     
attorney for preparation1 presentation1 
and prosecution of claims  7a7 ,in      
general ,in each contract entered into  
by the ,secretary after the date of the 
enactment of this ,act for the provision
 by a contractor of a covered medical   
disability examination1 the ,secretary  
shall include a requirement that every  
communication from a contractor to a    
veteran regarding the scheduling of a   
covered medical disability examination  
be contemporaneously transmitted to the 
person recognized by a power of attorney
 executed under sections #eijb1 #eijc1  
and #eijd of title #ch1 ,united ,states 
,code1 for the preparation1             
presentation1 and prosecution of claims4
  7b7 ,communication ,the ,secretary    

shall provide each contractor described 
in subsection 7a7 with contact          
information necessary to comply with    
such subsection4  7c7 ,definition ,in   
this section1 the term covered medical  
disability examination means a medical  
examination that the ,secretary         
determines necessary for the purposes of
 adjudicating a benefit under chapter   
#aa or #ae of title #ch1 ,united ,states
 ,code4  #bjd4 ,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 ,affairs shall1 
in partnership with veterans service    
organizations and such other            
stakeholders as the ,secretary considers
 relevant and appropriate1 implement an 
informative outreach program for        
veterans regarding the following3  7#a7 
,contact information for contractors    
providing covered medical disability    

examinations1 including the telephone   
numbers from which such contractors may 
contact veterans4  7#b7 ,the requirement
 for veterans to provide personally     
identifiable information when contacted 
by such contractors in order to verify  
their identity4  ,,iii ,other matters   
#cja4 ,report on supporting governmental
 veterans service officers  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 considers
 relevant and appropriate1 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 improving  
the support by the ,department of       
,veterans ,affairs of governmental      
veterans service officers4  7b7         
,elements ,the report submitted under   
subsection 7a7 shall include the        

following3  7#a7 ,enhanced access to    
systems ,an assessment of the           
feasibility and current technical       
limitations of providing 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  
,intergovernmental liaisons ,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 ,other 
,any other recommendations to improve   
how the ,department monitors1           
coordinates with1 or provides support to
 governmental veterans service officers4
  7c7 ,definitions ,in this section3    
7#a7 ,governmental veterans service     
officer ,the term governmental veterans 
service officer means an employee of a  

,state1 county1 municipal1 or ,tribal   
government-- 7,a7 who is accredited by  
at least one veterans service           
organization to serve as a veterans     
service officer2 and  7,b7 whose primary
 responsibilities include working as    
such an officer4  7#b7 ,veterans service
 organization ,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