,,ib ,union ,calendar ,no4 #edi #aaith  
,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4 #bacg
 ,report ,no4 #aai-fcc ,,in ,,the       
,,house ,,of ,,representatives  ,march  
#ad1 #bjbe,mr4 ,luttrell 7for himself1  
,mr4 ,mc,garvey1 ,mr4 ,weber of ,texas1 
and ,mr4 ,pfluger7 introduced the       
following bill2 which was referred to   
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs   
,may #d1 #bjbf;,additional sponsors3    
,mr4 ,mills1 ,mr4 ,vindman1 ,mr4        
,neguse1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,california1 
,mrs4 ,kiggans of ,virginia1 and ,mr4   
,hernndez  ,may #d1 #bjbf,reported with 
an amendment1 committed to the          
,committee of the ,whole ,house on the  
,state of the ,union1 and ordered to be 
printed,strike out all after the        
enacting clause and insert the part     
printed in italic,for text of introduced
 bill1 see copy of bill as introduced on
 ,march #ad1 #bjbe  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend
 title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to   
limit the authority of the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs to deny the claim of

 a veteran for benefits under the laws  
administered by such ,secretary on the  
sole basis that such veteran failed to  
appear for a medical examination        
associated with such claim4  #a4 ,short 
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,review ,every ,veterans ,claim ,act of 
#bjbe4  #b4 ,prohibition on denial of   
claims for benefits under laws          
administered by ,secretary of ,veterans 
,affairs on sole basis that veteran     
failed to appear for certain medical    
examination ,subsection 7d7 of section  
#eajc;,a of title #ch1 ,united ,states  
,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in the heading1
 by striking compensation claims and    
inserting claims for benefits2  7#b7 in 
paragraph 7#b71 by striking treat an    
examination or opinion as being         
necessary to make a decision on a claim 
for purposes of and inserting provide   
for a medical examination or obtain a   
medical opinion under2 and  7#c7 by     
adding at the end the following new     
paragraph3  7#c7 ,if a veteran fails to 

appear for a medical examination        
provided by the ,secretary in           
conjunction with a claim for a benefit  
under a law administered by the         
,secretary1 the ,secretary may not deny 
such claim on the sole basis that such  
veteran failed to appear for such       
medical examination4  4  #c4            
,improvements to efficiency of          
adjudications and appeals of claims for 
benefits under laws administered by     
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs  7a7   
,annual report on length of             
adjudications  7#a7 ,in general ,section
 #eaji;,b of title #ch1 ,united ,states 
,code1 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking    
,the ,secretary and inserting 7a7 ,in   
general4--,the ,secretary2 and  7,b7 by 
adding at the end the following new     
subsection3  7b7 ,annual report ,the    
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,house of ,representatives and the  
,senate an annual report that includes1 
with respect to the period covered by   

the report-- 7#a7 the average length of 
time a claim 7or an issue within a      
claim7 that was remanded by the ,board  
of ,veterans' ,appeals was or has been  
pending before the ,secretary after such
 remand2  7#b7 the number of cases that 
advanced on the docket by reason of a   
motion that was filed under section     
#gajg7;b7 of this title and on which the
 ,board ruled1 disaggregated by-- 7,a7  
whether a motion was granted or denied2 
and  7,b7 the reason provided for the   
motion2 and  7#c7 the number of appeals 
dismissed by the ,board1 disaggregated  
by-- 7,a7 whether or not the dismissal  
was by reason of the death of the       
appellant2 and  7,b7 in the case of a   
dismissal by reason of the death of the 
appellant1 whether or not such death was
 a result of suicide4  4  7#b7 ,deadline
 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs  
shall submit the first report required  
by subsection 7b7 of section #eaji;,b of
 such title 7as added by paragraph 7#a77
 by not later than one year after the   

date of the enactment of this ,act4  7b7
 ,guidelines for advancement of cases on
 docket of ,board ,not later than one   
year after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans  
,affairs1 in consultation with the      
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals and the   
,general ,counsel of the ,department of 
,veterans ,affairs1 shall prescribe     
guidelines for the advancement of a case
 on the docket of the ,board on a motion
 for earlier consideration and          
determination under section             
#gajg7;b77#c7 of title #ch1 ,united     
,states ,code4 ,such guidelines shall   
include the type of evidence that may be
 submitted with the motion for the      
advancement of the case to show grounds 
for such a motion4  7c7 ,requirement ,to
 track certain claims for benefits  7#a7
 ,in general ,chapter #ea of title #ch1 
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
inserting after section #eaji;,b the    
following new section3  #eaji;,c4       
,requirement to track and maintain      

information on certain claims for       
benefits2 notice of certain assignments 
7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall   
use technology to track and maintain    
information 7including information with 
respect to timeliness7 on-- 7#a7 claims 
for benefits under the laws administered
 by the ,secretary 7including issues    
within such claims7 that are-- 7,a7     
continuously pursued in accordance      
with-- 7i7 sections #eajd;,c7a7 and     
#eaaj7;a77#b7 of this title2 or  7ii7   
any other policy established by the     
,secretary2  7,b7 filed in the ,national
 ,work ,queue 7or any successor system7 
but have not been assigned to an office 
of the ,veterans ,benefits              
,administration for adjudication2  7,c7 
afforded expeditious treatment by the   
,veterans ,benefits ,administration     
pursuant to section #eaji;,b of this    
title or any other policy established by
 the ,secretary2  7,d7 remanded by the  
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals to the    
,secretary pursuant to section #gajd of 

this title2 or  7,e7 pending a hearing  
by the ,board of ,veterans' ,appeals    
under section #gajg of this title2  7#b7
 instances in which an adjudicator of   
the ,veterans ,benefits ,administration 
does not comply with a relevant decision
 of the ,board of ,veterans' ,appeals to
 remand a claim for benefits under the  
laws administered by the ,secretary 7or 
an issue within such a claim71 including
 any such instance in which the relevant
 decision concerned a failure on the    
part of the agency of original          
jurisdiction to satisfy the duty of the 
,secretary to assist under section      
#eajc;,a of this title2  7#c7           
supplemental claims under section #eajh 
of this title that are filed-- 7,a7 in  
accordance with section #eajd;,c7a7 and 
section #eaaj7;a77#b7 of this title2 and
  7,b7 after the date of the applicable 
final decision of the ,secretary with   
respect to a claim for benefits under   
the laws administered by the ,secretary 
7or an issue within such a claim72 and  

7#d7 first notices submitted to the     
,secretary of the death of individuals  
in receipt of benefits under the laws   
administered by the ,secretary1         
disaggregated by such individuals who   
were-- 7,a7 assigned a fiduciary2 and   
7,b7 not assigned a fiduciary4  7b7     
,annual report  7#a7 ,the ,secretary    
shall submit to the ,committees on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives and the ,senate an     
annual report that includes all         
information maintained and tracked      
pursuant to subsection 7a74  7#b7 ,the  
first report required by paragraph 7#a7 
shall be submitted by not later than one
 year after the date of the enactment of
 the ,veterans ,appeals ,efficiency ,act
 of #bjbe4  4  7#b7 ,clerical amendment 
,the table of sections at the beginning 
of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section      
#eaji;,b the following new item3        
#eaji;,c4 ,requirement to track and     
maintain information on certain claims  

for benefits2 notice of certain         
assignments4  4  7d7 ,improvements to   
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals  7#a7     
,authority to aggregate certain claims  
7,a7 ,in general ,section #gajd7;a7 of  
such title is amended by inserting after
 the second sentence the following new  
sentence3 ,if the ,chairman of the      
,board determines that more than one    
appeal involves common questions of law 
or fact1 the ,chairman may aggregate    
such appeals to decide such questions of
 law or fact44  7,b7 ,effective date    
,the amendment made by subparagraph 7,a7
 shall take effect on the date of the   
enactment of this ,act and apply        
beginning on the date on which the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
completes the development of the        
policies and procedures required under  
subsection 7g77#d77;,a77ii74  7#b7      
,requirement to ensure substantial      
compliance with certain decisions ,such 
section is further amended-- 7,a7 by    
redesignating subsection 7f7 as         

subsection 7g72 and  7,b7 by inserting  
after subsection 7e7 the following new  
subsection 7f73  7f7 7#a7 ,the          
,secretary1 acting through a member of  
the ,board1 shall ensure substantial    
compliance with any decision of the     
,board to remand a claim4  7#b7 ,the    
agency of original adjudication may     
waive the requirement under paragraph   
7#a7 with respect to a decision of the  
,board to remand a claim to the         
,secretary1 if a member of the ,board   
determines-- 7,a7 evidence added to the 
evidentiary record after the date of    
such decision is sufficient to resolve  
the issues underlying such decision2 or 
7,b7 such decision was unnecessary4     
7#c7 ,if the ,secretary waives such     
requirement1 the applicable member of   
the ,board shall include1 pursuant to   
subsection 7d71 a determination of such 
waiver in the decision of the ,board4  4
  7#c7 ,definition of aggregate2 report 
,such section is further amended by     
adding at the end the following new     

subsections3  7h7 ,not later than five  
years after the date of the enactment of
 the ,veterans ,appeals ,efficiency ,act
 of #bjbe1 and every five years         
thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit 
to the ,committees on ,veterans'        
,affairs of the ,senate and ,house of   
,representatives a report on the        
aggregation of claims by the ,board     
under subsection 7a74 ,each such report 
shall include-- 7#a7 an identification  
of each instance in which the ,board    
aggregated appeals during the period    
covered by the report1 including1 for   
each such instance1 the number of       
appeals that were aggregated2  7#b7 an  
assessment of whether the aggregation of
 appeals has contributed to improved    
efficiency at the ,board with issuing   
decisions on appeals2 and  7#c7 such    
other matters as the ,secretary         
determines appropriate4  7i7 ,in this   
section1 the term aggregate-- 7#a7 means
 any practice or procedure to collect   
common issues1 claims1 or appeals by    

multiple parties for the purposes of    
resolving such issues1 claims1 or       
appeals2 and  7#b7 includes the use of  
joinder1 consolidation1 intervention1   
class actions1 and any other multiparty 
proceedings4  4  7e7 ,expansion of      
jurisdiction of ,court of ,appeals for  
,veterans ,claims ,section #gbeb of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating         
subsections 7b7 and 7c7 as subsections  
7d7 and 7e71 respectively2 and  7#b7 by 
inserting after subsection 7a7 the      
following new subsections3  7b7 7#a7    
7,a7 ,in a covered proceeding in which  
the appellant or petitioner files a     
request for class certification pursuant
 to the rules prescribed by the ,court  
pursuant to section #gbfd of this title1
 the ,court shall have supplemental     
jurisdiction over any claim for benefits
 under the laws administered by the     
,secretary-- 7i7 that satisfies the     
definition of the class contained in the
 request for class certification2 and   

7ii7 for which the agency of original   
jurisdiction has issued a nonfinal      
decision and the claimant has filed a   
notice of disagreement under section    
#eajd;,c7a7 or section #gaje of this    
title1 including any case in which a    
claimant has filed a supplemental claim 
within one year of a ,board decision    
under section #eaaj7;a77#b77;,d7 and    
#eajh of this title following a notice  
of disagreement and decision of the     
,board4  7,b7 ,for purposes of          
subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 a covered       
proceeding means an appeal over which   
the ,court has jurisdiction pursuant to 
section #gbff of this title2 and  7ii7  
the definition of the class contained in
 the request for class certification    
includes claimants who have filed or    
will file a claim for benefits under the
 laws administered by the ,secretary    
specified in such request for class     
certification4  7#b7 ,a claimant may    
submit a request for administrative     
review of such a claim under section    

#eajd;,c7a7 of this title during the    
period beginning on the date on which   
the named claimant of the motion for    
class action review submits to the      
,court a motion for class action review 
and ending on the date that is #fj days 
after the later of the following dates3 
7,a7 ,the date on which the ,court      
issues a final decision with respect to 
such claim4  7,b7 ,the date on which the
 ,court issues a final decision with    
respect to such motion for class action 
review4  7#c7 ,in the case of a claimant
 whose claim is decided by the ,board   
during the period when the ,court is    
reviewing the motion for class action   
review the deadline for such claimant to
 file an appeal to the ,court with      
respect to the decision of the ,board   
shall be tolled if the ,court denies the
 motion for class action review4  7c7   
7#a7 ,in the case of a claim for        
benefits under the laws administered by 
the ,secretary1 the ,court may remand a 
matter to the ,board of ,veterans'      

,appeals for the limited purpose of     
ordering the ,board to address a        
question of law or fact if the ,court   
determines the ,board failed to-- 7,a7  
address1 in the relevant decision of the
 ,board1 an issue that-- 7i7 the        
claimant or the representative of the   
claimant raised2 or  7ii7 was reasonably
 raised by the evidentiary record of the
 claim2 or  7,b7 provide adequate       
reasons or bases for the decision of the
 ,board with respect to such question4  
7#b7 ,the ,court shall issue ,rules that
 provide for each of the following3 7,a7
 ,when and how a party to an appeal     
7either the appellant or the ,secretary7
 may request that the ,court issue a    
limited remand4  7,b7 ,the period of    
time within which the ,board is required
 issue a decision on the relevant       
question identified in a limited remand4
  7,c7 ,guidelines for when the ,court  
may grant a request for a limited       
remand4  7,d7 ,guidelines for when the  
,court may decide sua sponte to issue a 

limited remand without a request from   
any party4  7,e7 ,a requirement that the
 parties to an appeal for which a       
limited remand is issued provide notice 
to the ,court when the ,board issues its
 decision on the relevant question      
identified in the limited remand4  7#c7 
,with respect to any matter remanded to 
the ,board pursuant to paragraph 7#a71  
the ,court shall-- 7,a7 retain          
jurisdiction over such matter2 and  7,b7
 stay the proceedings of the ,court on  
such matter until the date on which the 
,board issues the decision required by  
such remand4  4  7f7 ,study and report  
on common questions of law or fact      
before ,board of ,veterans' ,appeals    
7#a7 ,study ,the ,chairman of the ,board
 of ,veterans' ,appeals shall carry out 
a study to identify questions of law or 
fact the ,board commonly considers when 
reviewing appeals pursuant to section   
#gajd of title #ch1 ,united ,states     
,code1 for which precedential guidance  
would assist the ,board in issuing final

 decisions on such appeals4 ,the        
,chairman may use artificial            
intelligence and other technology in    
carrying out such study4  7#b7 ,report  
,not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,chairman of the ,board of ,veterans    
,appeals shall submit to the ,committees
 on ,veterans ,affairs of the ,house of 
,representatives and the ,senate a      
report that includes the findings of the
 study required by paragraph 7#a74  7g7 
,independent assessment of potential    
modifications to authority of ,board of 
,veterans' ,appeals  7#a7 ,agreement    
,not later than #cj days after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
seek to enter into an agreement with an 
,,ffrdc under which the ,,ffrdc shall   
conduct an assessment of the feasibility
 of modifying the authority of the      
,board of ,veterans' ,appeals           
established under chapter #ga of title  
#ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 to permit   

the ,board to issue precedential        
decisions with respect to questions of  
law or fact arising in matters before   
the ,board4  7#b7 ,report2 briefings ,if
 the ,secretary fails to finalize an    
agreement with an ,,ffrdc under         
paragraph 7#a7 before the date that is  
#ahj days after the date on which the   
,secretary enters negotiations with     
respect to such agreement1 the          
,secretary shall-- 7,a7 submit to the   
,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,house of ,representatives and the  
,senate a report that includes-- 7i7 an 
explanation of the reasons the          
,secretary failed to satisfy such       
requirement2 and  7ii7 an estimate of   
the date on which the ,secretary will   
finalize the agreement under paragraph  
7#a72 and  7,b7 not less frequently than
 once every #fj days after the date on  
which the ,secretary failed to satisfy  
such requirement1 provide to the        
,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,house of ,representatives and the  

,senate a briefing on the progress of   
the ,secretary toward finalizing such   
agreement4  7#c7 ,assessment ,an ,,ffrdc
 that enters into an agreement under    
subsection 7a7 shall1 in consultation   
with veterans service organizations1    
veterans' and survivors' advocate       
groups1 relevant legal experts1 and the 
,chair of the ,administrative           
,conference of the ,united ,states 7or  
the designee or designees of such       
,chair7 submit to the ,secretary a      
written assessment that includes the    
following3 7,a7 ,the determination of   
the ,,ffrdc of whether modifying the    
authority of the ,board to permit the   
,board to issue precedential decisions  
with respect to questions of law or fact
 arising in matters before the ,board is
 feasible4  7,b7 ,an assessment of the  
authority of the ,board of ,veterans'   
,appeals to aggregate1 for review1 more 
than one appeal under chapter #ga of    
such title that involves common         
questions of law or fact pursuant to    

section #gajd of such title1 as amended 
by subsection 7d77#a74  7,c7 ,the       
recommendations of the ,,ffrdc with     
respect to rules or principles to which 
the ,board should adhere when           
aggregating appeals for review pursuant 
to section #gajd7;a7 of title #ch1      
,united ,states ,code1 as so amended4   
7#d7 ,report2 implementation  7,a7 ,in  
general ,not later than #ij days after  
the ,secretary receives the assessment  
under subsection 7b71 the ,secretary    
shall-- 7i7 submit to the ,committees on
 ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate and 
,house of ,representatives a copy of    
such assessment2 and  7ii7 begin        
developing policies and procedures to   
implement the recommendations in the    
assessment with respect to the authority
 of the ,board of ,veterans' ,appeals   
referred to in paragraph 7#b77;,b74     
7,b7 ,deadline ,the ,secretary shall    
complete the development of the policies
 and procedures required under          
subparagraph 7,a77ii7 by not later than 

six months after the date on which the  
,secretary begins developing such       
policies and procedures4  7#e7          
,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7  
,the term ,,ffrdc means a federally     
funded research and development center4 
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  #d4 ,improvements to system for 
adjudication of claims for benefits     
under laws administered by ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs  7a7 ,program for   
quality assurance in decisions of ,board
 of ,veterans' ,appeals2 performance    
reviews  7#a7 ,in general ,section #gaja
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by adding at the end the       
following new subsection3  7f7 7#a7 ,the
 ,chairman shall carry out a program to 
ensure quality in the decisions of the  
,board4 ,under such program1 the        
,chairman shall-- 7,a7 develop policies 

and procedures for-- 7i7 measuring      
quality in such decisions2  7ii7        
maintaining data and identifying trends 
with respect to-- 7,i7 errors in such   
decisions2  7,,ii7 errors in decisions  
remanded or returned to the ,board by   
the ,court of ,appeals for ,veterans    
,claims2 and  7,,iii7 specific members  
of the ,board that issued decisions that
 were subsequently vacated by the ,court
 of ,appeals for ,veterans ,claims2 and 
7iii7 ensuring any such decision of the 
,board to remand a claim for a benefit  
under a law administered by the         
,secretary is necessary under any       
applicable law or regulation2  7,b7 with
 respect to a claim for such a benefit  
that is remanded to the ,board by the   
,court of ,appeals for ,veterans        
,claims-- 7i7 inform any employee of the
 ,board responsible for drafting the    
decision of the ,board with respect to  
such claim that such decision was       
remanded2  7ii7 provide any such        
employee with a copy of the relevant    

order of the ,court of ,appeals for     
,veterans ,claims 7including a copy of  
any accompanying joint motion for       
remand72 and  7iii7 provide incentives  
to such employees to review such        
relevant orders and joint motions for   
remand2 and  7,c7 ensure1 to the maximum
 extent practicable1 that any error     
identified by the ,board under such     
program is corrected before the date on 
which the ,board issues the final       
decision associated with such error4    
7#b7 ,in developing policies and        
procedures to measure quality in        
decisions of the ,board pursuant to     
clause 7i7 of subparagraph 7,a7 of      
paragraph 7#a71 the ,chairman shall     
consider the data and trends maintained 
and identified pursuant to clause 7ii7  
of such subparagraph4  7#c7 ,the        
,chairman may use technology1 including 
artificial intelligence1 to maintain    
such data and identify such trends4     
7#d7 ,the ,secretary shall submit to the
 ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of  

the ,house of ,representatives and the  
,senate an annual report on the program 
required by this subsection that        
includes1 with respect to the period    
covered by the report1 an identification
 of-- 7,a7 elements1 if any of the      
process of the ,board for reviewing an  
appeal under this chapter that lead to  
errors in decisions of the ,board2 and  
7,b7 the most common reasons that a     
claim for a benefit under a law         
administered by the ,secretary was      
remanded to such ,board by the ,court of
 ,appeals for ,veterans ,claims4  4     
7#b7 ,deadline ,the ,secretary shall    
submit the first report required by     
paragraph 7#b7 of such section 7as added
 by paragraph 7#a77 by not later than   
one year after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act4  7b7 ,training program   
for certain employees of ,board of      
,veterans' ,appeals2 performance reviews
  7#a7 ,training program  7,a7 ,in      
general ,chapter #ga of such title 7as  
amended by subsection 7a77 is further   

amended by inserting after section      
#gaja;,a the following new section3     
#gaja;,b4 ,training program for ,members
 of ,board on timely and correct        
adjudication of appeals  7a7 ,in general
 ,the ,secretary1 in conjunction with   
the ,chairman of the ,board of          
,veterans' ,appeals1 shall develop and  
carry out a program to provide ,members 
of the ,board training on timely and    
correct adjudication of appeals under   
this chapter4  7b7 ,required            
considerations ,in carrying out the     
program required by subsection 7a71 the 
,secretary shall consider the following3
 7#a7 ,feedback1 if any1 from members of
 the ,board and covered employees with  
respect to such program4  7#b7 ,data on 
errors in decisions of the ,board       
maintained pursuant to the program for  
quality assurance required by subsection
 7f7 of section #gaja of this title4    
7#c7 ,any decision of the ,court of     
,appeals for ,veterans ,claims to remand
 a claim for benefits under the laws    

administered by the ,secretary to the   
,board for further action1 including a  
joint motion to remand such claim4  7c7 
,assessments of effectiveness ,the      
,secretary1 in conjunction with the     
,chairman of the ,board of ,veterans'   
,appeals1 shall develop a method to     
assess1 on an annual basis1 the         
effectiveness of the training program   
under this section4 ,in developing such 
method1 the ,secretary shall consider   
best practices for assessing the        
effectiveness of training programs1     
including the ,kirkpatrick evaluation   
model4  7d7 ,report ,the ,secretary     
shall submit to the ,committees on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives and the ,senate an     
annual report on the program required by
 subsection 7a7 that includes1 with     
respect to the period covered by the    
report-- 7#a7 a statement of the topics 
of the training provided pursuant to    
this section1 disaggregated by-- 7,a7   
mandatory training2 and  7,b7           

non-mandatory training2 and  7#b7 the   
results of the assessment of the        
effectiveness of such program required  
under subsection 7b74  7e7 ,covered     
employee defined ,in this section1 the  
term covered employee means an employee 
of the ,board who is-- 7#a7 not a member
 of the ,board2 and  7#b7 responsible   
for drafting decisions of the ,board4  4
  7,b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of
 sections at the beginning of such      
chapter is amended by inserting after   
the item relating to section #gaja;,a   
the following new item3  #gaja;,b4      
,training program for ,members of ,board
 on timely and correct adjudication of  
appeals4  4  7#b7 ,performance reviews  
of ,members of the ,board ,section      
#gaja;,a of such title 7as amended by   
paragraph 7#a77 is amended-- 7,a7 in    
subparagraph 7,b7 of subsection 7c77#a7 
by striking not less often than once    
every three years and inserting not less
 often than annually2 and  7,b7 by      
adding at the end the following new     

subsection3  7h7 7#a7 ,with respect to  
any performance review of a covered     
employee1 the ,secretary may not        
consider the timeliness or quality of   
work of any ,member of the ,board4  7#b7
 ,in this subsection1 the term covered  
employee has the meaning given such term
 in section #gaja;,b of this title4  4  
7c7 ,decisions of ,board to remand  7#a7
 ,information relating to decisions to  
remand ,section #gajd of such title is  
amended in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 by     
redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 through   
7#c7 as paragraphs 7#b7 through 7#d71   
respsectively2 and  7,b7 by inserting   
before paragraph 7#b7 7as so            
redesignated71 the following new        
paragraph3  7#a7 with respect to a claim
 that the ,board remands for further    
action1 a statement of the specific     
reasons such claim was remanded1        
including any failure on the part of the
 ,secretary to comply with-- 7,a7 the   
,secretary's duty to assist under       
section #eajc;,a of this title2 and     

7,b7 the ,secretary's duty to notify    
under section #eajc of this title2  4   
7#b7 ,notice of remanded decision for   
certain employees ,such section is      
further amended in-- 7,a7 subsection    
7e7-- 7i7 by redesignating paragraphs   
7#a7 through 7#c7 as subparagraphs 7,a7 
through 7,c71 respectively2  7ii7 by    
striking ,after and inserting 7#a7      
,after2 and  7iii7 by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph3  7#b7 ,if1 
pursuant to a decision on an appeal1 the
 ,board remands a claim for a benefit   
under a law administered by the         
,secretary for further action1 the      
,secretary shall1 to the maximum extent 
practicable1 issue a copy of such       
decision to each employee of the        
,veterans ,benefits ,administration who 
committed the error resulting in the    
decision of the ,board to remand1 when  
applicable4  2 and  7,b7 in subsection  
7g71 as redesignated by section         
#c7;d77#b77;,a71 by striking under      
subsection 7e7 and inserting under      

paragraph 7#a7 of subsection 7e74  7d7  
,annual reports for ,board of ,veterans'
 ,appeals  7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #ga
 of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is
 amended by inserting after section     
#gaad the following new section3  #gaae4
 ,annual report on ,board of ,veterans' 
,appeals ,the ,chairman of the ,board   
shall submit to the ,committees on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives and the ,senate an     
annual report that includes1 for each   
decision of the ,board to remand a claim
 for a benefit under a law administered 
by the ,secretary to the ,secretary for 
further adjudication during the period  
covered by the report1 a statement of   
the reasons for such decision of the    
,board1 disaggregated by decisions on-- 
7#a7 claims with a rating decision dated
 on or after ,february #ai1 #bjai2 and  
7#b7 claims with a rating decision dated
 before such date4  4  7#b7 ,deadlines  
,the ,secretary shall submit the first  
reports required by subsections 7a7 and 

7b7 of section #gaae of such title 7as  
added by paragraph 7#a77 by not later   
than one year after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act4  7#c7 ,clerical 
amendment ,the table of sections at the 
beginning of such chapter is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to    
section #gaad the following new item3   
#gaae4 ,annual report on ,board of      
,veterans' ,appeals  4  7e7 ,plan for   
improvements to quality in decisions of 
,board  7#a7 ,in general ,not later than
 six months after the date of the       
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,veterans ,affairs1 in consultation  
with the ,chairman of the ,board of     
,veterans' ,appeals and the head of the 
,office of ,administrative ,review of   
the ,veterans ,benefits ,administration1
 shall develop a plan to-- 7,a7 improve 
the quality of decisions of the ,board  
to remand1 pursuant to section #gajd of 
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 claims
 for a benefit under a law administered 
by the ,secretary to the ,secretary for 

further action2 and  7,b7 mitigate the  
number of such decisions that are       
unnecessary under any applicable law or 
regulation4  7#b7 ,report ,the          
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,house of ,representatives and the  
,senate a report on such plan by not    
later than six months after the date of 
the enactment of this ,act4  #e4 ,notice
 of avoidable deferrals of claims for   
benefits under laws administered by the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs2 study 
and report on certain opinions of       
,department of ,veterans ,affairs       
,office of ,general ,counsel  7a7       
,notice of avoidable deferrals ,not     
later than one year after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
develop policies1 procedures1 and       
technological capabilities to ensure    
that each employee of the ,veterans     
,benefits ,administration that commits  
an avoidable deferral with respect to a 

claim for benefits under the laws       
administered by the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs in the ,national     
,work ,queue is notified of any         
avoidable deferrals that such employee  
commits with respect to the same claim4 
7b7 ,study and report on certain ,,ogc  
opinions  7#a7 ,study ,not later than   
one year after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act1 the ,secretary of        
,veterans ,affairs1 in consultation with
 the ,office of the ,general ,counsel of
 the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs  
and the ,chairman of the ,board of      
,veterans' ,appeals1 shall complete a   
study to identify-- 7,a7 issues about   
which an opinion from the ,office of the
 ,general ,counsel of the ,department   
would foster consistency in the         
decisions of the ,secretary with respect
 to claims for benefits under the laws  
administered by the ,secretary2 and     
7,b7 issues raised in appeals of such   
decisions to the ,united ,states ,court 
of ,appeals for ,veterans ,claims before

 the date of the enactment of this ,act 
about which the ,office of the ,general 
,counsel has had inconsistent opinions  
in matters involving substantially      
similar questions of law or fact4  7#b7 
,report ,not later than one year after  
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs    
shall submit to the ,committees on      
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives a report that          
includes-- 7,a7 the findings of the     
study required by paragraph 7#a72  7,b7 
a statement of which issues identified  
pursuant to such study about which the  
,office of the ,general ,counsel of the 
,department intends to publish an       
opinion2 and  7,c7 a timeline for the   
publication of any such opinion4  #f4   
,extension of certain limits on payments
 of pension ,section #eejc7;d77#g7 of   
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by striking ,november #cj1 #bjca
 and inserting ,december #ca1 #bjcd4    
,may #d1 #bjbf,reported with an         

amendment1 committed to the ,committee  
of the ,whole ,house on the ,state of   
the ,union1 and ordered to be printed