To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain revisions to the manual of the Veterans Benefits Administration and to improve the quality of the adjudication of claims for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · April 16, 2024
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
This bill aims to improve how the Department of Veterans Affairs processes and decides veterans' benefit claims. The legislation requires the VA's General Counsel to review significant changes to benefits processing manuals and establish training programs for staff who draft benefits rules and guidance. The bill also creates new quality assurance programs at the Board of Veterans' Appeals, including requirements to track decision errors, monitor why cases get sent back by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and provide targeted training to Board members on making accurate and timely decisions. Additionally, the legislation mandates annual reports to Congress identifying common reasons claims are remanded and establishing a plan to reduce unnecessary case remands. The first reports are due within one year of enactment, with an improvement plan due within six months.
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