Bill Summary
The "Board of Veterans Appeals Annual Report Transparency Act of 2025" is a bill that aims to enhance transparency regarding the operations of the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) by requiring it to include specific information in its annual report. The legislation mandates that the BVA identify and report on the factors that contribute to delays in the resolution of appeals and remands.
Specifically, the bill amends Title 38 of the United States Code, adding requirements for the BVA to provide detailed insights into cases that were not resolved in a timely manner, as well as those that were remanded. For each identified factor causing delays, the BVA must report the number and percentage of cases affected. This initiative seeks to improve accountability and address issues within the appeals process, ultimately aiming to facilitate a more efficient system for veterans seeking benefits.
Possible Impacts
The "Board of Veterans Appeals Annual Report Transparency Act of 2025" could affect people in several ways:
1. **Increased Accountability for Timeliness**: By requiring the Board of Veterans' Appeals to identify factors contributing to delays in the disposition of appeals, this legislation may lead to improved accountability. Veterans and their families would be able to understand why their cases are taking longer than expected, potentially allowing them to advocate more effectively for timely resolutions.
2. **Enhanced Transparency in the Appeals Process**: The requirement for detailed reporting on the reasons for remands and delays could foster greater transparency in the appeals process. Veterans may feel more empowered and informed about the status of their appeals, as they will have access to specific data regarding the factors that are causing delays, which may lead to increased trust in the system.
3. **Potential for Systemic Improvements**: By identifying the factors contributing to untimely dispositions and remands, the Board may be prompted to implement systemic changes to address these issues. This could ultimately lead to a more efficient appeals process, resulting in faster resolutions for veterans seeking benefits, which would benefit a large number of individuals relying on the timely adjudication of their claims.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6698 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6698
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Board of
Veterans' Appeals to include in its annual report an identification of
the factors contributing to untimely disposition and remand of appeals,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 12, 2025
Mr. Self introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Board of
Veterans' Appeals to include in its annual report an identification of
the factors contributing to untimely disposition and remand of appeals,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Board of Veterans Appeals Annual
Report Transparency Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. IDENTIFICATION OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO UNTIMELY DISPOSITION
AND REMAND OF APPEALS.
Section 7101(d) of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)(F) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2)(G) by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) in paragraph (2) by adding at the end the following:
``(H) with respect to cases pending before the
Board under the new appeals system (as defined in
section 6 of the Veterans Appeals Improvement and
Modernization Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-55; 131 Stat.
1127)) during that year that were not disposed of in a
timely manner (as required by section 7101(a) of this
title) by the end of that year, an identification by
the Chairman of the factors contributing to the
untimely disposition of such cases and, for each factor
so identified, the number and percentage of such cases
to which that factor contributed; and
``(I) with respect to cases pending before the
Board (whether under the new or legacy appeals system)
during that year that were remanded during that year,
an identification by the Chairman of the factors
contributing to the remand of such cases and, for each
factor so identified, the number and percentage of such
cases to which that factor contributed.''.
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