US Congress Senate Bill 1024 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Introduced on May 3 2017 - 25% progression, died in chamber
Action: 2017-07-10 - Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 166.
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 This bill revises the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims appeals system. The bill permits a veteran to appeal within one year by: (1) requesting a review of the agency of original jurisdiction's (AOJ) decision by a higher-level adjudicator within AOJ using the same evidentiary record; (2) filing a supplemental claim with a regional office that includes the opportunity to submit additional evidence and have a hearing; or (3) appealing directly to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, with the opportunity to select an expedited review to submit new evidence but without a hearing, or to select a review with the option to submit new evidence and request a hearing. A veteran may: (1) maintain the original effective date of a claim if he or she submits new and relevant evidence within one year of the most recent decision, and (2) retain the services of attorneys and accredited agents who charge a fee when the AOJ provides notice of the original decision. The VA's statutory duty to assist a veteran terminates after the original decision. The bill: (1) requires the VA to issue decision notification letters, (2) permits certain veterans who initiated an appeal prior to the bill's effective date to opt-in to the new appeals system, (3) authorizes the VA to conduct a pilot program to test such system, and (4) requires the VA, prior to full implementation, to certify to Congress that it has sufficient resources and personnel to carry out the legacy and new appeals systems.

Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017

Sen. Johnny Isakson [R-GA]	Sen. Richard Blumenthal [D-CT]	Sen. Jon Tester [D-MT]	Sen. Steve Daines [R-MT]
Sen. Margaret Hassan [D-NH]	Sen. Tom Udall [D-NM]	Sen. Angus King [I-ME]	Sen. Tammy Baldwin [D-WI]
Sen. Tim Kaine [D-VA]	Sen. Orrin Hatch [R-UT]	Sen. Shelley Capito [R-WV]	Sen. Susan Collins [R-ME]
Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL]	Sen. John Thune [R-SD]	Sen. Dean Heller [R-NV]	Sen. Mike Crapo [R-ID]
Sen. Thad Cochran [R-MS]	Sen. Mark Warner [D-VA]	Sen. Joe Manchin [D-WV]	Sen. Mazie Hirono [D-HI]
Sen. Sherrod Brown [D-OH]	Sen. Michael Enzi [R-WY]	Sen. Mike Rounds [R-SD]	Sen. Bill Nelson [D-FL]
Sen. Claire McCaskill [D-MO]	Sen. Martin Heinrich [D-NM]	Sen. Joe Donnelly [D-IN]	Sen. John Hoeven [R-ND]
Sen. Robert Casey [D-PA]	Sen. Jeanne Shaheen [D-NH]	Sen. Roger Wicker [R-MS]	Sen. Pat Roberts [R-KS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2017-07-10	Senate	Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 166.
2017-07-10	Senate	Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Reported by Senator Isakson with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 115-126.
2017-06-28	Senate	Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
2017-05-17	Senate	Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-299.
2017-05-03	Senate	Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

HB2288 (Related) 2017-08-23 - Became Public Law No: 115-55. (TXT | PDF)
HB457 (Related) 2017-02-03 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
SB712 (Related) 2017-03-23 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
SB933 (Related) 2017-04-25 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1024/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/s1024/BILLS-115s1024is.pdf
Text	https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/s1024/BILLS-115s1024rs.pdf