I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1378 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an internship program 

within the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 7, 2023 

Mr. CISCOMANI (for himself, Mr. MCGARVEY, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, Mrs. 

KIGGANS of Virginia, and Ms. BUDZINSKI) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an 

internship program within the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Appeals 

5 Backlog Improvement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS INTERNSHIP PRO2 GRAM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 71 of title 38, United 

4 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol5 lowing new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 7114. Internship program 

7 ‘‘The Secretary shall establish a competitive intern8 ship program within the Department for the purpose of 

9 providing an opportunity for high-achieving students at 

10 law schools accredited by the American Bar Association 

11 to gain experience with the Board.’’. 

12 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

13 at the beginning of chapter 71 of such title is amended 

14 by adding at the end the following new item: 

‘‘7114. Internship program.’’. 

15 (c) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

16 shall establish the internship program required by section 

17 7114 of such title, as added by subsection (a), not later 

18 than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 

19 SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPART20 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HONORS PRO21 GRAM. 

22 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than one year after 

23 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

24 Veterans Affairs shall establish a nine-year pilot program 

25 under which the Secretary shall carry out a competitive 


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1 honors program within the Department of Veterans Af2 fairs for the purpose of recruiting high-achieving law 

3 school students, recent law school graduates, and entry4 level attorneys for employment with the Department. 

5 (b) QUALIFICATIONS.—To be eligible to participate 

6 in the competitive honors program under the pilot pro7 gram, an individual shall have graduated from a law 

8 school accredited by the American Bar Association and 

9 shall be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, 

10 territory, or the District of Columbia. The Secretary shall 

11 give priority consideration in application for the honors 

12 program to individuals who successfully complete the in13 ternship program established under section 7114 of title 

14 38, United States Code, as added by section 2(a). 

15 (c) STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT BENEFITS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to an agreement 

17 under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall provide 

18 student loan repayment benefits under section 5379 

19 of title 5, United States Code, to each participant in 

20 the pilot program who is eligible for student loan re21 payment benefits under such section. 

22 (2) PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT.—The Secretary 

23 shall enter into an agreement with each participant 

24 in the pilot program who will receive benefits deVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:14 Mar 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1378.IH H1378

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1 scribed in paragraph (1), in accordance with such 

2 section. Each such agreement shall specify that— 

3 (A) the participant agrees to remain in the 

4 service of the Department for a period of not 

5 less than three years, unless involuntarily sepa6 rated, in accordance with subsection (c) of such 

7 section; and 

8 (B) if separated involuntarily on account 

9 of misconduct, or voluntarily, before the end of 

10 the period specified in the agreement, the par11 ticipant shall repay to the Government the 

12 amount of any benefits received by the indi13 vidual from the Department in accordance with 

14 subsection (c) of such section 5379. 

15 (d) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.— 

16 (1) ASSIGNMENT OF MENTORS.—Not later than 

17 90 days after the date on which an individual begins 

18 participating in the pilot program established under 

19 subsection (a), the Secretary shall assign the partici20 pant a mentor who is an employee of the Depart21 ment who is— 

22 (A) to the extent practicable, a managerial 

23 employee; and 

24 (B) outside the participant’s chain of com25 mand. 


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1 (2) ASSIGNMENTS TO OFFICE OF GENERAL

2 COUNSEL.—The Secretary shall provide each partici3 pant in the pilot program at least one assignment 

4 within the Office of General Counsel of the Depart5 ment that includes full-time legal responsibilities in 

6 order to further the professional development of the 

7 participant. Such assignment shall be for a period of 

8 not less than 120 days and not more than 180 days, 

9 or longer at the discretion of the Secretary. 

10 (3) OTHER ROTATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS.—The 

11 Secretary may provide a participant in the pilot pro12 gram one or more other short-term rotational as13 signments. Such an assignment shall be for a period 

14 of not less than 30 days and not more than 180 

15 days, at the discretion of the Secretary. 

16 (e) PERIODIC REPORTS.— 

17 (1) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than three 

18 years after the date on which the Secretary first ac19 cepts a participant into the competitive honors pro20 gram carried out under the pilot program, and not 

21 less frequently than once every three years there22 after for the duration of the pilot program, the Sec23 retary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 

24 Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet25 erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a reVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:14 Mar 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1378.IH H1378

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1 port on the findings of the Secretary with respect to 

2 the pilot program. 

3 (2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 

4 paragraph (1) shall include the following: 

5 (A) The findings of the Secretary with re6 spect to the feasibility and advisability of estab7 lishing a permanent competitive honors pro8 gram within the Department. 

9 (B) Such recommendations as the Sec10 retary may have for legislative or administrative 

11 action to improve recruitment and retention of 

12 staff at the Department. 

13 SEC. 4. REPORT ON IMPROVING ACCESS TO BOARD OF VET14 ERANS’ APPEALS TELEHEARINGS. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 

16 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet17 erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 

18 Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af19 fairs of the House of Representatives a report on improv20 ing access to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Ap21 peals held by picture and voice transmission. 

22 (b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection 

23 (a) shall include the following: 

24 (1) Recommendations on the feasibility and ad25 visability of reimbursing veterans for expenses inVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:14 Mar 23, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1378.IH H1378

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1 curred for travel from the home of a veteran to the 

2 location at which a hearing before the Board of Vet3 erans’ Appeals is held by picture and voice trans4 mission, if the Secretary determines that travel to 

5 such location is reasonably necessary for such a 

6 hearing. 

7 (2) Recommendations on establishment of pilot 

8 programs to assess the feasibility and advisability of 

9 using other methods that could improve veteran ac10 cess to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Ap11 peals held by picture and voice transmission from a 

12 veteran’s home. 

13 (3) Such other recommendations to improve ac14 cess to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Ap15 peals held by picture and voice transmission as the 

16 Secretary may receive from stakeholders. 

Æ 


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