U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Reform Act

To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the temporary expansion of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, to ensure that judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims may enroll in the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Reform Act 2. Extending temporary expansion of United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Section 7253(i)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking January 1, 2013 January 1, 2020 3. Recall of retired judges of United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Paragraph (1) of section 7257(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows: (1) (A) The chief judge may recall for further service on the Court a recall-eligible retired judge in accordance with this section. Such a recall shall be made upon written certification by the chief judge that substantial service is expected to be performed by the retired judge for such period, not to exceed 90 days (or the equivalent), as determined by the chief judge to be necessary to meet the needs of the Court. (B) (i) A recall-eligible judge may request that the chief judge recall the recall-eligible judge for a period of service not to exceed 90 days (or the equivalent). (ii) The chief judge shall approve a request made by a recall-eligible judge pursuant to clause (i) unless the chief judge certifies, in writing, that the Court does not have— (I) sufficient work to assign such recall-eligible judge during the period of recalled service; or (II) sufficient resources to provide to such recall-eligible judge appropriate administrative and office support. (iii) At any time during the period of recalled service of a judge who is recalled pursuant to clause (i), the chief judge may terminate such recalled service if the chief judge makes a written certification described in clause (ii). . 4. Life insurance program relating to judges of United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (a) In general Section 7281 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (j) For purposes of chapter 87 . (b) Effective Date The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any payment made on or after the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 5. Voluntary contributions to enlarge survivors' annuity Section 7297 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (p) (1) A covered judge who makes an election under subsection (b) may purchase, in three-month increments, up to an additional year of service credit for each year of Federal judicial service completed, under the terms set forth in this section. (2) In this subsection, the term covered judge (A) A judge in regular active service. (B) A retired judge who is a recall-eligible retired judge pursuant to subsection (a) of section 7257 of this title. (C) A retired judge who would be a recall-eligible retired judge pursuant to subsection (a) of section 7257 but for— (i) meeting the aggregate recall service requirements under subsection (b)(3) of such section; or (ii) being permanently disabled as described by subsection (b)(4) of such section. . 6. Salaries of judges of United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Section 7253(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking district courts courts of appeals

Summary: U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Reform Act This bill extends the temporary expansion of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Specified recall provisions for retired Court judges are amended, including changing the recall period from 90 days in a calendar year to 90 days. A regular service judge and a retired judge shall be treated as an employee for government life insurance purposes. Regular service judges, retired recall eligible judges, and certain retired but not recall-eligible judges may purchase up to an additional year of service credit for each year of federal judicial service completed. The salary of Court judges is set at the rate applicable to federal appellate court judges. (Currently, their salary is set at the rate applicable to federal district court judges.)