(2) ASSIGNMENTS
TO
OFFICE
OF
GENERAL 
COUNSEL.—The Secretary shall provide each partici-
pant in the pilot program at least one assignment 
within the Office of General Counsel of the Depart-
ment that includes full-time legal responsibilities in 
order to further the professional development of the 
participant. Such assignment shall be for a period of 
not less than 120 days and not more than 180 days, 
or longer at the discretion of the Secretary. 
(3) OTHER
ROTATIONAL
ASSIGNMENTS.—The 
Secretary may provide a participant in the pilot pro-
gram one or more other short-term rotational as-
signments. Such an assignment shall be for a period 
of not less than 30 days and not more than 180 
days, at the discretion of the Secretary. 
(e) PERIODIC REPORTS.— 
(1) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than three 
years after the date on which the Secretary first ac-
cepts a participant into the competitive honors pro-
gram carried out under the pilot program, and not 
less frequently than once every three years there-
after for the duration of the pilot program, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a re-
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port on the findings of the Secretary with respect to 
the pilot program. 
(2) CONTENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) The findings of the Secretary with re-
spect to the feasibility and advisability of estab-
lishing a permanent competitive honors pro-
gram within the Department. 
(B) Such recommendations as the Sec-
retary may have for legislative or administrative 
action to improve recruitment and retention of 
staff at the Department. 
SEC. 4. REPORT ON IMPROVING ACCESS TO BOARD OF VET-
ERANS’ APPEALS TELEHEARINGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives a report on improv-
ing access to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Ap-
peals held by picture and voice transmission. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following: 
(1) Recommendations on the feasibility and ad-
visability of reimbursing veterans for expenses in-
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curred for travel from the home of a veteran to the 
location at which a hearing before the Board of Vet-
erans’ Appeals is held by picture and voice trans-
mission, if the Secretary determines that travel to 
such location is reasonably necessary for such a 
hearing. 
(2) Recommendations on establishment of pilot 
programs to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
using other methods that could improve veteran ac-
cess to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Ap-
peals held by picture and voice transmission from a 
veteran’s home. 
(3) Such other recommendations to improve ac-
cess to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Ap-
peals held by picture and voice transmission as the 
Secretary may receive from stakeholders. 
Æ 
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