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’ Ap-
peals, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans’ Appeals 
Backlog Improvement Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS INTERNSHIP PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 71 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘§ 7114. Internship program 
‘‘The Secretary shall establish a competitive intern-
ship program within the Department for the purpose of 
providing an opportunity for high-achieving students at 
law schools accredited by the American Bar Association 
to gain experience with the Board.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 71 of such title is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘7114. Internship program.’’. 
(c) DEADLINE.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall establish the internship program required by section 
7114 of such title, as added by subsection (a), not later 
than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAM ON ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HONORS PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than one year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs shall establish a nine-year pilot program 
under which the Secretary shall carry out a competitive 
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honors program within the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs for the purpose of recruiting high-achieving law 
school students, recent law school graduates, and entry- 
level attorneys for employment with the Department. 
(b) QUALIFICATIONS.—To be eligible to participate 
in the competitive honors program under the pilot pro-
gram, an individual shall have graduated from a law 
school accredited by the American Bar Association and 
shall be a member in good standing of the bar of a state, 
territory, or the District of Columbia. The Secretary shall 
give priority consideration in application for the honors 
program to individuals who successfully complete the in-
ternship program established under section 7114 of title 
38, United States Code, as added by section 2(a). 
(c) STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT BENEFITS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to an agreement 
under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall provide 
student loan repayment benefits under section 5379 
of title 5, United States Code, to each participant in 
the pilot program who is eligible for student loan re-
payment benefits under such section. 
(2) PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT.—The Secretary 
shall enter into an agreement with each participant 
in the pilot program who will receive benefits de-
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scribed in paragraph (1), in accordance with such 
section. Each such agreement shall specify that— 
(A) the participant agrees to remain in the 
service of the Department for a period of not 
less than three years, unless involuntarily sepa-
rated, in accordance with subsection (c) of such 
section; and 
(B) if separated involuntarily on account 
of misconduct, or voluntarily, before the end of 
the period specified in the agreement, the par-
ticipant shall repay to the Government the 
amount of any benefits received by the indi-
vidual from the Department in accordance with 
subsection (c) of such section 5379. 
(d) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) ASSIGNMENT OF MENTORS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date on which an individual begins 
participating in the pilot program established under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall assign the partici-
pant a mentor who is an employee of the Depart-
ment who is— 
(A) to the extent practicable, a managerial 
employee; and 
(B) outside the participant’s chain of com-
mand. 
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