I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3835 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of adjudica-
tions and appeals of claims for benefits under laws administered by 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 9, 2025 
Mr. BOST (for himself, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. VALADAO, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. 
JAMES, Mr. BACON, and Mr. LAWLER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
efficiency of adjudications and appeals of claims for bene-
fits under laws administered by Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, 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. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Appeals Effi-
ciency Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO EFFICIENCY OF ADJUDICA-
TIONS AND APPEALS OF CLAIMS FOR BENE-
FITS UNDER LAWS ADMINISTERED BY SEC-
RETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT ON LENGTH OF ADJUDICA-
TIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 5109B of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and in-
serting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; 
and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate an annual report that in-
cludes, with respect to the period covered by the report— 
‘‘(1) the average length of time a claim (or an 
issue within a claim) that was remanded by the 
Board of Veterans’ Appeals was or has been pending 
before the Secretary after such remand; 
‘‘(2) the number of cases that advanced on the 
docket by reason of a motion that was filed under 
7107(b) of this title and on which the Board ruled, 
disaggregated by— 
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signed to an office of the Veterans Benefits Ad-
ministration for adjudication; 
‘‘(C) afforded expeditious treatment by the 
Veterans Benefits Administration pursuant to 
section 5109B of this title or any other policy 
established by the Secretary; 
‘‘(D) remanded by the Board of Veterans’ 
Appeals to the Secretary pursuant to section 
7104 of this title; or 
‘‘(E) pending a hearing by the Board of 
Veterans’ Appeals under section 7107 of this 
title; 
‘‘(2) instances in which an adjudicator of the 
Veterans Benefits Administration does not comply 
with a relevant decision of the Board of Veterans’ 
Appeals to remand a claim for benefits under the 
laws administered by the Secretary (or an issue 
within such a claim), including any such instance in 
which the relevant decision concerned a failure on 
the part of the agency of original jurisdiction to sat-
isfy the duty of the Secretary to assist under section 
5103A of this title; 
‘‘(3) supplemental claims under section 5108 of 
this title that are filed— 
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‘‘(A) in accordance with section 5104C(a) 
and section 5110(a)(2) of this title; and 
‘‘(B) after the date of the applicable final 
decision of the Secretary with respect to a claim 
for benefits under the laws administered by the 
Secretary (or an issue within such a claim); 
‘‘(4) first notices submitted to the Secretary of 
the death of individuals in receipt of benefits under 
the 
laws 
administered 
by 
the 
Secretary, 
disaggregated by such individuals who were— 
‘‘(A) assigned a fiduciary; and 
‘‘(B) not assigned a fiduciary. 
‘‘(b) ANNUAL REPORT.—(1) The Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate an annual report that 
includes all information maintained and tracked pursuant 
to subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) The first report required by paragraph (1) shall 
be submitted by not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of the Veterans Appeals Efficiency Act 
of 2025.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of such chapter is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 5109B 
the following new item: 
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‘‘Sec. 5109C. Requirement to track and maintain information on certain claims 
for benefits; notice of certain assignments.’’. 
(d) IMPROVEMENTS TO BOARD OF VETERANS’ AP-
PEALS.— 
(1) 
AUTHORITY
TO
AGGREGATE
CERTAIN 
CLAIMS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Section 7104(a) of 
such title is amended by inserting after the sec-
ond sentence the following new sentence: ‘‘If 
the Chairman of the Board determines that 
more than one appeal involves common ques-
tions of law or fact, the Chairman may aggre-
gate such appeals to decide such questions of 
law or fact.’’. 
(B) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The amendment 
made by subparagraph (A) shall take effect on 
the date of the enactment of this Act and apply 
beginning on the date on which the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs completes the development of 
the policies and procedures required under sub-
section (g)(4)(A)(ii). 
(2) REQUIREMENT
TO
ENSURE
SUBSTANTIAL 
COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN DECISIONS.—Such sec-
tion is further amended— 
(A) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (g); and 
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(B) by inserting after subsection (e) the 
following new subsection (f): 
‘‘(f)(1) The Secretary, acting through a member of 
the Board, shall ensure substantial compliance with any 
decision of the Board to remand a claim. 
‘‘(2) The agency of original adjudication may waive 
the requirement under paragraph (1) with respect to a de-
cision of the Board to remand a claim to the Secretary, 
if a member of the Board determines— 
‘‘(A) evidence added to the evidentiary record 
after the date of such decision is sufficient to resolve 
the issues underlying such decision; or 
‘‘(B) such decision was unnecessary. 
‘‘(3) If the Secretary waives such requirement, the 
applicable member of the Board shall include, pursuant 
to subsection (d), a determination of such waiver in the 
decision of the Board.’’. 
(3) DEFINITION
OF
AGGREGATE; REPORT.— 
Such section is further amended by adding at the 
end the following new subsections: 
‘‘(h) Not later than five years after the date of the 
enactment of the Veterans Appeals Efficiency Act of 2025, 
and every five years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
House of Representatives a report on the aggregation of 
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claims by the Board under subsection (a). Each such re-
port shall include— 
‘‘(1) an identification of each instance in which 
the Board aggregated appeals during the period cov-
ered by the report, including, for each such instance, 
the number of appeals that were aggregated; 
‘‘(2) an assessment of whether the aggregation 
of appeals has contributed to improved efficiency at 
the Board with issuing decisions on appeals; and 
‘‘(3) such other matters as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
‘‘(i) In this section, the term ‘aggregate’— 
‘‘(1) means any practice or procedure to collect 
common issues, claims, or appeals by multiple par-
ties for the purposes of resolving such issues, claims, 
or appeals; and 
‘‘(2) includes the use of joinder, consolidation, 
intervention, class actions, and any other multiparty 
proceedings.’’. 
(e) EXPANSION OF JURISDICTION OF COURT OF AP-
PEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS.—Section 7252 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and 
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(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing new subsections: 
‘‘(b)(1)(A) In a covered proceeding in which the ap-
pellant or petitioner files a request for class certification 
pursuant to the rules prescribed by the Court pursuant 
to section 7264 of this title, the Court shall have supple-
mental jurisdiction over any claim for benefits under the 
laws administered by the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) that satisfies the definition of the class 
contained in the request for class certification; 
and 
‘‘(ii) for which the agency of original juris-
diction has issued a nonfinal decision and the 
claimant has filed a notice of disagreement 
under section 5104C(a) or section 7105 of this 
title, including any case in which a claimant has 
filed a supplemental claim within one year of a 
Board decision under section 5110(a)(2)(D) 
and 5108 of this title following a notice of dis-
agreement and decision of the Board. 
‘‘(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), a covered 
proceeding means— 
‘‘(i) an appeal over which the Court has juris-
diction pursuant to section 7266 of this title; or 
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‘‘(ii) a request for a writ over which the Court 
has jurisdiction. 
‘‘(2) A claimant who has not opted out of an oppor-
tunity to be a member of a class action may submit a re-
quest for administrative review of such a claim under sec-
tion 5104C(a) of this title during the period beginning on 
the date on which the named claimant of the motion for 
class action review submits to the Court a motion for class 
action review and ending on the date that is 60 days after 
the later of the following dates: 
‘‘(A) The date on which the Court issues a final 
decision with respect to such claim. 
‘‘(B) The date on which the Court issues a final 
decision with respect to such motion for class action 
review. 
‘‘(3) In the case of a claimant who has not opted out 
of an opportunity to be a member of a class action and 
whose claim is decided by the Board during the period 
when the Court is reviewing the motion for class action 
review the deadline for such claimant to file an appeal to 
the Court with respect to the decision of the Board shall 
be tolled if the Court denies the motion for class action 
review. 
‘‘(c)(1) In the case of a claim for benefits under the 
laws administered by the Secretary, the Court may re-
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‘‘(E) A requirement that the parties to an ap-
peal for which a limited remand is issued provide no-
tice to the Court when the Board issues its decision 
on the relevant question identified in the limited re-
mand. 
‘‘(3) With respect to any matter remanded to the 
Board pursuant to paragraph (1), the Court shall— 
‘‘(A) retain jurisdiction over such matter; and 
‘‘(B) stay the proceedings of the Court on such 
matter until the date on which the Board issues the 
decision required by such remand.’’. 
(f) STUDY AND REPORT ON COMMON QUESTIONS OF 
LAW
OR FACT BEFORE BOARD
OF VETERANS’ AP-
PEALS.— 
(1) STUDY.—The Chairman of the Board of 
Veterans’ Appeals shall carry out a study to identify 
questions of law or fact the Board commonly con-
siders when reviewing appeals pursuant to section 
7104 of title 38, United States Code, for which prec-
edential guidance would assist the Board in issuing 
final decisions on such appeals. The Chairman may 
use artificial intelligence and other technology in 
carrying out such study. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Chairman of 
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the Board of Veterans Appeals shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans Affairs of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate a report that in-
cludes the findings of the study required by para-
graph (1). 
(g) INDEPENDENT
ASSESSMENT
OF
POTENTIAL 
MODIFICATIONS
TO AUTHORITY
OF BOARD
OF VET-
ERANS’ APPEALS.— 
(1) AGREEMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter into an agree-
ment with an FFRDC under which the FFRDC 
shall conduct an assessment of the feasibility of 
modifying the authority of the Board of Veterans’ 
Appeals established under chapter 71 of title 38, 
United States Code, to permit the Board to issue 
precedential decisions with respect to questions of 
law or fact arising in matters before the Board. 
(2) REPORT; BRIEFINGS.—If the Secretary fails 
to finalize an agreement with an FFRDC under 
paragraph (1) before the date that is 180 days after 
the date on which the Secretary enters negotiations 
with respect to such agreement, the Secretary 
shall— 
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(A) submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate a report that includes— 
(i) an explanation of the reasons the 
Secretary failed to satisfy such require-
ment; and 
(ii) an estimate of the date on which 
the Secretary will finalize the agreement 
under paragraph (1); and 
(B) not less frequently than once every 60 
days after the date on which the Secretary 
failed to satisfy such requirement, provide to 
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate a 
briefing on the progress of the Secretary toward 
finalizing such agreement. 
(3) ASSESSMENT.—An FFRDC that enters into 
an agreement under subsection (a) shall, in con-
sultation with veterans service organizations, vet-
erans’ and survivors’ advocate groups, relevant legal 
experts, and the Chair of the Administrative Con-
ference of the United States (or the designee or des-
ignees of such Chair) submit to the Secretary a writ-
ten assessment that includes the following: 
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(A) The determination of the FFRDC of 
whether modifying the authority of the Board 
to permit the Board to issue precedential deci-
sions with respect to questions of law or fact 
arising in matters before the Board is feasible. 
(B) An assessment of the authority of the 
Board of Veterans’ Appeals to aggregate, for 
review, more than one appeal under chapter 71 
of such title that involves common questions of 
law or fact pursuant to section 7104 of such 
title, as amended by subsection (d)(1). 
(C) The recommendations of the FFRDC 
with respect to rules or principles to which the 
Board should adhere when aggregating appeals 
for review pursuant to section 7104(a) of title 
38, United States Code, as so amended. 
(4) REPORT; IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days 
after the Secretary receives the assessment 
under subsection (b), the Secretary shall— 
(i) submit to the Committees on Vet-
erans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of 
Representatives a copy of such assessment; 
and 
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(ii) begin developing policies and pro-
cedures to implement the recommendations 
in the assessment with respect to the au-
thority of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals 
referred to in paragraph (2)(B). 
(B) DEADLINE.—The Secretary shall com-
plete the development of the policies and proce-
dures required under subparagraph (A)(ii) by 
not later than six months after the date on 
which the Secretary begins developing such poli-
cies and procedures. 
(5) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) The term ‘‘FFRDC’’ means a federally 
funded research and development center. 
(B) The term ‘‘veterans service organiza-
tion’’ means an organization recognized by the 
Secretary for the representation of veterans 
under section 5902 of title 38, United States 
Code. 
Æ 
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