service to the Department, the Secretary shall assign 
such covered participant to: 
(A) The Office of General Counsel, in a po-
sition— 
(i) that includes full-time legal respon-
sibilities in order to further the professional 
development of the covered participant; and 
(ii) for a period of not less than 120 
days and not more than 180 days, or longer 
at the discretion of the Secretary. 
(B) In the case of a covered participant who 
has already held a position described in sub-
paragraph (A), an assignment described in 
clauses (i) and (ii) of such subparagraph with 
the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. 
(3) OTHER
ROTATIONAL
ASSIGNMENTS.—The 
Secretary may provide a covered participant one or 
more other short-term rotational assignments. Such 
an assignment shall be for a period of not less than 
30 days and not more than 180 days, at the discre-
tion of the Secretary. 
(d) PERIODIC REPORTS.— 
(1) REPORTS REQUIRED.—Not later than three 
years after the date on which the Secretary begins to 
carry out the program under this section, and not less 
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frequently than once every three years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives regarding such 
program. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report submitted under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following elements: 
(A) Costs to the United States to provide 
benefits under subsection (b). 
(B) The rates of retention of covered par-
ticipants compared to other employees of the De-
partment. 
(C) Recommendations of the Secretary re-
garding legislative or administrative action to 
improve such program. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘covered attorney’’ means an indi-
vidual who— 
(A) is a covered participant; 
(B) has graduated from a law school accred-
ited by the American Bar Association; and 
(C) is a member in good standing of the bar 
of a State. 
(2) The term ‘‘covered participant’’ means an 
individual who participates in— 
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(A) the Honors Attorney Program (or suc-
cessor program) of the Office of General Counsel 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs; or 
(B) the Law Clerk Program (or successor 
program) of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. 
(3) The term ‘‘State’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. 
SEC. 7. INCREASE IN MAXIMUM NUMBER OF JUDGES AP-
POINTED TO UNITED STATES COURT OF AP-
PEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS. 
Section 7253(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘seven’’ and inserting ‘‘nine’’. 
SEC. 8. 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 Veterans 
Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives a report on improving access 
to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals 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 lo-
cation 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 hear-
ing. 
(2) Recommendations on establishment of pilot 
programs to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
using other methods that could improve veteran access 
to hearings before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals 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’ Appeals 
held by picture and voice transmission as the Sec-
retary may receive from stakeholders. 
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Union Calendar No. 162 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 1530 
[Report No. 118–199] 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve 
the requirement to publish disability benefit 
questionnaire forms of Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and for other purposes. 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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