I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2053 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the efficiency of processing 
certain claims for disability compensation by veterans. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 26, 2011 
Mr. WALZ of Minnesota (for himself and Mr. KING of New York) 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 processing certain claims for disability com-
pensation by veterans. 
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’ Disability 
Claims Efficiency Act of 2011’’. 
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENT OF DISABILITY CLAIMS PROC-
ESSING. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF FAST TRACK INTERIM DIS-
ABILITY RATINGS.—Section 1157 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
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(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting 
‘‘(a) The Secretary’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(b)(1) In the case of a veteran who submits to the 
Secretary a claim for compensation under this chapter for 
more than one condition and the Secretary determines 
that a disability rating can be assigned without further 
development for one or more conditions but not all condi-
tions in the claim, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) expeditiously review the claim in accord-
ance with section 5103B of this title; 
‘‘(B) assign an interim disability rating for each 
condition that the Secretary determines could be as-
signed without further development (except as pro-
vided in paragraph (3)(A)); and 
‘‘(C) continue development of the remaining 
conditions. 
‘‘(2) If the Secretary is able to assign a disability rat-
ing for a condition described in paragraph (1)(C) with re-
spect to a claim, the Secretary shall assign such rating 
and combine such rating with each interim rating pre-
viously assigned under paragraph (1)(B) with respect to 
that claim. 
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‘‘(3)(A) With respect to an interim disability rating 
assigned under paragraph (1)(B) for a condition that is 
rated less than the maximum rate, the Secretary shall con-
tinue development of such condition. 
‘‘(B) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), an in-
terim disability rating assigned under paragraph (1)(B) 
for a condition shall remain in effect unless the Secretary 
later assigns an increased rating for such condition. 
‘‘(C) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, 
subparagraph (B) shall not apply to an interim disability 
rating assigned under paragraph (1)(B) for a condition 
if— 
‘‘(i) such rating was based on fraud; or 
‘‘(ii) such condition improves.’’. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF FAST TRACK CLAIM RE-
VIEW PROCESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 51 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by in-
serting after section 5103A the following new sec-
tion: 
‘‘§ 5103B. Expedited review of initial claims for dis-
ability compensation 
‘‘(a) PROCESS REQUIRED.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a process for the rapid identification of initial 
claims for disability compensation that should, in the adju-
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dication of such claims, receive priority in the order of re-
view. 
‘‘(b) REVIEW OF INITIAL CLAIMS.—As part of the 
process required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
carry out a preliminary review of all initial claims for dis-
ability compensation submitted to the Secretary in order 
to identify whether— 
‘‘(1) the claims have the potential of being ad-
judicated quickly, including claims where an interim 
disability rating could be assigned under section 
1157(b)(1)(B) of this title; 
‘‘(2) the claims qualify for priority treatment 
under paragraph (2) of subsection (c); and 
‘‘(3) a temporary disability rating could be as-
signed with respect to the claims under section 1156 
of this title. 
‘‘(c) PRIORITY
IN
ADJUDICATION
OF
INITIAL 
CLAIMS.—(1) As part of the process required by sub-
section (a) and except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
Secretary shall, in the adjudication of initial claims for 
disability compensation submitted to the Secretary, give 
priority in the order of review of such claims to claims 
identified under subsection (b)(1) as having the potential 
of being adjudicated quickly. 
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‘‘(2) Under regulations prescribed for such purpose, 
the Secretary may provide priority in the order of review 
of initial claims for disability compensation based on the 
effect such priority would have on a claimant.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sec-
tions at the beginning of chapter 51 of such title is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 5103A, the following new item: 
‘‘5103B. Expedited review of initial claims for disability compensation.’’. 
(c) REPORTS.— 
(1) FIRST INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report on— 
(A) the implementation of sections 1157(b) 
and 5103B of title 38, United States Code, as 
added by this section; 
(B) the workflow of the employees of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs who review and 
process claims for disability compensation, in-
cluding an analysis of— 
(i) the efficiency of such employees; 
and 
(ii) whether such claims are directed 
to such employees based on the complexity 
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of the claim in relation to the experience 
and skill of the employee; and 
(C) pilot programs carried out by the Sec-
retary relating to the review and process of 
claims for disability compensation, including— 
(i) the status of such pilot programs; 
(ii) an evaluation of any best practices 
learned from such pilot programs; and 
(iii) whether such practices should be 
expanded. 
(2) SECOND INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than 
18 months after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
congressional committees an update to the report 
submitted under paragraph (1). 
(3) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees an update to the report submitted under 
paragraph (2). 
(4) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate 
congressional committees’’ means the Committee on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 
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