H. R. 4771 
One Hundred Sixteenth Congress 
of the 
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and twenty 
An Act 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit appellants to appear in cases 
before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals by picture and voice transmission from 
locations other than facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Tele-Hearing Modernization 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. HEARINGS BEFORE THE BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS BY 
MEANS OF TELECONFERENCE FROM LOCATIONS OTHER 
THAN FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 7107(c)(2) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘or subparagraph 
(C) of this paragraph’’ after ‘‘subparagraph (B) of such para-
graph’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘or subparagraph 
(C) of this paragraph’’ after ‘‘subparagraph (A) of such para-
graph’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph 
(C): 
‘‘(C)(i) Upon notification of a Board hearing under subparagraph 
(A) or (B) of paragraph (1), the appellant may alternatively request 
a hearing by picture and voice transmission— 
‘‘(I) at a location selected by the appellant; and 
‘‘(II) via a secure internet platform established and main-
tained by the Secretary that protects sensitive personal 
information from a data breach. 
‘‘(ii) If an appellant makes a request under clause (i), the 
Board shall grant such request.’’. 
(b) DEADLINE
FOR
IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall 
implement the amendments made by subsection (a) not later than 
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) REPORTING.— 
(1) ANNUAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—Section 7101(d)(2) 
of such title is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the 
ending and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
H. R. 4771—2 
(C) by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(G) with respect to hearings scheduled under section 
7107(c)(2)(C) of this title— 
‘‘(i) the number of hearings scheduled under such sec-
tion; 
‘‘(ii) the number of hearings under such section that 
were cancelled; and 
‘‘(iii) any statistical difference in outcomes between 
cases heard under such section and those held at the prin-
cipal location of the Board or by picture and voice trans-
mission at a facility of the Department.’’. 
(2) ONE-TIME REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—The first report 
required to be submitted under section 7101(d) of title 38, 
United States Code, shall include the following information 
with respect to hearings scheduled under subparagraph (C) 
of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of section 7101 of such title, 
as added by subsection (a): 
(A) An outline of the outreach the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs plans to conduct to inform veterans, families of 
veterans, survivors of veterans, veterans service organiza-
tions, military service organizations, congressional case-
workers, advocates for veterans, and such other stake-
holders as the Secretary considers appropriate about 
hearings scheduled under such subparagraph, including— 
(i) a description of the resources required to con-
duct such outreach; 
(ii) a timeline for conducting such outreach; and 
(iii) information related to the advantages and 
potential 
technological 
challenges 
of 
conducting 
hearings under such subparagraph. 
(B) A description of any modifications to the informa-
tion technology systems of the Veterans Benefits Adminis-
tration and the Board of Veterans’ Appeals required to 
carry out hearings under such subparagraph, including 
cost estimates and a timeline for making such modifica-
tions. 
(C) A detailed description of the intra-agency partner-
ship between the Board of Veterans’ Appeals and the tele-
health program of the Veterans Health Administration as 
the Board conducts hearings under such subparagraph, 
including best practices, a risk assessment overview, risk 
mitigation efforts, and a plan for ongoing collaboration 
and information sharing. 
(d) COLLABORATION.—In developing the capacity and procedures 
to conduct hearings under subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of 
subsection (c) of section 7101 of title 38, United States Code, as 
added by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
collaborate with, partner with, and give weight to the advice of
H. R. 4771—3 
veterans service organizations and such other stakeholders as the 
Secretary considers appropriate. 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.