Title: VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act
This bill authorizes appellants in disability compensation cases before the Board of Veterans' Appeals to appear at a hearing by picture and voice transmission (e.g., Skype) from locations other than Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4771 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4771

 To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit appellants to appear 
in disability compensation cases before the Board of Veterans' Appeals 
by picture and voice transmission from locations other than facilities 
                 of the Department of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 21, 2019

  Mr. Cunningham (for himself and Mr. Katko) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit appellants to appear 
in disability compensation cases before the Board of Veterans' Appeals 
by picture and voice transmission from locations other than facilities 
                 of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    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. DISABILITY COMPENSATION HEARINGS BEFORE THE BOARD OF VETERANS' 
              APPEALS BY MEANS OF TELECONFERENCE FROM LOCATIONS OTHER 
              THAN FACILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Establishment.--Section 7107 of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or 
                subparagraph (C) of this paragraph'' after 
                ``subparagraph (B) of such paragraph'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or 
                subparagraph (C) of this paragraph'' after 
                ``subparagraph (A) of such paragraph''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph (C):
    ``(C) Upon notification of a Board hearing under subparagraph (A) 
or (B) of paragraph (1) in a case regarding disability compensation 
under a law administered by the Secretary, 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 
        maintained by the Secretary that protects sensitive personal 
        information from a data breach.
        If so requested, the Board shall grant such request.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection (f):
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section, the terms `sensitive personal 
information' and `data breach' have the meanings given those terms in 
section 5727 of this title.''.
    (b) Deadline.--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) Reports.--On the day that is one year after the date on which 
the Secretary implements subparagraph (C) of subsection (c)(2) of such 
section 7107, as added by subsection (a), and twice annually 
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' 
Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report regarding 
hearings held under such subparagraph. Each such report shall include, 
with respect to the year immediately preceding the date of the report, 
the following:
            (1) The number of hearings scheduled under such 
        subparagraph.
            (2) The number of hearings under such subparagraph that 
        were cancelled and why each such hearing was cancelled.
            (3) Any statistical difference in outcomes between cases 
        heard under such subparagraph and those held at the principal 
        location of the Board or by picture and voice transmission at a 
        facility of the Department.
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