Veterans Administration Backlog Accountability Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-3450
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
Introduced: 2023-05-17
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Congressional oversight

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Latest action: action_date: 2023-06-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-05-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Veterans Administration Backlog Accountability Act of 2023</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report on the backlog of VA disability compensation claims that are pending before the Veterans Benefits Administration or the Board of Veterans' Appeals.<br> </p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3450 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 17, 2023 Mrs. Torres of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To direct the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the backlog of disability compensation claims submitted to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Administration Backlog Accountability Act of 2023 . 2. Inspector General report on backlog of disability compensation claims submitted to Department of Veterans Affairs (a) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the backlog of disability compensation claims submitted to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, pending before the Veterans Benefits Administration or the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. (b) Matters included The report under subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) A description of the status of the backlog described in such subsection. (2) An assessment of how the Secretary is addressing such backlog, including how the Secretary is recruiting staff to fill open positions within the Department using authorities or amounts available under the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 ( Public Law 117–168 ). (3) An assessment of how such backlog affects the average amount of time claimants who have submitted disability compensation claims pursuant to chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, wait for the Secretary to adjudicate those claims. (4) An assessment of how the Secretary is preparing to address the predicted 50 percent increase in such claims resulting from the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 ( Public Law 117–168 ). (5) An overview of how new technologies, such as automated decision support technology, have contributed to the reduction of such backlog. (6) Recommendations by the Inspector General to further reduce such backlog.