In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``More Border Patrol Agents Now Act of 
2006''.

SEC. 2. BORDER PATROL AGENT ENHANCEMENT.

    (a) Plan.--In order to address the recruitment and retention 
challenges faced by the United States Border Patrol, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall, not later than six months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, submit to the Committee on Homeland Security 
and the Committee on Government Reform of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate a plan to determine how the Border Patrol can better recruit and 
retain Border Patrol agents with the appropriate skills and training to 
effectively carry out its mission and responsibilities.
    (b) Contents.--The plan shall include, at a minimum, the following 
components:
            (1) A strategy for the utilization of the recruitment 
        authority provided in subsection (a) of section 9702 of title 
        5, United States Code (as added by section 3), as well as any 
        other strategies the Secretary determines to be important in 
        recruiting well-qualified Border Patrol agents.
            (2) A strategy for the utilization of the retention 
        authority provided in subsection (b) of section 9702 of title 
        5, United States Code (as added by section 3), as well as any 
        other strategies the Secretary determines to be important in 
        retaining well-qualified Border Patrol agents.
            (3) An assessment of the impact that current pay levels for 
        Border Patrol agents has on the Department's ability to recruit 
        and retain Border Patrol agents, especially in high cost-of-
        living areas.
            (4) An assessment of whether increased opportunities for 
        Border Patrol agents to transfer between duty stations would 
        improve employee morale and enhance the Department's ability to 
        recruit and retain well-qualified Border Patrol agents.

SEC. 3. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION BONUSES FOR BORDER PATROL AGENT 
              ENHANCEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 97 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 9702. Border Patrol agent enhancement
    ``(a) Recruitment Bonuses for Border Patrol Agents.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to carry out the plan described 
        in section 2(a) of the More Border Patrol Agents Now Act of 
        2006, the Secretary of Homeland Security may pay a bonus to an 
        individual to recruit a sufficient number of Border Patrol 
        agents.
            ``(2) Bonus amount.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amount of a bonus under this 
                subsection shall be determined by the Secretary, but 
                may not exceed 25 percent of the annual rate of basic 
                pay of the position involved as of the beginning of the 
                period of service referred to in paragraph (3)(A).
                    ``(B) Lump-sum.--A bonus under this subsection 
                shall be paid in the form of a lump-sum payment and 
                shall not be considered to be part of basic pay.
            ``(3) Service agreements.--Payment of a bonus under this 
        section shall be contingent upon the individual entering into a 
        written service agreement with the United States Border Patrol. 
        The agreement shall include--
                    ``(A) the period of service the individual shall be 
                required to complete in return for the bonus; and
                    ``(B) the conditions under which the agreement may 
                be terminated before the agreed-upon service period has 
                been completed, and the effect of such termination.
            ``(4) Limitation on eligibility.--A bonus under this 
        section may not be paid to recruit an individual for--
                    ``(A) a position to which an individual is 
                appointed by the President, by and with the advice and 
                consent of the Senate;
                    ``(B) a position in the Senior Executive Service as 
                a noncareer appointee (as defined in section 3132(a)); 
                or
                    ``(C) a position which has been excepted from the 
                competitive service by reason of its confidential, 
                policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating 
                character.
            ``(5) Termination.--The authority to pay bonuses under this 
        subsection shall terminate five years after the date of the 
        enactment of this section.
    ``(b) Retention Bonuses for Border Patrol Agents.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to carry out the plan described 
        in section 2(a) of the More Border Patrol Agents Now Act of 
        2006, the Secretary of Homeland Security may pay a retention 
        bonus to a Border Patrol agent.
            ``(2) Service agreement.--Payment of a bonus under this 
        subsection is contingent upon the employee entering into a 
        written service agreement with the United States Border Patrol 
        to complete a period of service with the Border Patrol. Such 
        agreement shall include--
                    ``(A) the period of service the employee shall be 
                required to complete in return for the bonus; and
                    ``(B) the conditions under which the agreement may 
                be terminated before the agreed-upon service period has 
                been completed, and the effect of such termination.
            ``(3) Bonus amount.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The amount of a bonus under this 
                subsection shall be determined by the Secretary, but 
                may not exceed 25 percent of the annual rate of basic 
                pay of the position involved as of the beginning of the 
                period of service referred to in paragraph (2)(A).
                    ``(B) Lump-sum.--A bonus under this subsection 
                shall be paid in the form of a lump-sum payment and 
                shall not be considered to be part of basic pay.
            ``(4) Limitation.--A bonus under this subsection may not be 
        based on any period of service which is the basis for a 
        recruitment bonus under subsection (a).
            ``(5) Termination of authority.--The authority to grant 
        bonuses under this subsection shall expire five years after the 
        date of the enactment of this section.
    ``(c) Waiver Authority Relating to Reemployed Annuitants.--
            ``(1) In general.--In order to help address the challenges 
        faced by the United States Border Patrol, the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security may appoint annuitants to positions within 
        the United States Border Patrol in accordance with succeeding 
        provisions of this subsection.
            ``(2) Exclusion from offset.--An annuitant serving in a 
        position within the United States Border Patrol pursuant to an 
        appointment made under paragraph (1)--
                    ``(A) shall not be subject to the provisions of 
                section 8344 or 8468, as the case may be; and
                    ``(B) shall not, for purposes of subchapter III of 
                chapter 83 or chapter 84, be considered an employee.
            ``(3) Limitations.--
                    ``(A) Appointments.--The authority to make any 
                appointments under paragraph (1) shall terminate five 
                years after the date of the enactment of this 
                subsection.
                    ``(B) Exclusion.--The provisions of paragraph (2) 
                shall not, in the case of any annuitant appointed under 
                paragraph (1), remain in effect--
                            ``(i) with respect to more than five years 
                        of service (in the aggregate); nor
                            ``(ii) with respect to any service 
                        performed after the end of the ten-year period 
                        beginning on the date of the enactment of this 
                        subsection.
            ``(4) No displacement.--No appointment under this 
        subsection may be made if such appointment would result in the 
        displacement of any Border Patrol employee.
            ``(5) Definition.--For purposes of this subsection, the 
        term `annuitant' has the meaning given such term by section 
        8331 or 8401, as the case may be.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 97 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``9702. Border Patrol agent enhancement.''.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 26, 2006.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.

Output: More Border Patrol Agents Now Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit to the House Committees on Homeland Security and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs a plan to determine how the Border Patrol can better recruit and retain agents with the appropriate skills and training.

Requires such plan to include: (1) recruitment and retention strategies; and (2) assessments of the impact of pay levels and duty station transfer opportunities upon recruitment and retention.

Amends federal law to authorize the Secretary (for five years) to pay a: (1) bonus to an individual to recruit Border Patrol agents; and (2) retention bonus to Border Patrol agents.

States that such bonuses shall: (1) not exceed 25% of the annual rate of basic pay of the position involved; (2) be paid in a lump-sum and not be considered part of basic pay; and (3) be contingent upon the individual entering into a written service agreement with the Border Patrol.

Authorizes the Secretary (for five years) to appoint annuitants to Border Patrol positions. Excludes such positions from specified offsets. Prohibits appointments that would displace any Border Patrol employee.


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``American Missile Protection Act of 
1998''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The threat of weapons of mass destruction delivered by 
        long-range ballistic missiles is among the most serious 
        security issues facing the United States.
                    (A) In a 1994 Executive Order, President Clinton 
                certified, that ``I ... find that the proliferation of 
                nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (`weapons of 
                mass destruction') and the means of delivering such 
                weapons, constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat 
                to the national security, foreign policy, and economy 
                of the United States, and hereby declare a national 
                emergency to deal with that threat.'' This state of 
                emergency was reaffirmed in 1995, 1996, and 1997.
                    (B) In 1994 the President stated, that ``there is 
                nothing more important to our security and the world's 
                stability than preventing the spread of nuclear weapons 
                and ballistic missiles''.
                    (C) Several countries hostile to the United States 
                have been particularly determined to acquire missiles 
                and weapons of mass destruction. President Clinton 
                observed in January of 1998, for example, that ``Saddam 
                Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and 
                much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the 
                Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and 
                biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them''.
                    (D) In 1996, the Senate affirmed that, ``it is in 
                the supreme interest of the United States to defend 
                itself from the threat of limited ballistic missile 
                attack, whatever the source.''
            (2) The long-range ballistic missile threat to the United 
        States is increasing.
                    (A) Several adversaries of the United States have 
                stated their intention to acquire intercontinental 
                ballistic missiles capable of attacking the United 
                States.
                            (i) Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi has 
                        stated, ``If they know that you have a 
                        deterrent force capable of hitting the United 
                        States, they would not be able to hit you. If 
                        we had possessed a deterrent--missiles that 
                        could reach New York--we would have hit it at 
                        the same moment. Consequently, we should build 
                        this force so that they and others will no 
                        longer think about an attack.''
                            (ii) Abu Abbas, the head of the Palestine 
                        Liberation Front, has stated, ``I would love to 
                        be able to reach the American shore, but this 
                        is very difficult. Someday an Arab country will 
                        have ballistic missiles. Someday an Arab 
                        country will have a nuclear bomb. It is better 
                        for the United States and for Israel to reach 
                        peace with the Palestinians before that day.''
                            (iii) Saddam Hussein has stated, ``Our 
                        missiles cannot reach Washington. If we could 
                        reach Washington, we would strike if the need 
                        arose.''
                            (iv) Iranian actions speak for themselves. 
                        Iran's aggressive pursuit of medium-range 
                        ballistic missiles capable of striking Central 
                        Europe--aided by the continuing collaboration 
                        of outside agents--demonstrates Tehran's intent 
                        to acquire ballistic missiles of ever-
                        increasing range.
                    (B) Over 30 non-NATO countries possess ballistic 
                missiles, with at least 10 of those countries 
                developing over 20 new types of ballistic missiles.
                    (C) From the end of World War II until 1980, 
                ballistic missiles were used in one conflict. Since 
                1980, thousands of ballistic missiles have been fired 
                in at least six different conflicts.
                    (D) The clear trend among countries hostile to the 
                United States is toward having ballistic missiles of 
                greater range.
                            (i) North Korea first acquired 300-
                        kilometer range Scud Bs, then developed and 
                        deployed 500-kilometer range Scud Cs, is 
                        currently deploying the 1000-kilometer range 
                        No-Dong, and is developing the 2000-kilometer 
                        range Taepo-Dong 1 and 6000-kilometer range 
                        Taepo-Dong 2, which would be capable of 
                        striking Alaska and Hawaii.
                            (ii) Iran acquired 150-kilometer range CSS-
                        8s, progressed through the Scud B and Scud C, 
                        and is developing the 1300-kilometer range 
                        Shahab-3 and 2000-kilometer range Shahab-4, 
                        which would allow Iran to strike Central 
                        Europe.
                            (iii) Iraq, in a two-year crash program, 
                        produced a new missile, the Al-Hussein, with 
                        twice the range of its Scud Bs.
                            (iv) Experience gained from extending the 
                        range of short- and medium-range ballistic 
                        missiles facilitates the development of 
                        intercontinental ballistic missiles.
                    (E) The technical information, hardware, and other 
                resources necessary to build ballistic missiles are 
                increasingly available and accessible worldwide.
                            (i) Due to advances in information 
                        technology, a vast amount of technical 
                        information relating to ballistic missile 
                        design, much of it formerly classified, has 
                        become widely available and is increasingly 
                        accessible through the Internet and other 
                        distribution avenues.
                            (ii) Components, tools, and materials to 
                        support ballistic missile development are 
                        increasingly available in the commercial 
                        aerospace industry.
                            (iii) Increasing demand for satellite-based 
                        telecommunications is adding to the demand for 
                        commercial Space Launch Vehicles, which employ 
                        technology that is essentially identical to 
                        that of intercontinental ballistic missiles. As 
                        this increasing demand is met, the technology 
                        and expertise associated with space launch 
                        vehicles also proliferate.
                    (F) Russia and China have provided significant 
                technical assistance to rogue nation ballistic missile 
                programs, accelerating the pace of those efforts. In 
                June of 1997, the Director of Central Intelligence, 
                reporting to Congress on weapons of mass destruction-
                related equipment, materials, and technology, stated 
                that ``China and Russia continued to be the primary 
                suppliers, and are key to any future efforts to stem 
                the flow of dual-use goods and modern weapons to 
                countries of concern.''
                    (G) Russia and China continue to engage in missile 
                proliferation.
                            (i) Despite numerous Russian assurances not 
                        to assist Iran with its ballistic missile 
                        program, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of 
                        State for Nonproliferation testified to the 
                        Senate, that ``the problem is this: there is a 
                        disconnect between those reassurances, which we 
                        welcome, and what we believe is actually 
                        occurring.''
                            (ii) Regarding China's actions to 
                        demonstrate the sincerity of its commitment to 
                        nonproliferation, the Director of Central 
                        Intelligence testified to the Senate on January 
                        28, 1998, that, ``the jury is still out on 
                        whether the recent changes are broad enough in 
                        scope and whether they will hold over the 
                        longer term. As such, Chinese activities in 
                        this area will require continued close 
                        watching.''
                    (H) The inability of the United States to defend 
                itself against weapons of mass destruction delivered by 
                long-range ballistic missile provides additional 
                incentive for hostile nations to develop long-range 
                ballistic missiles with which to threaten the United 
                States. Missiles are widely viewed as valuable tools 
                for deterring and coercing a vulnerable United States.
            (3) The ability of the United States to anticipate future 
        ballistic missile threats is questionable.
                    (A) The Intelligence Community has failed to 
                anticipate many past technical innovations (for 
                example, Iraq's extended-range Al-Hussein missiles and 
                its development of a space launch vehicle) and outside 
                assistance enables rogue states to surmount traditional 
                technological obstacles to obtaining or developing 
                ballistic missiles of increasing range.
                    (B) In June of 1997, the Director of Central 
                Intelligence reported to Congress that ``many Third 
                World countries--with Iran being the most prominent 
                example--are responding to Western counter-
                proliferation efforts by relying more on legitimate 
                commercial firms as procurement fronts and by 
                developing more convoluted procurement networks.''
                    (C) In June of 1997, the Director of Central 
                Intelligence stated to Congress that ``gaps and 
                uncertainties preclude a good projection of exactly 
                when `rest of the world' countries will deploy ICBMs.''
                    (D) In 1997, the Director of Central Intelligence 
                testified that Iran would have a medium-range missile 
                by 2007. One year later the Director stated, ``since I 
                testified, Iran's success in getting technology and 
                materials from Russian companies, combined with recent 
                indigenous Iranian advances, means that it could have a 
                medium-range missile much sooner than I assessed last 
                year.'' Department of State officials have testified 
                that Iran could be prepared to deploy such a missile as 
                early as late 1998, nine years earlier than had been 
                predicted one year before by the Director of Central 
                Intelligence.
            (4) The failure to prepare adequately for long-range 
        ballistic missile threats could have severe national security 
        and foreign policy consequences for the United States.
                    (A) An attack on the United States by a ballistic 
                missile equipped with a weapon of mass destruction 
                could inflict catastrophic death or injury to citizens 
                of the United States and severe damage to their 
                property.
                    (B) A rogue state's ability to threaten the United 
                States with an intercontinental ballistic missile may 
                constrain the United States' options in dealing with 
                regional threats to its interests, deter the United 
                States from taking appropriate action, or prompt allies 
                to question United States security guarantees, thereby 
                weakening alliances of the United States and the United 
                States' world leadership position.
            (5) The United States must be prepared for rogue nations 
        acquiring long-range ballistic missiles armed with weapons of 
        mass destruction.
                    (A) In its resolution of ratification for the START 
                II Treaty, the United States Senate declared that 
                ``because deterrence may be inadequate to protect the 
                United States against long-range ballistic missile 
                threats, missile defenses are a necessary part of new 
                deterrent strategies.''
                    (B) In September of 1994, Secretary of Defense 
                Perry stated that in the post-Cold War era, ``we now 
                have opportunity to create a new relationship based not 
                on MAD, not on Mutual Assured Destruction, but rather 
                on another acronym, MAS, or Mutual Assured Safety.''
                    (C) On February 12, 1997, the Under Secretary of 
                Defense for Policy testified to the Senate that ``I and 
                the administration are quite willing to acknowledge 
                that if we saw a rogue state, a potential proliferant, 
                beginning to develop a long-range ICBM capable of 
                reaching the United States, we would have to give very, 
                very serious attention to deploying a limited national 
                missile defense.''
            (6) The United States has no defense deployed against 
        weapons of mass destruction delivered by long-range ballistic 
        missiles and no policy to deploy such a national missile 
        defense system.

SEC. 3. NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States to deploy as soon as is 
technologically possible an effective National Missile Defense system 
capable of defending the territory of the United States against limited 
ballistic missile attack (whether accidental, unauthorized, or 
deliberate).

Output: American Missile Protection Act of 1998 - States as U.S. policy to deploy as soon as technologically possible an effective National Missile Defense system capable of defending U.S. territory against limited ballistic missile attack (whether accidental, unauthorized, or deliberate).


Input: Consider Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Judicial Review Improvement 
Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. STANDARD FOR REVERSAL OF ERRONEOUS FINDINGS OF FACT.

    (a) Change to ``Clearly Erroneous'' Standard.--Section 7261 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(4)--
                    (A) by inserting ``adverse to a claimant'' after 
                ``material fact''; and
                    (B) by striking ``is clearly erroneous'' and 
                inserting ``is not supported by a preponderance of the 
                evidence''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) In making the determinations under subsection (a), the Court 
shall review the record of proceedings before the Secretary and the 
Board, as provided for in section 5107(b) and section 7252(b) of this 
title.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to any action brought under chapter 72 of title 38, 
United States Code, that is not final under section 7291 of such title 
as of after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. JURISDICTION OF COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS.

    Section 7252 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b), by inserting ``under subsection 
        (a)'' in the second sentence after ``The extent of the 
        review'';
            (2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
        subsection (c):
    ``(c) If the Court determines that the Secretary has unlawfully 
withheld or unreasonably delayed action on a claim or has failed to 
plead or otherwise defend in accordance with the rules of the Court, 
the Court may enter a default judgment against the Secretary. A default 
judgment may not be entered against the Secretary unless the Secretary 
has been provided notice of such a proposed judgment and the Court 
finds that the claim or right to relief has been established.''.

SEC. 4. JURISDICTION OF COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT TO 
              REVIEW DECISIONS OF THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS 
              CLAIMS.

    (a) Expansion of Jurisdiction.--Section 7292 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(1)'' after ``review of the 
                decision''; and
                    (B) by inserting before the period at the end of 
                the first sentence the following: ``, or (2) with 
                respect to any question of law, or of an application of 
                the law to the facts, that was relied on by the Court 
                in making the decision''
            (2) in subsection (d)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``(A)''; and
                    (B) by striking ``, or (B)'' and all that follows 
                through ``particular case''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to any case for which an appeal is filed with the 
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on or after the 
date of the enactment of this Act or for which an appeal was filed with 
that court before such date and which is not final under section 7291 
of title 38, United States Code, as of that date.

SEC. 5. CODIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT FOR EXPEDITIOUS TREATMENT OF CASES 
              ON REMAND.

    (a) Cases Remanded by Board of Veterans' Appeals.--(1) Chapter 51 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end of 
subchapter I the following new section:
``Sec. 5109B. Expedited treatment of remanded claims
    ``The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to 
provide for the expeditious treatment by the appropriate regional 
office of the Veterans Benefits Administration of any claim that is 
remanded to that office by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 5109A the 
following new item:

``5109B. Expedited treatment of remanded claims.''.
    (b) Cases Remanded by Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.--(1) 
Chapter 71 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section:
``Sec. 7112. Expedited treatment of remanded claims
    ``The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to 
provide for the expeditious treatment by the Board of any claim that is 
remanded to the Secretary by the Court of Appeals for Veterans 
Claims.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``7112. Expedited treatment of remanded claims.''.
    (c) Repeal of Source Section.--Section 302 of the Veterans' 
Benefits Improvement Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-446; 108 Stat. 4658; 
38 U.S.C. 5101 note) is repealed.

SEC. 6. AUTHORITY FOR COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS TO ORDER 
              PAYMENT OF INTERIM BENEFITS ON REMANDED CLAIMS.

    (a) Authority To Order Payment.--Section 7267 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:
    ``(d)(1) Whenever the Court remands to the Secretary a case 
involving a claim for compensation, dependency and indemnity 
compensation, or pension, the Court may include in its order remanding 
the case an order that if the remanded claim is not decided by the 
Secretary within 180 days of the date of the remand, the Secretary 
shall pay interim benefits under that claim in such amount as may be 
provided in the court order, not in excess of the amount specified in 
the claim (or the amount for the rating specified in the claim). 
Payments pursuant to such an order shall commence effective with the 
next month beginning after the end of such 180-day period and shall 
terminate as provided in the Court order, but not later than the last 
day of the month in which the final decision resolving the claim is 
made.
    ``(2) An order of the Court under paragraph (1) for the payment of 
interim benefits is final and is not subject to review by any other 
court.
    ``(3) In a case for which interim benefits are paid pursuant to an 
order under paragraph (1)--
            ``(A) if benefits are awarded as part of the final decision 
        on the claim, the amount of interim benefits paid for any month 
        shall be deducted from the amount of any retroactive benefit 
        otherwise payable for that month under the final decision on 
        the claim; and
            ``(B) if benefits are not awarded as part of the final 
        decision on the claim, the amount of interim benefits paid 
        shall not be considered to be an overpayment and shall not 
        otherwise be subject to recovery by the United States.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply with respect to any action brought under chapter 72 of title 38, 
United States Code, that is not final under section 7291 of such title 
as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7. AUTHORITY FOR COURT TO EXTEND TIME TO FILE NOTICE OF APPEAL.

    (a) Authority.--Section 7266(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(5) The Court, upon a showing of excusable neglect or good cause, 
may extend the time for filing a notice of appeal. A copy of any motion 
for such an extension of time for filing shall be provided to the 
Secretary and to any other party to the case in accordance with the 
Court's rules of practice and procedure.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall not 
apply to any case for which the time for filing a notice of appeal 
under section 7266 of title 38, United States Code, has elapsed before 
the date of the enactment of this Act.


Output: Veterans Judicial Review Improvement Act of 2002 - Amends Federal provisions relating to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court) to: (1) hold unlawful and set aside a finding of material fact when not supported by a preponderance of the evidence (currently, only when clearly erroneous); (2) allow the Court to enter a default judgment against the Secretary of Veterans Affairs upon a determination that the Secretary has unlawfully withheld or unreasonably delayed action on a claim or has failed to plead or otherwise defend; and (3) allow judicial review by the Circuit Court of Appeals of any question of law, or application of law to the facts, that was relied upon by the Court.Directs the Secretary to provide for the expeditious treatment: (1) by the appropriate office of the Veterans Benefits Administration of any claim remanded to that office by the Board of Veterans' Appeals; and (2) by such Board of any claim remanded to the Secretary by the Court.Authorizes the Court, in claims remanded to the Secretary involving compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, or pension, to order the Secretary to pay interim benefits when a decision on such claim is not rendered within 180 days.Authorizes the Court, upon a showing of excusable neglect or good cause, to extend the time for filing a notice of appeal.