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[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``El Camino Real de los Tejas National 
Historic Trail Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.

    Section 5(a) of the National Trails System Act (16 U.S.C. 1244(a)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(23) El camino real de los tejas.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), El 
                Camino Real de los Tejas (The Royal Road of historic 
                Tejas) National Historic Trail, a combination of 
                historic routes totaling 2,580 miles in length from the 
                Rio Grande near Eagle Pass and Laredo, Texas, to 
                Natchitoches, Louisiana, and including the Old San 
                Antonio Road, as generally depicted on the maps 
                entitled `El Camino Real de los Tejas', contained in 
                the report prepared pursuant to subsection (b) entitled 
                `National Historic Trail Feasibility Study and 
                Environmental Assessment: El Camino Real de los Tejas, 
                Texas-Louisiana', dated July 1998. The National Park 
                Service is authorized to administer designated portions 
                of this trail system as a national historic trail as 
                set forth in this paragraph.
                    ``(B) Establishment.--
                            ``(i) Publicly owned lands.--Congress 
                        authorizes the establishment of El Camino Real 
                        de los Tejas national historic trail and the 
                        respective administration on those portions of 
                        the historic trail routes and related historic 
                        sites within publicly owned lands when such 
                        trail related resources meet the purposes of 
                        this Act or certification criteria set by the 
                        Secretary of the Interior per section 3(a)(3) 
                        of this Act.
                            ``(ii) Privately owned lands.--Congress 
                        authorizes the establishment of El Camino Real 
                        de los Tejas national historic trail and the 
                        respective administration on those portions of 
                        the historic trail routes and related historic 
                        sites within privately owned lands only through 
                        the voluntary and expressed consent of the 
                        owner and when such trails and sites qualify 
                        for certification as officially established 
                        components of the national historic trail. The 
                        owner's approval of a certification agreement 
                        satisfies the consent requirement. 
                        Certification agreements are not legally 
                        binding and may be terminated at any time. 
                        Should land ownership change at a certified 
                        site, the certification will cease to be valid 
                        unless the new owner consents to a new 
                        agreement.
                    ``(C) Private property rights protection.--Nothing 
                in this Act or in the establishment of any portion of 
                the national historic trail authorizes any person to 
                enter private property without the consent of the 
                owner. Nothing in this Act or in the establishment of 
                any portion of the national historic trail will 
                authorize the Federal Government to restrict private 
                property owner's use or enjoyment of their property 
                subject to other laws or regulations. Authorization of 
                El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail 
                under this Act does not itself confer any additional 
                authority to apply other Federal laws and regulations 
                on non-Federal lands along the trail. Laws or 
                regulations requiring public entities and agencies to 
                take into consideration a national historic trail shall 
                continue to apply notwithstanding the foregoing. 
                Notwithstanding section 7(g) of this Act, the United 
                States is authorized to acquire privately owned real 
                property or an interest in such property for purposes 
                of the national historic trail only with the consent of 
                the owner of such property and shall have no authority 
                to condemn or otherwise appropriate privately owned 
                real property or an interest in such property for the 
                purposes of El Camino Real de los Tejas National 
                Historic Trail.
                    ``(D) Coordination of activities.--The Secretary of 
                the Interior may coordinate with United States and 
                Mexican public and nongovernmental organizations, 
                academic institutions, and, in consultation with the 
                Secretary of State, the Government of Mexico and its 
                political subdivisions, for the purpose of exchanging 
                trail information and research, fostering trail 
                preservation and educational programs, providing 
                technical assistance, and working to establish an 
                international historic trail with complementary 
                preservation and education programs in each nation.''.
[A]: El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail Act of 2003 - Amends the National Trails System Act to designate El Camino Real de los Tejas as a National Historic Trail. Authorizes establishment of such trail on portions of the trail on: (1) publicly owned lands; and (2) privately owned lands only with the consent of the owner.


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Grand Staircase Escalante 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Establishment of Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve.
Sec. 5. Withdrawals.
Sec. 6. Map and legal description.
Sec. 7. Grand Staircase National Monument.
Sec. 8. Kaiparowits National Monument.
Sec. 9. Escalante Canyons National Monument.
Sec. 10. Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve, Grand Staircase 
                            National Monument, Kaiparowits National 
                            Monument, and Escalante Canyons National 
                            Monument Management Council.
Sec. 11. Federal land manager adherence.
Sec. 12. Clarification.
Sec. 13. Restoration of land status.
Sec. 14. Hole in the Rock Road.
Sec. 15. Effect on proclamations.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Management council.--The term ``Management Council'' 
        means the council established under section 10.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of the Interior.

SEC. 4. ESTABLISHMENT OF ESCALANTE CANYONS NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established within the 
Escalante Canyons National Monument the ``Escalante Canyons National 
Park and Preserve'' in the State of Utah.
    (b) Boundaries.--The boundaries of Escalante Canyons National Park 
and Preserve are as generally depicted on the map entitled ``____'', 
numbered ___, and dated ____. The map shall be on file and available 
for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the National Park 
Service.
    (c) Purpose.--The purpose of the Escalante Canyons National Park 
and Preserve shall be to protect, conserve, and enhance in the 
Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve--
            (1) the unique and nationally important historic, natural, 
        scenic, and natural resources;
            (2) recreation, including hunting; and
            (3) grazing.

SEC. 5. WITHDRAWALS.

    Subject to valid existing rights, any Federal land within the 
Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve, including any land or 
interest in land that is acquired by the United States after the date 
of enactment of this Act, is withdrawn from--
            (1) entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land 
        laws;
            (2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
            (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, 
        and geothermal leasing laws.

SEC. 6. MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION.

    (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a map and legal description 
of the Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve.
    (b) Force and Effect.--The map and legal description submitted 
under this section shall have the same force and effect as if included 
in this Act, except that the Secretary may make minor modifications of 
any clerical or typographical errors in the map or legal description 
provided these changes are first reported to the State of Utah, 
Garfield and Kane Counties in Utah, and the Management Council.

SEC. 7. GRAND STAIRCASE NATIONAL MONUMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Federal 
land comprising approximately 211,983 acres, identified as ``Grand 
Staircase Unit'' and generally depicted on the map entitled ``Grand 
Staircase-Escalante National Monument Modification'' is hereby 
established as the ``Grand Staircase National Monument''.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Grand Staircase National Monument 
shall be to protect, conserve, and enhance the monument's--
            (1) unique and nationally important historic, scenic, and 
        natural resources;
            (2) recreation, including hunting; and
            (3) grazing.
    (c) Map.--
            (1) As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
        Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a map 
        and legal description of the Grand Staircase National Monument 
        established in this section.
            (2) The map and legal description submitted under this 
        section shall have the same force and effect as if included in 
        this title, except that the Secretary may make minor 
        modification of any clerical or typographical errors in the map 
        or legal description provided these changes are first reported 
        to the State of Utah, Kane County, Utah, and the Management 
        Council.
            (3) A copy of the map and legal description shall be on 
        file and available for public inspection in the appropriate 
        field offices of the Bureau of Land Management.

SEC. 8. KAIPAROWITS NATIONAL MONUMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--Subject to valid existing rights, the Federal 
land comprising approximately 551,117 acres, identified as 
``Kaiparowits Unit'' and generally depicted on the map entitled ``Grand 
Staircase-Escalante National Monument Modification'' is hereby 
established as the ``Kaiparowits National Monument''.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Kaiparowits National Monument 
shall be to protect, conserve, and enhance the monument's--
            (1) unique and nationally important historic, scenic, and 
        natural resources;
            (2) recreation, including hunting; and
            (3) grazing.
    (c) Map.--
            (1) As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
        Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a map 
        and legal description of the Kaiparowits National Monument 
        established in this section.
            (2) The map and legal description submitted under this 
        section shall have the same force and effect as if included in 
        this title, except that the Secretary may make minor 
        modification of any clerical or typographical errors in the map 
        or legal description provided these changes are first reported 
        to the State of Utah, Kane and Garfield Counties, Utah, and the 
        Management Council.
            (3) A copy of the map and legal description shall be on 
        file and available for public inspection in the appropriate 
        field offices of the Bureau of Land Management.

SEC. 9. ESCALANTE CANYONS NATIONAL MONUMENT.

    (a) Establishment.--Subject to the valid existing rights, the 
Federal land comprising approximately 243,241 acres, identified as 
``Escalante Canyons Unit'' and generally depicted on the map entitled 
``Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Modification'' is hereby 
established as the ``Escalante Canyons National Monument''.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Escalante Canyons National 
Monument shall be to protect, conserve, and enhance the monument's--
            (1) unique and nationally important historic, scenic, and 
        natural resources;
            (2) recreation, including hunting; and
            (3) grazing.
    (c) Map.--
            (1) As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
        Natural Resources of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a map 
        and legal description of the Escalante Canyons National 
        Monument established in this section.
            (2) The map and legal description submitted under this 
        section shall have the same force and effect as if included in 
        this title, except that the Secretary may make minor 
        modification of any clerical or typographical errors in the map 
        or legal description provided these changes are first reported 
        to the State of Utah, Garfield County, Utah, and the Management 
        Council.
            (3) A copy of the map and legal description shall be on 
        file and available for public inspection in the appropriate 
        field offices of the Bureau of Land Management.

SEC. 10. ESCALANTE CANYONS NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, GRAND STAIRCASE 
              NATIONAL MONUMENT, KAIPAROWITS NATIONAL MONUMENT, AND 
              ESCALANTE CANYONS NATIONAL MONUMENT MANAGEMENT COUNCIL.

    (a) Establishment.--The Management Council is hereby established.
    (b) Duties.--The Management Council shall develop and implement the 
comprehensive management plans for the Escalante Canyons National Park 
and Preserve, the Grand Staircase National Monument, the Kaiparowits 
National Monument, and the Escalante Canyons National Monument 
consistently with the purposes of those areas as provided in this Act.
    (c) Membership.--The Management Council shall be composed of 7 
members appointed not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act as follows:
            (1) One individual from the Department of Interior, 
        appointed by the President.
            (2) Five individuals, appointed by the President in 
        consultation with the Congressional delegation from the State 
        of Utah and the Governor of Utah, who shall represent the 
        following:
                    (A) Two from the Garfield County, Utah, Board of 
                Commissioners.
                    (B) Two from the Kane County, Utah, Board of 
                Commissioners.
                    (C) One Utah State Legislator representing Kane 
                County, Garfield County, or both.
            (3) One at-large representative appointed by the President.
    (d) Qualifications.--The members appointed under subsections (c)(2) 
and (3) shall not be employees of the Federal Government.
    (e) Terms.--The President shall appoint the members under 
subsections (c)(2) and (3) for a term of 5 years, except that the 
President shall designate staggered terms for the members initially 
appointed to the Management Council. The President may reappoint a 
member to not more than three consecutive terms.
    (f) Vacancies.--Vacancies of members appointed under subsections 
(c)(2) and (3) shall be filled in the same manner as such positions 
were originally filled as soon as practicable after the vacancy has 
occurred.
    (g) Compensation.--Members appointed under subsections (c)(2) and 
(3) shall serve without pay, except for reasonable travel expenses, 
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at the rate authorized for 
employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of 
business in the performance of duties for the Council.
    (h) Chair.--The members shall select the chair of the Management 
Council from the members appointed under subsection (c)(2) and (3) for 
a term beginning on the date of selection, and ending in 5 years or 
until the member's term of office expires, whichever occurs first.
    (i) Staff Assistance.--The Management Council may request 
administrative assistance from Federal employees under the jurisdiction 
of the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture.
    (j) Meetings.--
            (1) Frequency.--The Management Council shall meet at the 
        call of the Chair or a majority of the members. Meetings shall 
        be held no less than once per year. A majority must be present 
        to constitute a quorum to conduct official business.
            (2) Announcement; open meetings.--All meetings of the 
        Management Council shall be announced at least one week in 
        advance in publications of general circulation and shall be 
        open to the public.
    (k) Administration.--
            (1) The Management Council shall allow hunting, fishing and 
        trapping on lands and water under the jurisdiction of the 
        Secretary within the Escalante Canyons National Park and 
        Preserve in accordance with the applicable laws of the State of 
        Utah.
            (2) The Management Council shall ensure that the privilege 
        of grazing domestic livestock on lands with the Escalante 
        Canyons National Park and Preserve shall continue to be 
        exercised and enhanced in perpetuity. Grazing within the 
        Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve shall be 
        administered by the National Park Service.

SEC. 11. FEDERAL LAND MANAGER ADHERENCE.

    Federal land managers shall adhere to the management plans created 
by the Management Council.

SEC. 12. CLARIFICATION.

    Nothing in this Act affects the jurisdiction of the State of Utah 
with respect to the management of fish, wildlife and predators in the 
State.

SEC. 13. RESTORATION OF LAND STATUS.

    Subject to valid existing rights, the provisions of existing 
withdrawals, and the requirements of applicable law, the public lands 
excluded from the monument reservation under Presidential Proclamation 
___, dated December 4, 2017, and issued under chapter 3203 of title 54, 
United States Code, shall be open to:
            (1) entry, location, selection, sale or other disposition 
        under the public land laws;
            (2) disposition under all laws relating to mineral and 
        geothermal leasing; and
            (3) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws.

SEC. 14. HOLE IN THE ROCK ROAD.

    The Secretary shall convey to the State of Utah all right, title 
and interest of the United States in and to the Hole in the Rock Road 
(BLM Road 200).

SEC. 15. EFFECT ON PROCLAMATIONS.

    Any provision of Presidential Proclamation 6920, dated September 
18, 1996, and Presidential Proclamation ____, dated December 4, 2017, 
and issued under chapter 3203 of title 54, United States Code, that is 
inconsistent with this Act is hereby declared null and void.
[A]: Grand Staircase Escalante Enhancement Act This bill establishes the Escalante Canyons National Park and Preserve within the Escalante Canyons National Monument (established by this bill and consisting of approximately 243,241 acres) in Utah.  Federal lands within the park and preserve, including lands or interests acquired by the United States afterwards, are withdrawn from:  entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws; location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and  operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.   The bill also establishes the Grand Staircase National Monument (consisting of approximately 211,983 acres) and the Kaiparowits National Monument (consisting of approximately 551,117 acres). A management council shall implement comprehensive management plans for the park and preserve and the monuments. Federal land managers must adhere to the management plans created by the council. The public lands excluded from the lands and interests in lands reserved within the modified boundaries of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument under the Presidential Proclamation dated December 4, 2017, shall be open to:  entry, location, selection, sale, or other disposition under the public land laws; disposition under all laws related to mineral and geothermal leasing; and  location, entry, and patent under the mining laws.   Interior shall convey to the state of Utah the Hole in the Rock Road (BLM [Bureau of Land Management] Road 200). 


[Q]: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; REFERENCES TO TITLE 38, UNITED STATES CODE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans' 
Adjudication and Appeals Improvements Act of 1993''.
    (b) References to Title 38, United States Code.--Except as 
otherwise expressly provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or 
repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a 
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be 
made to a section or other provision of title 38, United States Code.

                   TITLE I--ADJUDICATION IMPROVEMENTS

SEC. 101. ELIMINATION OF REQUIREMENT FOR ANNUAL INCOME QUESTIONNAIRES.

    Section 1506 is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking out ``shall'' and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``may''; and
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking out ``file a revised 
        report'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``notify the 
        Secretary''.

SEC. 102. TIME PERIOD FOR RESPONDING TO NOTICE OF INCOMPLETE 
              APPLICATION.

    Section 5103(a) is amended by striking out ``one year'' and 
inserting in lieu thereof ``120 days''.

SEC. 103. RESTATEMENT OF BURDEN OF PROOF, DUTY TO ASSIST, AND BENEFIT 
              OF DOUBT.

    The text of section 5107 is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) Except as otherwise provided in this title, a person who 
submits a claim for benefits under a law administered by the Secretary 
shall bear the burden of establishing such claim by submitting evidence 
sufficient to justify a belief by a fair and impartial individual that 
the claim is well grounded. A claim shall be considered to be well 
grounded if the evidence presented is sufficient to evoke a reasonable 
probability that the claim is valid. Mere allegations, unsupported by 
evidence, shall not form the basis for a conclusion that the claim is 
well grounded.
    ``(b) The Secretary shall provide reasonable assistance to a 
claimant in developing the facts pertinent to the claim. Except in the 
case of evidence or information within the control of the Department or 
other Federal department or agency, the duty to provide such assistance 
shall be considered to be met upon a showing of a good faith effort by 
the Secretary to obtain such evidence. Nothing in this subsection shall 
be construed as shifting from the claimant to the Secretary the burden 
specified in subsection (a).
    ``(c) When, after consideration of all evidence and material of 
record in a case before the Department with respect to benefits under 
law administered by the Secretary, there is an approximate balance of 
positive and negative evidence regarding the merits of an issue 
material to the determination of the matter, the benefit of doubt in 
resolving each such issue shall be given to the claimant.''.

SEC. 104. CLARIFICATION OF REVIEW ON REOPENED CLAIMS.

    Section 5108 is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Such 
review shall be limited to the issue to which the new and material 
evidence is related.''.

SEC. 105. LIMIT ON RETROACTIVE AWARDS.

    Section 5110 is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(o) The effective date of an award or an increased award based on 
a finding of clear and unmistakable error in fact or law in a prior 
decision shall be in accordance with the facts found, but shall not be 
retroactive for more than ten years before receipt of the allegation of 
error.''.

SEC. 106. PLAN FOR REORGANIZATION OF ADJUDICATION DIVISIONS IN REGIONAL 
              OFFICES.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees 
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a plan 
to provide for the reorganization of adjudication divisions located 
within the regional offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration to 
a number of such divisions that would result in greater efficiency in 
the processing of claims filed by veterans, their survivors, or other 
eligible persons for benefits administered by the Secretary.

SEC. 107. TRANSFER OF MILITARY MEDICAL RECORDS FROM DEPARTMENT OF 
              DEFENSE.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, seek to enter into an 
agreement with the Secretary of Defense to implement a plan to provide 
for the immediate transfer to the Department of Veterans Affairs, upon 
the separation of a member of the Armed Forces from active duty, of the 
service medical records of that member.

           TITLE II--BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS IMPROVEMENTS-

SEC. 201. COMPOSITION OF BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS.

    (a) Repeal of Limitation on Size of Board.--Section 7101(a) is 
amended by striking out ``(not more than 65)''.
    (b) Ethical and Legal Limitations on Chairman.--Section 7101(b)(1) 
is amended by inserting after the first sentence the following: ``The 
Chairman shall be subject to the same ethical and legal limitations and 
restrictions concerning involvement in partisan political activities as 
apply to judges of the United States Court of Veterans Appeals.''.
    (c) Temporary Members of the Board.--Section 7101(c)(1) is amended 
to read as follows:
    ``(1) The number of temporary members of the Board may not exceed 
10 percent of the total number of Board members at any time.''.
    (d) Repeal of Report Requirement.--Paragraph (3) of section 7101(c) 
is repealed.

SEC. 202. ASSIGNMENT OF MATTERS BEFORE THE BOARD.

    Section 7102 is redesignated as section 7103 and is amended to read 
as follows:
``Sec. 7103. Assignment of matters before the Board
    ``(a) Subject to subsection (b), the Chairman may determine any 
matter before the Board, rule on any motion in connection therewith, or 
may assign any such matter or motion to any other Board member or a 
panel of members for determination. Any such assignment by the Chairman 
shall not be reviewed by any other official or by any court, whether by 
an action in the nature of mandamus or otherwise.
    ``(b) The authority granted under subsection (a) shall expire on 
September 30, 1995.''.

SEC. 203. DETERMINATIONS BY THE BOARD.

    Section 7103 is redesignated as section 7104 and the text thereof 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a) When the Chairman retains a matter or submits it to another 
Board member or panel of members for determination in accordance with 
section 7102 of this title, or to a panel of Board members in 
accordance with subsection (e), the Board member or members shall do 
the following:
            ``(1) Issue an order dismissing any appeal, in whole or in 
        part, which fails to allege specific error of fact or law in 
        the determination being appealed or in which the determination 
        being appealed has become moot. Each order of dismissal shall 
        include a written statement of the Board's findings and 
        conclusions, and the reasons and bases for those findings and 
        conclusions, in support of the dismissal.
            ``(2) Issue an order remanding the case, in whole or in 
        part, to the agency of original jurisdiction for such 
        additional development as the member or panel of members may 
        consider necessary for proper disposition of the case.
            ``(3) Render a written decision with respect to any issues 
        not dismissed or remanded, which shall constitute the Board's 
        final disposition of the issues so decided. Such decision shall 
        be based on the entire record in the proceeding, upon 
        consideration of all evidence and material of record, and upon 
        applicable provisions of law and regulation.
    ``(b) Each decision of a Board member or of a panel of members 
shall include--
            ``(1) a written statement of the Board's findings and 
        conclusions, and the reasons and bases for those findings and 
        conclusions, on all material issues of fact and law presented 
        on the record; and
            ``(2) an order granting appropriate relief or denying 
        relief.
    ``(c)(1) Decisions by a panel of Board members under this section 
shall be based on a majority vote of the members of the panel.
    ``(2) The decision of a Board member or of a panel of members is 
final unless the Chairman grants an administrative allowance as 
authorized under subsection (d) or orders reconsideration of the case 
pursuant to subsection (e).
    ``(d) Except in the case of a claim which has been the subject of 
reconsideration pursuant to subsection (e), if a Board member other 
than the Chairman is of the opinion that an otherwise final denial of a 
claim should be revised or amended to allow the claim in whole or in 
part based on a difference of opinion as to how the evidence should be 
evaluated rather than on any error in the prior decision, the Board 
member may recommend allowance of the claim to the Chairman. If the 
Chairman agrees with the Board member, the Chairman shall approve the 
award of any benefit or increase therein, on the basis of such 
difference of opinion.
    ``(e)(1) A claimant may seek reconsideration of a final decision of 
the Board by filing a motion for reconsideration with the Board within 
120 days after the date on which notice of the Board's decision is 
mailed pursuant to section 7104(e) of this title.
    ``(2) The Chairman or Vice Chairman shall review each motion for 
reconsideration and may order such reconsideration upon a showing of 
good cause. The decision of the Chairman or Vice Chairman to order 
reconsideration or to deny such reconsideration shall not be reviewed 
by any other official or by any court by an action in the nature of 
mandamus or otherwise. If a motion for reconsideration is granted, 
there shall be no further review by the Board of the matter except as 
provided in this subsection.
    ``(3) If the Chairman or Vice Chairman orders reconsideration of an 
appeal, the matter shall be referred to a panel of not less than three 
Board members, not including the Board member who rendered the initial 
decision, which shall render its decision after reviewing the entire 
record before the Board.
    ``(4) The standard of review upon reconsideration shall be whether 
the decision under consideration involved an obvious error in fact or 
law affecting the result.
    ``(f) After reaching a determination under any of the provisions of 
this section, the Board shall promptly mail a copy of its written 
decision to the claimant and the claimant's authorized representative 
(if any) at the last known address of the claimant and the last known 
address of such representative (if any).
    ``(g) The Board shall be bound in its decisions by regulations of 
the Department, and precedent opinions of the chief legal officer of 
the Department.
    ``(h) A claim disallowed by the Board may not thereafter be 
reopened except as provided in section 5108 of this title.''.

SEC. 204. JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD.

    Section 7104 is transferred so as to appear after section 7101, 
redesignated as section 7102, and amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 7102. Jurisdiction of the Board
    ``All questions in a matter which under section 511(a) of this 
title is subject to decision by the Secretary shall be subject to one 
review on appeal to the Secretary. Final decisions on such appeals 
shall be made by the Board.''.

SEC. 205. FILING OF NOTICE OF DISAGREEMENT AND APPEAL.

    (a) Period for Filing Notice of Disagreement.--Section 7105(b)(1) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``one year'' in the first sentence and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``120 days''; and
            (2) by striking out ``one-year'' in the second sentence and 
        inserting in lieu thereof ``120-day''.
    (b) Finality of Action or Determination.--Section 7105(d)(3) is 
amended by adding after the third sentence the following: ``If no 
formal appeal is received within this time period, the action or 
determination shall become final and the claim may not thereafter be 
reopened or allowed, except as may otherwise be provided by regulations 
not inconsistent with this title.''.
    (c) Repeal of Grounds for Dismissal.--Section 7105(d) is amended by 
striking out paragraph (5).

SEC. 206. PERIOD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL.

    Section 7106 is amended by striking out ``one-year'' and inserting 
in lieu thereof ``120-day''.

SEC. 207. HEARINGS.

    Section 7110 is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 7110. Hearings
    ``(a) The Board shall decide an appeal only after affording a 
claimant an opportunity for a hearing.
    ``(b) A hearing docket shall be maintained and formal recorded 
hearings shall be held by such member or members of the Board as the 
Chairman may designate. Such Board member or members conducting such 
hearing shall participate in the final determination in the claim.
    ``(c) A claimant may request a personal hearing before the Board at 
either its principal location or at a regional office of the 
Department. Any hearing held at a regional office of the Department 
shall be scheduled for hearing in the order in which the requests for 
hearings in that area are received by the Department. Other than a 
hearing authorized under subsection (d), the Chairman may not authorize 
more than 1,000 hearings by Board members at regional offices in any 
fiscal year.
    ``(d) At the request of the Chairman, the Secretary may provide 
suitable facilities and equipment to the Board or other components of 
the Department to enable a claimant located at a regional office to 
participate, through picture or voice transmission (or both) by 
electronic or other means, in a hearing with a Board member or members 
sitting at the Board's principal location. When such facilities and 
equipment are available, the Chairman may afford a claimant an 
opportunity to participate in a hearing before the Board through the 
use of such facilities and equipment in lieu of a personal appearance 
before the Board member or members. Any such hearing shall be conducted 
in the same manner as, and be considered the equivalent of, a personal 
hearing.''.

SEC. 208. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.

    The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 71 is amended--
            (1) by striking out the items relating to sections 7102, 
        7103, and 7104 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

``7102. Jurisdiction of the Board.
``7103. Assignment of matters before the Board.
``7104. Filing of notice of disagreement and appeal.''; and
            (2) by striking out the item relating to section 7110 and 
        inserting in lieu thereof the following:

``7110. Hearings.''.

SEC. 209. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this title shall take effect 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

           TITLE III--COURT OF VETERANS APPEALS IMPROVEMENTS

SEC. 301. RECORD BEFORE COURT.

    Section 7252(b) is amended by inserting ``entire'' after ``shall be 
on the''.

SEC. 302. SCOPE OF REVIEW.

    Section 7261(c) is amended by striking out the period at the end 
and inserting in lieu thereof the following: ``, nor shall the Court 
consider an issue not presented on appeal to the Board of Veterans' 
Appeals.''.

SEC. 303. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to cases 
for which an appeal is filed with the United States Court of Veterans 
Appeals after the end of the 60-day period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
[A]:
TABLE OF CONTENTS: 
     Title I:  Adjudication Improvements 
     Title II:  Board of Veterans' Appeals Improvements 
     Title III:  Court of Veterans Appeals Improvements 
Veterans' Adjudication and Appeals Improvements Act of 1993 - 
Title I:  Adjudication Improvements
 - Authorizes (currently, directs) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to require an annual income statement from persons receiving pension benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Reduces from one year to 120 days the time period for a Department claim applicant to respond to a notice of an incomplete application. 
Limits the review of reopened claims to the issue to which the new and material evidence is related. 
Limits the retroactive effective date of an award based on clear error to ten years before receipt of the allegation of such error. 
Directs the Secretary to:  (1) report to specified congressional committees a plan for the reorganization of adjudication divisions located within the regional offices of the Veterans Benefits Administration; and (2) enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Defense for the immediate transfer to the Department of the service medical records of individuals separated from the armed forces. 
Title II:  Board of Veterans' Appeals Improvements
 - Repeals the current 65-person limit on the size of the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Requires the Chairman of the Board to be subject to the same ethical and legal limitations that apply to judges of the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals.  Repeals the requirement of an annual report on the number of temporary members appointed to the Board.  Revises provisions concerning:  (1) assignment of matters before the Board from the Chairman to other Board members; (2) determinations made by Board members (with a review of each decision by the Chairman or Vice Chairman); and (3) Board jurisdiction. 
Reduces from one year to 120 days:  (1) the period for the filing of a notice of disagreement and appeal to a Board decision; and (2) administrative appeals of decisions by designated officials of the Department. 
Provides procedures for a Board hearing of an applicant's appeal, allowing such hearing to take place at either the Board's principal location or a regional office of the Department. 
Title III:  Court of Veterans Appeals Improvements
 - Requires the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals to review the entire record (currently, the record) of the previous proceedings before the Secretary and the Board.  Prohibits the Court from considering an issue not presented on appeal to the Board.