In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Q: SECTION 1. APPEALS PROCESS.

(a) Reference.--Whenever in this section 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 5, United States Code.
(b) Time Period for Decision.--Section 8118 is amended by adding at
the end the following:
''(f) A final decision by the agency which first receives a claim
shall be made within 90 days of the date the claim is received by the
agency. If a final decision on a claim is not made within such 90 days,
the claimant shall be authorized continuation of pay under section 8118
from the date compensation benefits were terminated until a final
decision is made on such claim.''.
(c) Claimant's Physician.--Section 8123(a) is amended by adding at
the end the following: ''The Secretary shall provide the claimant's
physician with the same opportunity and information as was provided to
the physician acting for the Secretary, including the statement of
accepted facts and all medical information in the claimant's file.''.
(d) Physician Fees.--Section 8123(c) is amended by adding at the
end the following: ''The fees paid to physicians acting for the
Secretary shall not exceed the fees paid for the claimant's physicians.
The claimant's physician and bills for medical services provided the
claimant shall be paid within 60 days of the submission of an approved
claim.''.
(e) Hearing Date.--Section 8124(b)(1) is amended--
(1) by adding after the first sentence the following: ''The
hearing shall be held within 90 days of the date the request
for a hearing is received by the Secretary.'', and
(2) by adding at the end the following: ''If the Secretary
does not hold a hearing within 90 days of the date the hearing
is requested or if the Secretary does not issue a further
decision within 30 days after the hearing ends, the
compensation benefits for any claimant challenging a
suspension, termination, or reduction in benefits shall be
reinstated from the date such benefits were terminated until
such time as a decision has been made.''.
(f) Conduct of Hearing.--
(1) Administrative law judges.--Section 8124(b)(1) is
amended by striking ''on his claim before a representative of
the Secretary.'' and inserting a period and the following:
''The hearing shall be conducted by administrative law judges
of the Department of Labor.''
(2) Claimant's authority.--Paragraph (2) of section 8124(b)
is amended to read as follows:
''(2) In conducting the hearing the Secretary shall follow the
requirements of chapter 5 of part I. The claimant shall have the right
to confront and cross examine all adverse witnesses and present such
evidence as the claimant feels necessary for consideration of the
claim. The claimant's employer shall not be present at the hearing but
shall be provided an opportunity to comment on the transcript of the
hearing.''.
(g) Appeals.--Section 8124 is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by adding after and below paragraph
(2) the following: ''After a decision has been made by the
Secretary on a claim under this subsection there shall be no
further administrative proceedings on the claim. The claimant
may make an appeal for judicial review of the Secretary's
decision within 90 days of the date the decision is received by
the claimant in accordance with chapter 7 of part I.'', and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
''(c) After a decision has been made by the Secretary after a
hearing on a claim there shall be no further administrative proceedings
on the claim. The claimant may make an appeal for judicial review in
accordance with chapter 7 of part I.''.
(h) Attorneys' Fees.--Section 8127 is amended by adding at the end
the following:
''(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), claimant's attorney or
representative shall be entitled to receive a fee of 25 percent of the
benefits awarded to the claimant or $5,000, whichever is less. The
Secretary shall take such action as may be necessary to assure that
payment is made directly to the attorney.
''(d) If the claimant prevails in a decision of a Federal court
under chapter 7 of part I, the claimant's attorney shall be paid by the
Secretary, but not from the claimant's award, for the work of such
attorney if the position of the Secretary with respect to such claimant
was found under section 2412(c) of title 28 to be not substantially
justified.''.
(i) Review of Award.--Section 8128 is amended by striking out
subsection (b) and by striking out ''(a)'' in subsection (a).
(j) Mortgagees and Other Secured Creditors.--Section 8130 is
amended by adding at the end the following: ''If a mortgagee or other
secured creditor of the primary residential dwelling of a claimant
agrees to forebear foreclosure or forfeiture of such dwelling until a
final decision is rendered on the claim of the claimant under this
chapter, the claimant may give security under rules promulgated by the
Secretary to ensure direct payment from the approved award of the
Secretary on such claim to such mortgagee or other secured creditor for
all delinquent payments, including interest. The Secretary shall not
pay, and no liens shall be given, for attorneys' fees, recording costs,
penalty clauses, or other charges other than delinquent payments,
including interest, to such mortgagee or other secured creditor. No
mortgagee or other secured creditor may hold a lien on the claimant's
primary residential dwelling for any amount in addition to claimant's
delinquent payments, including interest.''.
(k) Subrogations and Adjustments.--Section 8132 is amended by
adding at the end the following: ''In no case shall a subrogation
secured under section 8131 or an adjustment after recovery made under
this section exceed the amount the claimant received in an action
brought against a person other than the United States for lost wages
and medical expenses. In a subrogation under section 8131, the
Secretary may not bring an action for loss of consortium or other
compensatory or punitive damages other than damages for lost wages and
medical expenses.''.
(l) Employee's Compensation Appeals Board.--Section 8149 is amended
by striking out the second sentence.
A:
Amends Federal civil service law to revise the appeals process under provisions for workers' compensation for Federal employees.