HR 4771 — VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act

[Congressional[116th BillsCongress 116thPublic Congress]Law 137] [From the U.S.

Government Publishing Office] [H.R.[[Page 615]] VA TELE-HEARING MODERNIZATION ACT [[Page 134 STAT.

4771616]] ReferredPublic Law 116-137 116th Congress An Act To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit appellants to appear in Senatecases (RFS)]before <DOC>the 116thBoard CONGRESSof 1stVeterans' SessionAppeals H.by picture and voice transmission from locations other than facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

R.<<NOTE:

4771Apr. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 13, 2019 Received;

read10, twice2020 and- referred[H.R. to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit appellants to appear in cases before the Board of Veterans' Appeals by picture and voice transmission from locations other than facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

4771]>> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION<<NOTE: 1.

VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act.

38 USC 101 note.>> SECTION 1.

(b) Deadline<<NOTE: for Implementation.--The Secretary shall implement the amendments made by subsection (a) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

38 USC 7107 note.>> Deadline for Implementation.--The Secretary shall implement the amendments made by subsection (a) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

and (C)[[Page by134 addingSTAT. at the end the following new subparagraph:

617]] (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(2) One-time<<NOTE: reporting requirements.--The first report required to be submitted under section 7101(d) of title 38, United States Code, shall include the following information with respect to hearings scheduled under subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of section 7101 of such title, as added by subsection (a):

38 USC 7101 note.>> One-time reporting requirements.--The first report required to be submitted under section 7101(d) of title 38, United States Code, shall include the following information with respect to hearings scheduled under subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of section 7101 of such title, as added by subsection (a):

(ii) a<<NOTE: timeline for conducting such outreach;

Timeline.>> a timeline for conducting such outreach;

(B) A<<NOTE: description of any modifications to the information technology systems of the Veterans Benefits Administration and the Board of Veterans' Appeals required to carry out hearings under such subparagraph, including cost estimates and a timeline for making such modifications.

(C)Cost Aestimates. detailed description of the intra-agency partnership between the Board of Veterans' Appeals and the telehealth program of the Veterans Health Administration as the Board conducts hearings under such subparagraph, including best practices, a risk assessment overview, risk mitigation efforts, and a plan for ongoing collaboration and information sharing.

(d)Timeline.>> Collaboration.--InA developingdescription theof capacityany andmodifications procedures to conductthe hearingsinformation undertechnology subparagraphsystems (C) of paragraphthe (2)Veterans ofBenefits subsectionAdministration (c)and ofthe sectionBoard 7101 of titleVeterans' 38,Appeals Unitedrequired Statesto Code,carry asout addedhearings byunder subsectionsuch (a),subparagraph, theincluding Secretarycost ofestimates Veterans Affairs shall collaborate with, partner with, and givea weighttimeline tofor themaking advice of veterans service organizations and such othermodifications. stakeholders as the Secretary considers appropriate.

Passed(C) the<<NOTE: House of Representatives November 12, 2019.

Attest:Assessment.

CHERYLPlan.>> L.A detailed description of the intra-agency partnership between the Board of Veterans' Appeals and the telehealth program of the Veterans Health Administration as the Board conducts hearings under such subparagraph, including best practices, a risk assessment overview, risk mitigation efforts, and a plan for ongoing collaboration and information sharing.

JOHNSON,(d) Clerk.<<NOTE:

Procedures.

38 USC 7101 note.>> Collaboration.--In developing the capacity and procedures to conduct hearings under subparagraph (C) of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of section 7101 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall collaborate with, partner with, and give weight to the advice of [[Page 134 STAT.

618]] veterans service organizations and such other stakeholders as the Secretary considers appropriate.

Approved April 10, 2020.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R.

4771:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:

Vol.

165 (2019):

Nov.

12, considered and passed House.

Vol.

166 (2020):

Mar.

25, considered and passed Senate.

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