DAV has long been leading efforts to reform the disability appeals process for veterans as the number of pending appeals has risen to nearly 450,000, with an average time for a decision falling between three to five years.

Leading a coalition that included other VSOs, the Board of Veterans Appeals and the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), DAV was able to reach agreement on the fully developed appeals program—or FDA—which passed the House of Representatives last year.

Earlier this year, the Department of Veterans Affairs convened a workgroup including DAV and other stakeholders to reach a consensus on a framework for appeals modernization that would lead to  more timely and accurate decisions for veterans. The resulting proposal would provide veterans who are not satisfied with their claim’s decisions multiple options to appeal that decision, providing full protection for their effective dates and all of their due process rights.

The appeals modernization framework was included in two bills introduced in the House: the Accountability and Appeals Modernization Act (H.R. 5620) and the VA Appeals Modernization Act (H.R. 5083).  H.R. 5620 passed the House of Representatives on September 14, 2016 by a vote of 310-116 and is now pending in the Senate.

There are also two bills that have been introduced in the Senate that also contain the appeals modernization proposal—S. 3328 and S. 3170—both of which are still pending in the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

DAV is working with our VSO colleagues to have the Senate bring to the floor and pass either S. 3328, S. 3170, H.R. 5620, or another Senate bill that contains the appeals modernization proposal, so that it can be sent to the President for his signature before the end of the year.