Veterans’ Appeals Backlog Improvement Act

HR 1378, the Veterans’ Appeals Backlog Improvement Act, establishes two new programs to improve staffing at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for processing veterans' appeals. It creates a competitive internship program for ABA-accredited law students to gain experience with the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and a nine-year pilot program to recruit and retain entry-level attorneys through student loan repayment benefits and structured professional development, including mentorship and rotational assignments. The bill requires the VA to report on improving telehearings access within 180 days, including recommendations for reimbursing travel costs and testing new methods for remote hearings. These provisions aim to reduce the appeals backlog by strengthening the VA’s legal workforce, directly affecting VA recruitment and retention of legal professionals.