Congressman Bilirakis Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Expedite Veterans Appeals Claims through Stronger Workforce

WASHINGTON, DC:  Representatives Gus Bilirakis (FL-12-R) and  Morgan McGarvey  (KY-3-D) introduced H.R.9046, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney Retention and Backlog Reduction Act, which would allow the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) to improve recruitment and retention of high performing employees to process Appeal claims in a timely and accurate manner.

“Too often, the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) continues to be a roadblock for timely processing of VA claims,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “The Veteran Appeals backlog unnecessarily delays our nation’s heroes from accessing the benefits they’ve earned and is a concern that has been raised by many of my constituents. Our bill addresses BVA performance and staffing concerns by creating a level playing field with BVA and other federal agencies.  When coupled with the quality assurance metrics and accountability measures we have recently pushed, this important piece of the legislation is a key part of the overall solution.”

“Veterans in Louisville and across the US deserve a speedy and efficient VA – especially when appealing a denied claim,” said Rep. Morgan McGarvey. “These decisions don’t come out of thin air, they require staffing by expert attorneys in veterans law which takes years to master. Whether in the public or private sector, the same principle applies: you can’t retain top talent by denying your employees competitive compensation. I’m proud to champion this bipartisan legislation to empower BVA with the tools needed to address the claims backlog, retain talented attorneys, and ensure our veterans get the benefits they’ve earned.”

The bill text is linked here.