<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?>
<billStatus>
  <version>3.0.0</version>
  <bill>
    <number>659</number>
    <updateDate>2026-02-04T05:06:17Z</updateDate>
    <updateDateIncludingText>2026-02-04T05:06:17Z</updateDateIncludingText>
    <originChamber>House</originChamber>
    <originChamberCode>H</originChamberCode>
    <type>HR</type>
    <introducedDate>2025-01-23</introducedDate>
    <congress>119</congress>
    <legislationUrl>https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/659</legislationUrl>
    <cdata>
      <constitutionalAuthorityStatementText>&lt;pre&gt;[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 14 (Thursday, January 23, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [&lt;a href="https://www.gpo.gov"&gt;www.gpo.gov&lt;/a&gt;]By Ms. BROWNLEY:H.R. 659.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1 Section 8[Page H388]&lt;/pre&gt;</constitutionalAuthorityStatementText>
    </cdata>
    <committees>
      <item>
        <systemCode>ssva00</systemCode>
        <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
        <chamber>Senate</chamber>
        <type>Standing</type>
        <activities>
          <item>
            <name>Referred To</name>
            <date>2026-01-26T21:08:40Z</date>
          </item>
        </activities>
      </item>
      <item>
        <systemCode>hsvr00</systemCode>
        <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
        <chamber>House</chamber>
        <type>Standing</type>
        <subcommittees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr09</systemCode>
            <name>Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee</name>
            <activities>
              <item>
                <name>Hearings By (subcommittee)</name>
                <date>2025-06-24T13:41:09Z</date>
              </item>
              <item>
                <name>Referred to</name>
                <date>2025-03-04T22:40:00Z</date>
              </item>
            </activities>
          </item>
        </subcommittees>
        <activities>
          <item>
            <name>Reported By</name>
            <date>2025-09-26T14:22:12Z</date>
          </item>
          <item>
            <name>Markup By</name>
            <date>2025-07-23T16:44:11Z</date>
          </item>
          <item>
            <name>Discharged from</name>
            <date>2025-07-03T17:27:44Z</date>
          </item>
          <item>
            <name>Referred To</name>
            <date>2025-01-23T15:07:00Z</date>
          </item>
        </activities>
      </item>
    </committees>
    <committeeReports>
      <committeeReport>
        <citation>H. Rept. 119-309</citation>
      </committeeReport>
    </committeeReports>
    <actions>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2026-01-26</actionDate>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>ssva00</systemCode>
            <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
        <sourceSystem>
          <name>Senate</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <text>Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.</text>
        <type>IntroReferral</type>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2026-01-20</actionDate>
        <actionTime>16:32:13</actionTime>
        <text>Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.</text>
        <type>Floor</type>
        <actionCode>H38310</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2026-01-20</actionDate>
        <actionTime>16:32:11</actionTime>
        <text>On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H936)</text>
        <type>Floor</type>
        <actionCode>H37300</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2026-01-20</actionDate>
        <actionTime>16:32:11</actionTime>
        <text>Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H936)</text>
        <type>Floor</type>
        <actionCode>8000</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>9</code>
          <name>Library of Congress</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2026-01-20</actionDate>
        <actionTime>16:18:43</actionTime>
        <text>DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 659.</text>
        <type>Floor</type>
        <actionCode>H8D000</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2026-01-20</actionDate>
        <actionTime>16:18:40</actionTime>
        <text>Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H936-937)</text>
        <type>Floor</type>
        <actionCode>H30000</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2026-01-20</actionDate>
        <actionTime>16:18:32</actionTime>
        <text>Mr. Bost moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.</text>
        <type>Floor</type>
        <actionCode>H30300</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-09-26</actionDate>
        <text>Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 263.</text>
        <type>Calendars</type>
        <actionCode>H12410</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <calendarNumber>
          <calendar>U00263</calendar>
        </calendarNumber>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-09-26</actionDate>
        <text>Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-309.</text>
        <type>Committee</type>
        <actionCode>H12200</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr00</systemCode>
            <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-09-26</actionDate>
        <text>Reported by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 119-309.</text>
        <type>Committee</type>
        <actionCode>5000</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>9</code>
          <name>Library of Congress</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr00</systemCode>
            <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-07-23</actionDate>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr00</systemCode>
            <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>1</code>
          <name>House committee actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <text>Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.</text>
        <type>Committee</type>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-07-23</actionDate>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr00</systemCode>
            <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>1</code>
          <name>House committee actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <text>Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held</text>
        <type>Committee</type>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-07-03</actionDate>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr00</systemCode>
            <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>1</code>
          <name>House committee actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <text>Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Discharged</text>
        <type>Committee</type>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-06-24</actionDate>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr09</systemCode>
            <name>Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>1</code>
          <name>House committee actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <text>Subcommittee Hearings Held</text>
        <type>Committee</type>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-03-04</actionDate>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr09</systemCode>
            <name>Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>1</code>
          <name>House committee actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <text>Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.</text>
        <type>Committee</type>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-01-23</actionDate>
        <text>Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.</text>
        <type>IntroReferral</type>
        <actionCode>H11100</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>2</code>
          <name>House floor actions</name>
        </sourceSystem>
        <committees>
          <item>
            <systemCode>hsvr00</systemCode>
            <name>Veterans' Affairs Committee</name>
          </item>
        </committees>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-01-23</actionDate>
        <text>Introduced in House</text>
        <type>IntroReferral</type>
        <actionCode>Intro-H</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>9</code>
          <name>Library of Congress</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
      <item>
        <actionDate>2025-01-23</actionDate>
        <text>Introduced in House</text>
        <type>IntroReferral</type>
        <actionCode>1000</actionCode>
        <sourceSystem>
          <code>9</code>
          <name>Library of Congress</name>
        </sourceSystem>
      </item>
    </actions>
    <sponsors>
      <item>
        <bioguideId>B001285</bioguideId>
        <fullName>Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]</fullName>
        <firstName>Julia</firstName>
        <lastName>Brownley</lastName>
        <party>D</party>
        <state>CA</state>
        <district>26</district>
        <isByRequest>N</isByRequest>
      </item>
    </sponsors>
    <cosponsors>
      <item>
        <bioguideId>G000551</bioguideId>
        <fullName>Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7]</fullName>
        <firstName>Raúl</firstName>
        <lastName>Grijalva</lastName>
        <party>D</party>
        <state>AZ</state>
        <middleName>M.</middleName>
        <district>7</district>
        <sponsorshipDate>2025-01-23</sponsorshipDate>
        <isOriginalCosponsor>True</isOriginalCosponsor>
      </item>
      <item>
        <bioguideId>S001200</bioguideId>
        <fullName>Rep. Soto, Darren [D-FL-9]</fullName>
        <firstName>Darren</firstName>
        <lastName>Soto</lastName>
        <party>D</party>
        <state>FL</state>
        <district>9</district>
        <sponsorshipDate>2025-05-06</sponsorshipDate>
        <isOriginalCosponsor>False</isOriginalCosponsor>
      </item>
      <item>
        <bioguideId>R000617</bioguideId>
        <fullName>Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]</fullName>
        <firstName>Delia</firstName>
        <lastName>Ramirez</lastName>
        <party>D</party>
        <state>IL</state>
        <middleName>C.</middleName>
        <district>3</district>
        <sponsorshipDate>2025-05-06</sponsorshipDate>
        <isOriginalCosponsor>False</isOriginalCosponsor>
      </item>
      <item>
        <bioguideId>G000598</bioguideId>
        <fullName>Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]</fullName>
        <firstName>Robert</firstName>
        <lastName>Garcia</lastName>
        <party>D</party>
        <state>CA</state>
        <district>42</district>
        <sponsorshipDate>2025-05-06</sponsorshipDate>
        <isOriginalCosponsor>False</isOriginalCosponsor>
      </item>
    </cosponsors>
    <cboCostEstimates>
      <item>
        <pubDate>2025-08-07T21:42:00Z</pubDate>
        <title>H.R. 659, Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025</title>
        <url>https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61643</url>
        <description>As ordered reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on July 23, 2025</description>
      </item>
    </cboCostEstimates>
    <policyArea>
      <name>Armed Forces and National Security</name>
    </policyArea>
    <subjects>
      <legislativeSubjects>
        <item>
          <name>Administrative remedies</name>
          <updateDate>2025-03-17T16:14:52Z</updateDate>
        </item>
        <item>
          <name>Lawyers and legal services</name>
          <updateDate>2025-03-17T16:15:00Z</updateDate>
        </item>
        <item>
          <name>Veterans' pensions and compensation</name>
          <updateDate>2025-03-17T16:15:05Z</updateDate>
        </item>
      </legislativeSubjects>
      <policyArea>
        <name>Armed Forces and National Security</name>
        <updateDate>2025-02-25T14:54:25Z</updateDate>
      </policyArea>
    </subjects>
    <summaries>
      <summary>
        <versionCode>00</versionCode>
        <actionDate>2025-01-23</actionDate>
        <actionDesc>Introduced in House</actionDesc>
        <updateDate>2025-03-11T15:50:20Z</updateDate>
        <cdata>
          <text>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This bill requires the Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to prioritize individuals with three or more years of legal professional experience in relevant legal areas when recommending individuals to the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve as members of the Board.&lt;/p&gt;</text>
        </cdata>
      </summary>
    </summaries>
    <title>Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025</title>
    <titles>
      <item>
        <titleType>Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text</titleType>
        <titleTypeCode>255</titleTypeCode>
        <title>Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025</title>
        <updateDate>2026-01-30T04:08:16Z</updateDate>
        <chamberCode>S</chamberCode>
        <chamberName>Senate</chamberName>
        <billTextVersionName>Referred in Senate</billTextVersionName>
        <billTextVersionCode>RFS</billTextVersionCode>
      </item>
      <item>
        <titleType>Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text</titleType>
        <titleTypeCode>259</titleTypeCode>
        <title>To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals to give priority to individuals with certain professional experience in recommending such individuals to serve as members of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and for other purposes.</title>
        <updateDate>2026-01-22T03:38:19Z</updateDate>
        <chamberCode>H</chamberCode>
        <chamberName>House</chamberName>
        <billTextVersionName>Engrossed in House</billTextVersionName>
        <billTextVersionCode>EH</billTextVersionCode>
      </item>
      <item>
        <titleType>Short Title(s) as Passed House</titleType>
        <titleTypeCode>104</titleTypeCode>
        <title>Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025</title>
        <updateDate>2026-01-22T03:38:19Z</updateDate>
        <chamberCode>H</chamberCode>
        <chamberName>House</chamberName>
        <billTextVersionName>Engrossed in House</billTextVersionName>
        <billTextVersionCode>EH</billTextVersionCode>
      </item>
      <item>
        <titleType>Short Title(s) as Reported to House</titleType>
        <titleTypeCode>102</titleTypeCode>
        <title>Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025</title>
        <updateDate>2025-09-27T03:08:13Z</updateDate>
        <chamberCode>H</chamberCode>
        <chamberName>House</chamberName>
        <billTextVersionName>Reported in House</billTextVersionName>
        <billTextVersionCode>RH</billTextVersionCode>
      </item>
      <item>
        <titleType>Display Title</titleType>
        <titleTypeCode>45</titleTypeCode>
        <title>Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025</title>
        <updateDate>2025-07-30T12:51:54Z</updateDate>
      </item>
      <item>
        <titleType>Short Title(s) as Introduced</titleType>
        <titleTypeCode>101</titleTypeCode>
        <title>Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025</title>
        <updateDate>2025-02-22T06:23:21Z</updateDate>
        <billTextVersionName>Introduced in House</billTextVersionName>
        <billTextVersionCode>IH</billTextVersionCode>
      </item>
      <item>
        <titleType>Official Title as Introduced</titleType>
        <titleTypeCode>6</titleTypeCode>
        <title>To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Chairman of the Board of Veterans' Appeals to give priority to individuals with certain professional experience in recommending such individuals to serve as members of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and for other purposes.</title>
        <updateDate>2025-02-22T06:18:44Z</updateDate>
        <billTextVersionName>Introduced in House</billTextVersionName>
        <billTextVersionCode>IH</billTextVersionCode>
      </item>
    </titles>
    <textVersions>
      <item>
        <type>Referred in Senate</type>
        <date>2026-01-26T05:00:00Z</date>
        <formats>
          <item>
            <url>https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr659rfs/xml/BILLS-119hr659rfs.xml</url>
          </item>
        </formats>
      </item>
      <item>
        <type>Engrossed in House</type>
        <date>2026-01-20T05:00:00Z</date>
        <formats>
          <item>
            <url>https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr659eh/xml/BILLS-119hr659eh.xml</url>
          </item>
        </formats>
      </item>
      <item>
        <type>Reported in House</type>
        <date>2025-09-26T04:00:00Z</date>
        <formats>
          <item>
            <url>https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr659rh/xml/BILLS-119hr659rh.xml</url>
          </item>
        </formats>
      </item>
      <item>
        <type>Introduced in House</type>
        <date>2025-01-23T05:00:00Z</date>
        <formats>
          <item>
            <url>https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119hr659ih/xml/BILLS-119hr659ih.xml</url>
          </item>
        </formats>
      </item>
    </textVersions>
    <latestAction>
      <actionDate>2026-01-26</actionDate>
      <text>Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.</text>
    </latestAction>
  </bill>
  <dublinCore xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
    <dc:format>text/xml</dc:format>
    <dc:language>EN</dc:language>
    <dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
    <dc:contributor>Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress</dc:contributor>
    <dc:description>This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.</dc:description>
  </dublinCore>
</billStatus>
