[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1546 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 376

103d CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1546

                          [Report No. 103-232]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise certain administrative 
provisions relating to the United States Court of Veterans Appeals, and 
                          for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

              March 2 (legislative day, February 22), 1994

                       Reported with an amendment





                                                       Calendar No. 376
103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1546

                          [Report No. 103-232]

To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise certain administrative 
provisions relating to the United States Court of Veterans Appeals, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             October 14 (legislative day, October 13), 1993

   Mr. Rockefeller (for himself, Mr. DeConcini, Mr. Graham, and Mr. 
   Daschle) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

              March 2 (legislative day, February 22), 1994

             Reported by Mr. Rockefeller, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to revise certain administrative 
provisions relating to the United States Court of Veterans Appeals, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

-S-E-C-T-I-O-N -1-. -S-H-O-R-T -T-I-T-L-E-.

    -T-h-i-s -A-c-t -m-a-y -b-e -c-i-t-e-d -a-s -t-h-e -`-`-C-o-u-r-t 
-o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s -A-p-p-e-a-l-s -I-m-p-r-o-v-e-m-e-n-t -A-c-t -o-f 
-1-9-9-3-'-'-.

-S-E-C-. -2-. -C-O-N-F-I-R-M-A-T-I-O-N -O-F -C-H-I-E-F -J-U-D-G-E-.

    -S-e-c-t-i-o-n -7-2-5-3-(-b-) -o-f -t-i-t-l-e -3-8-, -U-n-i-t-e-d 
-S-t-a-t-e-s -C-o-d-e-, -i-s -a-m-e-n-d-e-d -b-y -s-t-r-i-k-i-n-g 
-o-u-t -`-`-T-h-e -j-u-d-g-e-s-'-' -a-n-d -i-n-s-e-r-t-i-n-g -i-n 
-l-i-e-u -t-h-e-r-e-o-f -`-`-T-h-e -c-h-i-e-f -j-u-d-g-e -a-n-d -t-h-e 
-a-s-s-o-c-i-a-t-e -j-u-d-g-e-s-'-'-.

-S-E-C-. -3-. -M-A-I-L-I-N-G -O-F -N-O-T-I-C-E-S -O-F -A-P-P-E-A-L -T-O 
              -T-H-E -C-O-U-R-T -O-F -V-E-T-E-R-A-N-S -A-P-P-E-A-L-S-.

    -(-a-) -I-n -G-e-n-e-r-a-l-.---S-e-c-t-i-o-n -7-2-6-6-(-a-) -o-f 
-t-i-t-l-e -3-8-, -U-n-i-t-e-d -S-t-a-t-e-s -C-o-d-e-, -i-s 
-a-m-e-n-d-e-d -t-o -r-e-a-d -a-s -f-o-l-l-o-w-s-:
            -`-`-(-a-)-(-1-) -I-n -o-r-d-e-r -t-o -o-b-t-a-i-n 
        -r-e-v-i-e-w -b-y -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t -o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s 
        -A-p-p-e-a-l-s -o-f -a -f-i-n-a-l -d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n -o-f -t-h-e 
        -B-o-a-r-d -o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s-' -A-p-p-e-a-l-s-, -a 
        -p-e-r-s-o-n -a-d-v-e-r-s-e-l-y -a-f-f-e-c-t-e-d -b-y -s-u-c-h 
        -d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n -s-h-a-l-l -f-i-l-e -a -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f 
        -a-p-p-e-a-l -w-i-t-h -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t -w-i-t-h-i-n -1-2-0 
        -d-a-y-s -a-f-t-e-r -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-n -w-h-i-c-h 
        -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f -t-h-e -d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n -i-s -m-a-i-l-e-d 
        -p-u-r-s-u-a-n-t -t-o -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -7-1-0-4-(-e-) -o-f 
        -t-h-i-s -t-i-t-l-e-.
            -`-`-(-2-) -A-n -a-p-p-e-l-l-a-n-t -s-h-a-l-l -f-i-l-e -a 
        -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f -a-p-p-e-a-l -u-n-d-e-r -t-h-i-s 
        -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -b-y -d-e-l-i-v-e-r-i-n-g -o-r -m-a-i-l-i-n-g 
        -t-h-e -n-o-t-i-c-e -t-o -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t-.
            -`-`-(-3-) -A -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f -a-p-p-e-a-l -s-h-a-l-l 
        -b-e -d-e-e-m-e-d -t-o -b-e -r-e-c-e-i-v-e-d -b-y -t-h-e 
        -C-o-u-r-t -a-s -f-o-l-l-o-w-s-:
                    -`-`-(-A-) -O-n -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -r-e-c-e-i-p-t 
                -b-y -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t-, -i-f -t-h-e -n-o-t-i-c-e -i-s 
                -d-e-l-i-v-e-r-e-d-.
                    -`-`-(-B-) -O-n -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -t-h-e 
                -U-n-i-t-e-d -S-t-a-t-e-s -P-o-s-t -S-e-r-v-i-c-e 
                -p-o-s-t-m-a-r-k -s-t-a-m-p-e-d -o-n -t-h-e -c-o-v-e-r 
                -i-n -w-h-i-c-h -t-h-e -n-o-t-i-c-e -i-s -p-o-s-t-e-d-, 
                -i-f -t-h-e -n-o-t-i-c-e -i-s -m-a-i-l-e-d-.
            -`-`-(-4-) -F-o-r -a -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f -a-p-p-e-a-l 
        -m-a-i-l-e-d -t-o -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t -t-o -b-e -d-e-e-m-e-d -t-o 
        -b-e -r-e-c-e-i-v-e-d -u-n-d-e-r -p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h 
        -(-3-)-(-B-) -o-n -a -p-a-r-t-i-c-u-l-a-r -d-a-t-e-, -t-h-e 
        -U-n-i-t-e-d -S-t-a-t-e-s -P-o-s-t-a-l -S-e-r-v-i-c-e 
        -p-o-s-t-m-a-r-k -o-n -t-h-e -c-o-v-e-r -i-n -w-h-i-c-h -t-h-e 
        -n-o-t-i-c-e -i-s -p-o-s-t-e-d -m-u-s-t -b-e -l-e-g-i-b-l-e-. 
        -T-h-e -C-o-u-r-t -s-h-a-l-l -d-e-t-e-r-m-i-n-e -t-h-e 
        -l-e-g-i-b-i-l-i-t-y -o-f -a-n-y -s-u-c-h -p-o-s-t-m-a-r-k 
        -a-n-d -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t-'-s -d-e-t-e-r-m-i-n-a-t-i-o-n -a-s 
        -t-o -l-e-g-i-b-i-l-i-t-y -s-h-a-l-l -b-e -f-i-n-a-l -a-n-d 
        -n-o-t -s-u-b-j-e-c-t -t-o -r-e-v-i-e-w -b-y -a-n-y -o-t-h-e-r 
        -C-o-u-r-t-.-'-'-.
    -(-b-) -A-p-p-l-i-c-a-t-i-o-n-.---T-h-e -a-m-e-n-d-m-e-n-t -m-a-d-e 
-b-y -s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-a-) -s-h-a-l-l -t-a-k-e -e-f-f-e-c-t -o-n 
-t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -t-h-e -e-n-a-c-t-m-e-n-t -o-f -t-h-i-s -A-c-t 
-a-n-d -s-h-a-l-l -a-p-p-l-y -t-o -n-o-t-i-c-e-s -o-f -a-p-p-e-a-l 
-t-h-a-t -a-r-e -d-e-l-i-v-e-r-e-d -o-r -m-a-i-l-e-d -t-o -t-h-e 
-U-n-i-t-e-d -S-t-a-t-e-s -C-o-u-r-t -o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s 
-A-p-p-e-a-l-s -o-n -o-r -a-f-t-e-r -t-h-a-t -d-a-t-e-.

-S-E-C-. -4-. -A-V-A-I-L-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y -O-F -R-E-V-I-E-W -B-Y 
              -C-O-U-R-T -O-F -V-E-T-E-R-A-N-S -A-P-P-E-A-L-S-.

    -(-a-) -A-v-a-i-l-a-b-i-l-i-t-y-.---S-e-c-t-i-o-n -4-0-2 -o-f 
-t-h-e -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s-' -J-u-d-i-c-i-a-l -R-e-v-i-e-w -A-c-t -(-3-8 
-U-.-S-.-C-. -7-2-5-1 -n-o-t-e-) -i-s -a-m-e-n-d-e-d -b-y 
-s-t-r-i-k-i-n-g -o-u-t -`-`-i-n -w-h-i-c-h -a -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f 
-d-i-s-a-g-r-e-e-m-e-n-t-'-' -a-n-d -a-l-l -t-h-a-t -f-o-l-l-o-w-s 
-t-h-r-o-u-g-h -t-h-e -e-n-d -o-f -t-h-e -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -a-n-d 
-i-n-s-e-r-t-i-n-g -i-n -l-i-e-u -t-h-e-r-e-o-f -`-`-i-n -w-h-i-c-h 
-t-h-e -B-o-a-r-d -o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s-' -A-p-p-e-a-l-s -m-a-k-e-s -a 
-f-i-n-a-l -d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n -u-n-d-e-r -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -7-1-0-4 -o-f 
-t-i-t-l-e -3-8-, -U-n-i-t-e-d -S-t-a-t-e-s -C-o-d-e-, -o-n -o-r 
-a-f-t-e-r -N-o-v-e-m-b-e-r -1-8-, -1-9-8-8-.-'-'-.
    -(-b-) -E-f-f-e-c-t-i-v-e -D-a-t-e-.---(-1-) -T-h-e 
-a-m-e-n-d-m-e-n-t -m-a-d-e -b-y -s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-a-) -s-h-a-l-l 
-t-a-k-e -e-f-f-e-c-t -a-s -o-f -N-o-v-e-m-b-e-r -1-8-, -1-9-8-8-, 
-a-n-d -a-p-p-l-y -t-o -c-a-s-e-s -i-n -w-h-i-c-h -t-h-e -B-o-a-r-d 
-o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s-' -A-p-p-e-a-l-s -m-a-k-e-s -a -f-i-n-a-l 
-d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n -u-n-d-e-r -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -7-1-0-4 -o-f -t-i-t-l-e 
-3-8-, -U-n-i-t-e-d -S-t-a-t-e-s -C-o-d-e-, -o-n -o-r -a-f-t-e-r 
-t-h-a-t -d-a-t-e-.
    -(-2-)-(-A-) -N-o-t -w-i-t-h-s-t-a-n-d-i-n-g -p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h 
-(-1-)-, -a -p-e-r-s-o-n -r-e-f-e-r-r-e-d -t-o -i-n 
-s-u-b-p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h -(-B-) -s-h-a-l-l -b-e -e-n-t-i-t-l-e-d -t-o 
-o-b-t-a-i-n -r-e-v-i-e-w -b-y -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t -o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s 
-A-p-p-e-a-l-s -o-f -a -f-i-n-a-l -d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n -r-e-f-e-r-r-e-d 
-t-o -i-n -c-l-a-u-s-e -(-i-i-) -o-f -t-h-a-t -s-u-b-p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h 
-i-f -t-h-e -p-e-r-s-o-n -f-i-l-e-s -a -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f -a-p-p-e-a-l 
-w-i-t-h -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t -o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s -A-p-p-e-a-l-s 
-w-i-t-h -r-e-s-p-e-c-t -t-o -t-h-a-t -d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n -n-o-t 
-l-a-t-e-r -t-h-a-n -1-8-0 -d-a-y-s -a-f-t-e-r -t-h-e 
-n-o-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-i-o-n -d-a-t-e -r-e-f-e-r-r-e-d -t-o -i-n 
-s-u-b-p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h -(-C-)-.
    -(-B-) -S-u-b-p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h -(-A-) -a-p-p-l-i-e-s -t-o -a 
-p-e-r-s-o-n -w-h-o---
            -(-i-) -f-i-l-e-d -a -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f 
        -d-i-s-a-g-r-e-e-m-e-n-t -w-i-t-h -t-h-e -B-o-a-r-d -o-f 
        -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s-' -A-p-p-e-a-l-s -b-e-f-o-r-e -N-o-v-e-m-b-e-r 
        -1-8-, -1-9-8-8-; -a-n-d
            -(-i-i-) -r-e-c-e-i-v-e-d -a -f-i-n-a-l -d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n 
        -b-y -t-h-e -B-o-a-r-d -o-n -t-h-e -m-a-t-t-e-r -s-u-b-j-e-c-t 
        -t-o -t-h-e -n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f -d-i-s-a-g-r-e-e-m-e-n-t -o-n 
        -o-r -a-f-t-e-r -s-u-c-h -d-a-t-e-.
    -(-C-) -T-h-e -S-e-c-r-e-t-a-r-y -o-f -V-e-t-e-r-a-n-s 
-A-f-f-a-i-r-s -s-h-a-l-l-, -t-o -t-h-e -m-a-x-i-m-u-m -e-x-t-e-n-t 
-p-r-a-c-t-i-c-a-b-l-e-, -n-o-t-i-f-y -e-a-c-h -p-e-r-s-o-n 
-r-e-f-e-r-r-e-d -t-o -i-n -s-u-b-p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h -(-B-) -o-f -t-h-e 
-e-l-i-g-i-b-i-l-i-t-y -o-f -t-h-e -p-e-r-s-o-n -t-o -f-i-l-e -a 
-n-o-t-i-c-e -o-f -a-p-p-e-a-l -w-i-t-h -t-h-e -C-o-u-r-t -u-n-d-e-r 
-s-u-b-p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h -(-A-)-. -T-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -s-u-c-h 
-n-o-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-i-o-n -s-h-a-l-l -b-e -d-e-e-m-e-d -t-o -b-e---
            -(-i-) -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -s-u-c-h 
        -n-o-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-i-o-n-, -i-n -t-h-e -c-a-s-e -o-f 
        -a-c-t-u-a-l -n-o-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-i-o-n-; -o-r
            -(-i-i-) -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -t-h-e -p-o-s-t-m-a-r-k 
        -s-t-a-m-p-e-d -o-n -t-h-e -c-o-v-e-r -i-n -w-h-i-c-h -t-h-e 
        -n-o-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-i-o-n -i-s -p-o-s-t-e-d-, -i-f -t-h-e 
        -n-o-t-i-c-e -i-s -m-a-i-l-e-d-.

-S-E-C-. -5-. -C-L-A-R-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N -O-F -P-A-Y-M-E-N-T -O-F 
              -A-T-T-O-R-N-E-Y -F-E-E-S -U-N-D-E-R -C-O-N-T-I-N-G-E-N-T 
              -F-E-E -A-G-R-E-E-M-E-N-T-S-.

    -S-e-c-t-i-o-n -5-9-0-4-(-d-)-(-2-)-(-A-) -o-f -t-i-t-l-e -3-8-, 
-U-n-i-t-e-d -S-t-a-t-e-s -C-o-d-e-, -i-s -a-m-e-n-d-e-d -t-o -r-e-a-d 
-a-s -f-o-l-l-o-w-s-:
                    -`-`-(-A-) -A -f-e-e -a-g-r-e-e-m-e-n-t 
                -r-e-f-e-r-r-e-d -t-o -i-n -p-a-r-a-g-r-a-p-h -(-1-) 
                -o-f -t-h-i-s -s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -i-s -o-n-e 
                -u-n-d-e-r -w-h-i-c-h -t-h-e -t-o-t-a-l -a-m-o-u-n-t 
                -o-f -t-h-e -f-e-e -p-a-y-a-b-l-e -t-o -t-h-e 
                -a-t-t-o-r-n-e-y -(-i-) -i-s -t-o -b-e -p-a-i-d -t-o 
                -t-h-e -a-t-t-o-r-n-e-y -b-y -t-h-e -S-e-c-r-e-t-a-r-y 
                -d-i-r-e-c-t-l-y -f-r-o-m -a-n-y -p-a-s-t -d-u-e 
                -b-e-n-e-f-i-t-s -a-w-a-r-d-e-d -o-n -t-h-e -b-a-s-i-s 
                -o-f -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m-, -a-n-d -(-i-i-) -i-s 
                -c-o-n-t-i-n-g-e-n-t -o-n -w-h-e-t-h-e-r -o-r -n-o-t 
                -t-h-e -m-a-t-t-e-r -i-s -r-e-s-o-l-v-e-d -i-n -a 
                -m-a-n-n-e-r -f-a-v-o-r-a-b-l-e -t-o -t-h-e 
                -c-l-a-i-m-a-n-t-.-'-'-.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Court of Veterans Appeals 
Improvement Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. CONFIRMATION OF CHIEF JUDGE.

    Section 7253(b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 
striking out ``The judges'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``The chief 
judge and the associate judges''.

SEC. 3. MAILING OF NOTICES OF APPEAL TO THE COURT OF VETERANS APPEALS.

    (a) In General.--Section 7266(a) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a)(1) In order to obtain review by the Court of Veterans Appeals 
of a final decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, a person 
adversely affected by such decision shall file a notice of appeal with 
the Court within 120 days after the date on which notice of the 
decision is mailed pursuant to section 7104(e) of this title.
    ``(2) An appellant shall file a notice of appeal under this section 
by delivering or mailing the notice to the Court.
    ``(3) A notice of appeal shall be deemed to be received by the 
Court as follows:
            ``(A) On the date of receipt by the Court, if the notice is 
        delivered.
            ``(B) On the date of the United States Post Service 
        postmark stamped on the cover in which the notice is posted, if 
        the notice is mailed.
    ``(4) For a notice of appeal mailed to the Court to be deemed to be 
received under paragraph (3)(B) on a particular date, the United States 
Postal Service postmark on the cover in which the notice is posted must 
be legible. The Court shall determine the legibility of any such 
postmark and the Court's determination as to legibility shall be final 
and not subject to review by any other Court.''.
    (b) Application.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take 
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to 
notices of appeal that are delivered or mailed to the United States 
Court of Veterans Appeals on or after that date.

SEC. 4. CLARIFICATION OF PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY FEES UNDER CONTINGENT FEE 
              AGREEMENTS.

    Section 5904(d)(2)(A) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
    ``(A) A fee agreement referred to in paragraph (1) of this 
subsection is one under which the total amount of the fee payable to 
the attorney (i) is to be paid to the attorney by the Secretary 
directly from any past-due benefits awarded on the basis of the claim, 
and (ii) is contingent on whether or not the matter is resolved in a 
manner favorable to the claimant.''.

                                 <all>