[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1729 Introduced in Senate (IS)]








109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1729

 To extend the time during which persons affected by Hurricane Katrina 
may appeal certain decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals that are 
rendered during the period beginning June 1, 2005, and ending November 
                               30, 2005.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 20, 2005

   Mr. Akaka introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To extend the time during which persons affected by Hurricane Katrina 
may appeal certain decisions of the Board of Veterans' Appeals that are 
rendered during the period beginning June 1, 2005, and ending November 
                               30, 2005.

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

SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF TIME FOR APPEAL OF CERTAIN DECISIONS RENDERED 
              BY BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS.

    (a) Appeal Period.--Notwithstanding section 7266(a) of title 38, 
United States Code, a Hurricane Katrina-affected person adversely 
affected by a final decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, which 
is rendered during the period beginning on June 1, 2005, and ending on 
November 30, 2005, may file a notice of appeal with the Court of 
Appeals for Veterans Claims at any time before the expiration of 240 
days after the date on which notice of such decision is mailed pursuant 
to section 7104(e) of such title.
    (b) Definition.--In this Act, the term ``Hurricane Katrina-affected 
person'' means a person--
            (1) who, as of August 28, 2005, resided in a county 
        identified as being adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina in 
        Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, or Alabama by Federal Disaster 
        Declaration notice 1602, 1603, 1604, or 1605, respectively (as 
        amended), issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; or
            (2) whose claim is under the jurisdiction of the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs regional office in New Orleans, Louisiana 
        or Jackson, Mississippi.
                                 <all>