Senator Jon Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs, played a key role in the passage of this bill that will allow veterans to appear remotely before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.  I am so grateful for him and the entire Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs for keeping us apprised of the VA’s ever changing practices due to the Coronavirus.

The VA Tele-Hearing Modernization Act requires the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to permit veterans with pending appeals to teleconference into Board hearings. This law will limit vulnerable veterans’ exposure to COVID-19 and has pushed the VA to make much needed changes to their practices.

This will significantly improve access for veteran appellants in disability compensation cases and will allow for more veterans to participate in the appeals process. I am hoping that this law will allow the VA to move Veterans through the appeals process at a faster rate.

Full text of the bill can be found HERE.