Pasco Reporter

Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Morgan McGarvey have introduced a new piece of legislation aimed at improving the efficiency of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA). The proposed bill, known as H.R.9046 or the Board of Veterans’ Appeals Attorney Retention and Backlog Reduction Act, seeks to enhance recruitment and retention efforts for BVA employees to process veterans' appeals claims more promptly.

Representative Bilirakis expressed concerns about the current state of affairs: “Too often, the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) continues to be a roadblock for timely processing of VA claims,” he stated. He emphasized that delays in handling appeals hinder veterans from receiving their entitled benefits, an issue frequently highlighted by his constituents. According to him, the bill aims to address performance and staffing issues within the BVA by establishing parity with other federal agencies.

Echoing similar sentiments, Representative McGarvey highlighted the necessity for a competent workforce: “Veterans in Louisville and across the US deserve a speedy and efficient VA – especially when appealing a denied claim,” he remarked. He noted that expertise in veterans law is crucial and takes years to develop. He underscored that retaining top talent requires competitive compensation packages. McGarvey expressed pride in supporting this bipartisan effort which aims to provide BVA with necessary tools to tackle backlog issues while ensuring talented attorneys are retained.

The text of the bill has been made available online for public access.