# 119-s-3286: Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act 2.0 119-s-3286, Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act 2.0, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] (R-LA); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-05-09). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3286 - As of: 2026-05-09 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-s-3286 - Congress: 119 - Title: Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act 2.0 - Status: in_committee - Introduced: 2025-12-01 - Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] (R-LA) - Cosponsors: 1 - Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-05-09 ## Summary **Narrowing evidence windows and boosting transparency and external review in VA appeals.** This bill would limit what evidence the Board of Veterans' Appeals can consider, require clearer, more detailed notices and system integration planning, and add outside reviews to diagnose and reduce remands. - Veterans and claimants: Limits the Board's evidentiary record to materials submitted by the claimant or representative no later than 90 days after a notice of disagreement for non‑hearing cases, and no later than 90 days after a Board hearing for hearing cases. It also permits withdrawing an appeal or moving it between dockets without losing continuous pursuit if no new evidence was filed, no Board hearing occurred, and the Board has not decided the case. - Board operations and decisions: Reframes reconsideration so Board decisions are final unless the Chairman orders review by a new panel that issues a de novo decision. It allows the Board to correct obvious errors, permits some decisions during hearings, and expands notice content to list evidence considered, favorable findings, and criteria needed to grant benefits. - Oversight and quality control: Requires a one‑year plan to integrate the Veterans Benefits Management System and Caseflow, an annual deidentified report on appeal outcomes, a third‑party review sought within 180 days, and a Comptroller General review with a report due in two years. ## Cosponsors (1) - Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-12-01T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - Clearer Board decision notices for claimants: benefit, low. If enacted, Board decision notices would say which issues were decided and give a short summary of the evidence and the laws used. Notices would point out any findings that favor you. If a claim is denied, the notice would list which elements were not met. The notice would also explain how to get t… - Faster decisions at Board hearings: benefit, low. If enacted, a Board member could issue a decision, in whole or in part, during a Board hearing at the member's discretion. This would let some appellants get a decision right away instead of waiting for a later written decision. The change would only affect how hearings end and would not change ben… - Keep effective dates when switching dockets: benefit, low. If enacted, the VA Secretary would make rules so you could move your appeal between dockets or withdraw and file a supplemental claim without losing continuous pursuit. These protections would apply only if you have not submitted new evidence, your case has not had a Board hearing, and the Board ha… - New Board reconsideration rules: mixed, medium. If enacted, Board decisions would be final unless the Chairman orders reconsideration or a claimant asks for it in writing. Single‑member decisions would be referred to a panel of at least three members, and panel decisions could be referred to an enlarged panel. Referred panels could not include t… - Tighter evidence deadline for appeals: mixed, low. If enacted, the Board record would include only evidence you or your representative submit within set 90‑day windows. If you requested a hearing, evidence submitted up to 90 days after the Board hearing would count. If you did not request a hearing but asked for a chance to submit evidence, evidenc… ## Related bills - 119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act - 119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 - 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act - 119-s-1992: Veterans Appeals Efficiency Act of 2025 - 119-s-836: Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act - 119-s-539: PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025 ## Sources - [119-s-3286 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3286) ## Related - [119-s-4744: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4744) - [119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2120) - [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748) - [119-s-1992: Veterans Appeals Efficiency Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1992) - [119-s-836: Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-836) - [119-s-539: PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-539) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3286 (as of 2026-05-09).