H.R.-1379: I decided to investigate this bill and what it means for veterans.

     Right now; ‘Veterans Groups,’ are gearing up to oppose H.R. 1379, a bill Congress is trying to pass off as appeal reform for veterans, but is nothing more than taking a {right away from veteran’s} under the guise of “speeding up the process.”

For the average veteran that doesn’t know, how Laws and Bills and Legislation works, for the veterans. I tried to make this letter, to it’s easiest of understand on how the VA system works as far as I know!  It appears that H.R. 1379 would not be one bill that will work in the veterans favor….This is my honest assessment of the bill.
The Board of Veterans’ Appeals — would compartmentalize your claim for benefits keeping it inside the BVA. Then, they would  look at your case a second time? While, this may sound good to the veteran who doesn’t understand the process and bureaucracy of the VA system which, even I have trouble with. It maybe holding back a {right to the veteran} threw a different {pair of eyes} to your case. Meaning if the BVA has already came to the conclusion on your claim, it’s doubtful their going to overturn the decision already made because its already finalized.

{With that said;} If a decision was held back for instants. Let say, your case was denied? Now the same group of people who denied your benefits gets more time to look at your case once again. Their not likely at all, to overturn your denial. So, your case has {stopped-progress} within, the system of the VA and has been finalized. You would forfeit the luxury of going to the next step, in the process who may have granted you a better decision under a new set of eyes, from a different group?  But, because it stopped at the BVA under the new H.R. 1379 bill and your case didn’t leave their office and were denied a second time!

Any-time a veteran is given a 2nd chance to move his or her case forward, you want that chance. If the BVA denied your claim, you want to file a ‘notice of appeal‘ to the U.S. Courts of Appeal in D.C.

I hope this explains the importance of opposing; H.R. 1379 and easier for the veterans to understand. Good-Luck on your appeals….>

Sincerely,

Eddie W. Verdon

National Commander’s Action Network – {DAV}

Advocate for Veterans