Veterans Law Judge Experience Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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Ms. BROWNLEY. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding, and I thank him for the very kind words. I appreciate it very much. I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their support of this bill, the Veterans Law Judge Experience Act, and for their work to bring it to the floor today.

Every day, far too many veterans across this country are waiting for a VA benefit decision, but not only for the benefits they are due, but for the stability, the security, and the relief that comes with these benefits.

Too often, that wait stretches from months and sometimes into years. During that time, veterans are left in limbo, unable to work, struggling to support their families, and forced to navigate a system that moves far too slowly for the urgency of their lives.

Across our district offices, our caseworkers hear directly from veterans who are desperate for answers about their claims and appeals. In many cases, a timely VA decision could change a veteran's life. Yet, even after waiting for an initial decision, they may need to appeal their case to the Board of Veterans' Appeals where they face more months and often years of additional delay.

Veterans deserve a system that works with the same urgency and seriousness with which they served our Nation. In recent years, despite hiring new veteran law judges, the board has often lacked the experienced personnel needed to move cases efficiently and accurately. This is in part due to the fact that in February 2020 the longstanding experience requirement for the veteran law judges was eliminated, opening the door to hiring judges without a background in veterans law.

While we respect the commitment of those entering this workforce, the reality is that lengthy training periods slow decisions, increase errors, and leave veterans waiting even longer for answers.

The Veterans Law Judge Experience Act takes a practical, commonsense, and targeted step to address this challenge to encourage the Board of Veterans' Appeals to prioritize hiring judges with at least 3 years of veterans' law experience. That means more cases decided, fewer delays, and stronger retention of professionals who already understand this complex and deeply consequential area of the law.

Hiring experienced veteran law judges will help speed the appeals process, improve the accuracy of decisions, and reduce unnecessary appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 200,000 pending appeals before the board today--200,000 pending appeals before the board today.

Further, a GAO audit spanning 2019 to 2022, showed the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veteran Claims either partially or fully remanded more than 80 percent of veteran cases back to the board, resting the clock and compounding delays.

Madam Speaker, our obligation to veterans does not end when they no longer serve in uniform. It continues in how we care for them, how we honor their service, and how seriously we take the responsibility to deliver the benefits they have earned. That is what guides my work on the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and why I am proud to see this bipartisan bill move forward.

By strengthening the expertise of the Board of Veterans' Appeals, we can reduce the backlog, restore trust in the system, and ensure veterans receive the timely and fair decisions they deserve.

Madam Speaker, I respectfully urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill which passed the House Veterans' Affairs Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support.

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