Veterans Affairs: The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims—Judicial Review of VA Decision Making

Douglas Reid Weimer
Legislative Attorney

Congress, through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), extends various benefits to veterans and certain of their family members. Sometimes veterans may not agree with the VA's initial decisions concerning the award and/or the amount of these benefits. Within the VA, there is an extensive appeal/review process that concludes with the decision of the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA). Final decisions of the BVA may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), which is an independent federal court, entirely separate from the VA. With organizational and operational issues having been addressed by prior Congresses, the 111th Congress is considering legislation to deal with funding for the CAVC—H.R. 3082, H.Amdt. 315 to H.R. 3082, and S. 1407. A brief overview of the CAVC's historical and legislative background may help to give context to its current operation. .


Date of Report: February 22, 2010
Number of Pages: 9
Order Number: RS22561
Price: $29.95

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