119-HR-6698 Journalist Public Summary

Public Summary of H.R. 6698 — Board of Veterans’ Appeals Annual Report Transparency Act of 2025

Headline Summary: Requires the VA’s Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) to publicly report the specific reasons appeals were delayed or remanded each year, with numbers and percentages for each factor.

What It Does: The bill amends 38 U.S.C. § 7101 to add two items to the BVA’s annual report. First, for appeals in the modernized (“new”) system that weren’t finished on time, the BVA Chair must list the factors that caused the delays and how many cases each factor affected. Second, for any cases that were remanded (sent back for more work) in either the new or legacy system, the report must identify the reasons for remand and the share of cases tied to each reason.

• Who’s For It: The bill’s sponsor (Rep. Self) and lawmakers focused on speeding up VA decisions, who argue more granular reporting will help pinpoint bottlenecks (for example, missing medical exams, records delays, or staffing gaps) and allow Congress to hold the agency accountable.
• Who’s Against It: No organized opposition is evident from the text or actions so far; potential critics may argue it adds reporting workload without directly reducing the backlog, could incentivize “blame shifting,” or risks inconsistent factor definitions that limit usefulness.

What’s Next: As of February 3, 2026, the bill has held a subcommittee hearing after being referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and then to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. The typical path would be subcommittee markup, full committee vote, House floor consideration, then the Senate and the President.