{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-leads-bill-to-streamline-veterans-benefits/", "Cassidy Leads Bill to Streamline Veterans\u2019 Benefits", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "Senate", "LA", "Bill Cassidy", "C001075", "www.cassidy.senate.gov", "cassidy", "https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the Veterans Appeals Modernization Act 2.0 to eliminate red tape in the veterans\u2019 benefits appeals process and add additional oversight and accountability.\n\n\u201cVeterans served our country without hesitation,\u201d said Dr. Cassidy. \u201cThey deserve to receive their benefits just as quickly.\u201d\n\nCassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in introducing the legislation.\n\nBackground\n\nWhile the Appeals Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA) system was a substantial improvement over the legacy system, the changes below would continue to build on those successes:\n\nEliminate arbitrary \u201cdonut holes\u201d or blackout periods that prevent veterans from submitting evidence during certain periods of the appeals process.\n\nMake it easier for veterans to efficiently change review lanes without penalization.\n\nRequire VA to regularly publish online data about the outcome of AMA disputes, including Board appeals.\n\nMake electronic notice of Board decisions the default option and require the Board to include greater detail and explanation in its decisions.\n\nEnsure better caseflow management by requiring the Secretary of VA to complete a review of the electronic systems used to process appeals.\n\nGive veterans the right to seek Board reconsideration by a different panel\n\nConduct a third-party review of the veterans appeals process.\n\nRequire the comptroller general to conduct a review of VA\u2019s implementation of precedent setting decisions.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cassidy-leads-bill-to-streamline-veterans-benefits/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9955526329576969, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}