U.S. Code » Title 38 » Part PART V— BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES › Chapter CHAPTER 71— BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS

38 U.S.C. § 7101A

Members of Board: appointment; pay; performance review

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(a)(1) The members of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals other than the Chairman (and including the Vice Chairman) shall be appointed by the Secretary, with the approval of the President, based upon recommendations of the Chairman.(2) Each member of the Board shall be a member in good standing of the bar of a State.(b) Members of the Board (other than the Chairman and any member of the Board who is a member of the Senior Executive Service) shall, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, be paid basic pay at rates equivalent to the rates payable under section 5372 of title 5.(c)(1)(A) The Chairman shall establish a panel to review the performance of members of the Board. The panel shall be comprised of the Chairman and two other members of the Board (other than the Vice Chairman). The Chairman shall periodically rotate membership on the panel so as to ensure that each member of the Board (other than the Vice Chairman) serves as a member of the panel for and within a reasonable period.(B) Not less than one year after the job performance standards under subsection (f) are initially established, and not less often than once every three years thereafter, the performance review panel shall determine, with respect to each member of the Board (other than the Chairman or a member who is a member of the Senior Executive Service), whether that member’s job performance as a member of the Board meets the performance standards for a member of the Board established under subsection (f). Each such determination shall be in writing.(2) If the determination of the performance review panel in any case is that the member’s job performance as a member of the Board meets the performance standards for a member of the Board established under subsection (f), the Chairman shall recertify the member’s appointment as a member of the Board.(3) If the determination of the performance review panel in any case is that the member’s job performance does not meet the performance standards for a member of the Board established under subsection (f), the Chairman shall, based upon the individual circumstances, either—(A) grant the member a conditional recertification; or(B) recommend to the Secretary that the member be noncertified.(4) In the case of a member of the Board who is granted a conditional recertification under paragraph (3)(A) or (5)(A), the performance review panel shall review the member’s job performance record and make a further determination under paragraph (1) concerning that member not later than one year after the date of the conditional recertification. If the determination of the performance review panel at that time is that the member’s job performance as a member of the Board still does not meet the performance standards for a member of the Board established under subsection (f), the Chairman shall recommend to the Secretary that the member be noncertified.(5) In a case in which the Chairman recommends to the Secretary under paragraph (3) or (4) that a member be noncertified, the Secretary, after considering the recommendation of the Chairman, may either—(A) grant the member a conditional recertification; or(B) determine that the member should be noncertified.(d)(1) If the Secretary, based upon the recommendation of the Chairman, determines that a member of the Board should be noncertified, that member’s appointment as a member of the Board shall be terminated and that member shall be removed from the Board.(2)(A) Upon removal from the Board under paragraph (1) of a member of the Board who before appointment to the Board served as an attorney in the civil service, the Secretary shall appoint that member to an attorney position at the Board, if the removed member so requests. If the removed member served in an attorney position at the Board immediately before appointment to the Board, appointment to an attorney position under this paragraph shall be in the grade and step held by the removed member immediately before such appointment to the Board.(B) The Secretary is not required to make an appointment to an attorney position under this paragraph if the Secretary determines that the member of the Board removed under paragraph (1) is not qualified for the position.(e)(1) A member of the Board (other than the Chairman or a member of the Senior Executive Service) may be removed as a member of the Board by reason of job performance only as provided in subsections (c) and (d). Such a member may be removed by the Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Chairman, for any other reason as determined by the Secretary.(2) In the case of a removal of a member under this section for a reason other than job performance that would be covered by section 7521 of title 5 in the case of an administrative law judge, the removal of the member of the Board shall be carried out subject to the same requirements as apply to removal of an administrative law judge under that section. Section 554(a)(2) of title 5 shall not apply to a removal action under this subsection. In such a removal action, a member shall have the rights set out in section 7513(b) of that title.(f) The Chairman, subject to the approval of the Secretary, shall establish standards for the performance of the job of a member of the Board (other than the Chairman or a member of the Senior Executive Service). Those standards shall establish objective and fair criteria for evaluation of the job performance of a member of the Board.(g) The Secretary shall prescribe procedures for the administration of this section, including deadlines and time schedules for different actions under this section.(Added Pub. L. 103–446, title II, § 201(a)(1), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4655; amended Pub. L. 105–368, title X, § 1002, Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3363.)Editorial NotesAmendments

1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–368, § 1002(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 105–368, § 1002(b), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “Upon removal from the Board under paragraph (1), a member of the Board (other than the Chairman) who was a career or career-conditional employee in the civil service before commencement of service as a member of the Board shall revert to the civil service grade and series held by the member immediately before the appointment of the member to the Board.”

Statutory Notes and Related SubsidiariesEffective Date

Pub. L. 103–446, title II, § 201(c), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4657, provided that: “Section 7101A(b) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall take effect on the first day of the first pay period beginning after December 31, 1994.”

Save Pay Provision

Pub. L. 103–446, title II, § 201(b), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4656, provided that: “The rate of basic pay payable to an individual who is a member of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals on the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 2, 1994] may not be reduced by reason of the amendments made by this section [enacting this section and amending section 7101 of this title] to a rate below the rate payable to such individual on the day before such date.”

Deadline for Establishment of Performance Evaluation Criteria for Board Members

Pub. L. 103–446, title II, § 202, Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4657, provided that:“(a)Deadline.—The job performance standards required to be established by section 7101A(f) of title 38, United States Code, as added by section 201(a), shall be established not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 2, 1994].“(b)Submission to Congressional Committees.—Not later than the date on which the standards referred to in subsection (a) take effect, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report describing the standards established by the Chairman of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.”

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 2010–2025 · leading case: George D. Prewitt, Jr. v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 1 (Vet. App. 2022).
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George D. Prewitt, Jr. v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 1 (Vet. App. 2022). · cites it 8× “at 1; see 38 U.S.C. § 7101A; Edmond v. United States, 520 U.”
Lonnie G. Watson v. Eric K. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 352 (Vet. App. 2010). · cites it 4× “38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a)(1). However, in 2000, VA issued a regulation permitting, but not requiring, members of the Board to adopt the title “veterans law judge.”
Prewitt v. McDonough, 633 F. Supp. 3d 195 (D.D.C. 2022). “10 at 9–10 (“My standing for the Appointments Clause issue is based on the harm flowing from my having to appear before VLJs whose appointments are at issue under Arthrex for principal officers, under 38 U.S.C. § 7101A for inferior officers, and whose removal procedure takes…”
Dennis Chiappetta v. Dennis Chiappetta, Jr., No. CB-7521-16-0014-N-1 (MSPB Dec. 2, 2022). “§ 7521 and 38 U.S.C. § 7101A(e)(2), the agency may take an adverse action against a VLJ only for good cause established and determined by the Board.”
James Markey v. James Markey, No. CB-7521-16-0013-N-1 (MSPB May 17, 2023). “On February 1, 2016, DVA filed a complaint under 38 U.S.C. § 7101A(e)(2), to be conducted pursuant to 5 U.”
Gloria J. Greer v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 220 (Vet. App. 2023). “38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a). While Board members might not have specialized knowledge regarding trusts—or other areas of law that are frequently relevant to the adjudication of benefits, like family or criminal law—a trust agreement is a legal document, the construction of which is…”
Prewitt v. McDonough, No. 2021-2243 (D.D.C. Jan. 7, 2025). “” 38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a)(1). The appointments clause, however, mandates that “[o]nly the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, can appoint noninferior officers, called ‘“principal’” officers as shorthand.”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a): 1 case
Gloria J. Greer v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 220 (Vet. App. 2023). “38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a). While Board members might not have specialized knowledge regarding trusts—or other areas of law that are frequently relevant to the adjudication of benefits, like family or criminal law—a trust agreement is a legal document, the construction of which is…”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a)(1): 3 cases
George D. Prewitt, Jr. v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 1 (Vet. App. 2022). “at 1; see 38 U.S.C. § 7101A; Edmond v. United States, 520 U.”
Lonnie G. Watson v. Eric K. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 352 (Vet. App. 2010). “38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a)(1). However, in 2000, VA issued a regulation permitting, but not requiring, members of the Board to adopt the title “veterans law judge.”
Prewitt v. McDonough, No. 2021-2243 (D.D.C. Jan. 7, 2025). “” 38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a)(1). The appointments clause, however, mandates that “[o]nly the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, can appoint noninferior officers, called ‘“principal’” officers as shorthand.”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(c): 1 case
George D. Prewitt, Jr. v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 1 (Vet. App. 2022). “at 1; see 38 U.S.C. § 7101A; Edmond v. United States, 520 U.”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(c)(1)(A): 1 case
Lonnie G. Watson v. Eric K. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 352 (Vet. App. 2010). “38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a)(1). However, in 2000, VA issued a regulation permitting, but not requiring, members of the Board to adopt the title “veterans law judge.”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(d): 1 case
George D. Prewitt, Jr. v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 1 (Vet. App. 2022). “at 1; see 38 U.S.C. § 7101A; Edmond v. United States, 520 U.”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(e): 1 case
George D. Prewitt, Jr. v. Denis McDonough, 36 Vet. App. 1 (Vet. App. 2022). “at 1; see 38 U.S.C. § 7101A; Edmond v. United States, 520 U.”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(e)(2): 2 cases
Dennis Chiappetta v. Dennis Chiappetta, Jr., No. CB-7521-16-0014-N-1 (MSPB Dec. 2, 2022). “§ 7521 and 38 U.S.C. § 7101A(e)(2), the agency may take an adverse action against a VLJ only for good cause established and determined by the Board.”
James Markey v. James Markey, No. CB-7521-16-0013-N-1 (MSPB May 17, 2023). “On February 1, 2016, DVA filed a complaint under 38 U.S.C. § 7101A(e)(2), to be conducted pursuant to 5 U.”
38 U.S.C. § 7101A(f): 1 case
Lonnie G. Watson v. Eric K. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 352 (Vet. App. 2010). “38 U.S.C. § 7101A(a)(1). However, in 2000, VA issued a regulation permitting, but not requiring, members of the Board to adopt the title “veterans law judge.”
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