To amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

H.R.4213 through Congress

H.R.4213 keeps its number as it moves between the House and Senate.

HouseMar 19, 2012IntroducedOfficial record

Major milestones in the imported record. See all actions.

No Senate action is available in our imported record yet.

Separate related Senate measures (1)

These are different measures identified as related by Congress.gov. Their text and outcomes may differ; they are not the Senate stage of H.R.4213.

Related Senate bill: S.2045 A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 19, 2012

Requires that the principal office of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) be in the metropolitan area of Washington, DC, but allows the CAVC to sit any place within the United States.

Requires judges in active service on the CAVC to: (1) have their official duty station at the principal office, and (2) reside within 50 miles of the District of Columbia.

Allows the President to remove judges violating that residency requirement who were confirmed on or after January 1, 2012.

Sets forth exceptions for recall-eligible retired judges.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Runyan, Jon [R-NJ-3] · R–NJ

Committees

Veterans' Affairs Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Mar 29, 2012
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Mar 26, 2012
Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Mar 19, 2012
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 19, 2012
Introduced in House
Mar 19, 2012
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Mar 19, 2012 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

S 2045 · A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Source last updated: Jan 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.4213 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4213, 112th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/4213

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr4213/BILLS-112hr4213ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-10T19:16:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.R.4213 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.4213 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4213, 112th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/4213

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr4213/BILLS-112hr4213ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-10T19:16:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4213 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.4213 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4213, 112th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/4213

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr4213/BILLS-112hr4213ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-10T19:16:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4213 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.4213 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.R.4213, 112th Congress: To amend title 38, United States Code, to require judges of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to reside within fifty miles of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/4213

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 2012-03-19.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr4213/BILLS-112hr4213ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-01-10T19:16:57Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.R.4213 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.