1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Ensuring Veterans Access Act”.
Ensuring Veterans Access Act
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow for the electronic request of certain records, and for other purposes.
2. Electronic request of certain records maintained by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Electronic record requests— Section 5702 of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
“(b)
“(1) The Secretary shall establish and maintain a secure, internet-based portal to ensure that a person or a duly authorized agent or representative of that person may submit an electronic request for such records.
“(2) The Secretary, upon receipt of a valid request made through the portal established under paragraph (1), shall provide to the requestor—
“(A) not later than 10 days after receipt, confirmation of such receipt; and
“(B) not later than 120 days after receipt, such records requested in the form selected by the requestor.”
Conforming amendments— Section 5702(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “in writing” and inserting “in writing, including an electronic request submitted through the portal established under subsection (b),”;
in paragraph (1), by striking “and” at the end;
in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(3) the format in which such copy is desired, including whether in printed form or by downloadable file.”
Deadline; establishment of electronic portal— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish the portal required under section 5702(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, as added by this Act, and, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall utilize existing online resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purposes of such establishment.