1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Access for Veterans to Records Act of 2022”.
Access for Veterans to Records Act of 2022
AN ACT
To require the Archivist of the United States to submit a plan to Congress to eliminate the records backlog at the National Personnel Records Center, and for other purposes.
2. Plan to eliminate records backlog at the National Personnel Records Center
Plan required— Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Archivist of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive plan for reducing the backlog of requests for records from the National Personnel Records Center and improving the efficiency and responsiveness of operations at the National Personnel Records Center, that includes, at a minimum, the following:
An estimate of the number of backlogged record requests for veterans.
Target timeframes to reduce the backlog.
A detailed plan for using existing funds to improve the information technology infrastructure, including secure access to appropriate agency Federal records, to prevent future backlogs.
Actions to improve customer service for requesters.
Measurable goals with respect to the comprehensive plan and metrics for tracking progress toward such goals.
Strategies to prevent future record request backlogs, including backlogs caused by an event that prevents employees of the Center from reporting to work in person.
Updates— Not later than 90 days after the date on which the comprehensive plan is submitted under subsection (a), and biannually thereafter until the response rate by the National Personnel Records Center reaches 90 percent of all requests in 20 days or less, not including any request involving a record damaged or lost in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973 or any request that is subject to a fee that has not been paid in a timely manner by the requestor (provided the National Personnel Records Center issues an invoice within 20 days after the date on which the request is made), the Archivist of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an update of such plan that—
describes progress made by the National Personnel Records Center during the preceding 90-day period with respect to record request backlog reduction and efficiency and responsiveness improvement;
provides data on progress made toward the goals identified in the comprehensive plan; and
describes any changes made to the comprehensive plan.
Consultation requirement— In carrying out subsections (a) and (b), the Archivist of the United States shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Appropriate congressional committees defined— In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means—
the Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate.
3. Additional funding to address records backlog
Authorization of appropriations— In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is authorized to be appropriated to the National Archives and Records Administration, $60,000,000 to address backlogs in responding to requests from veterans for military personnel records, improve cybersecurity, improve digital preservation and access to archival Federal records, and address backlogs in requests made under section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Freedom of Information Act). Such amounts may also be used for the Federal Records Center Program.
Requirement to maintain in-person staffing levels— Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Archivist of the United States shall ensure that the National Personnel Records Center maintains staffing levels and telework arrangements that enable the maximum processing of records requests possible in order to achieve the performance goal of responding to 90 percent of all requests in 20 days or less, not including any request involving a record damaged or lost in the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973 or any request that is subject to a fee that has not been paid in a timely manner by the requestor (provided the National Personnel Records Center issues an invoice within 20 days after the date on which the request is made).
Inspector General reporting— The Inspector General for the National Archives and Records Administration shall, for two years following the date of the enactment of this Act, include in every semiannual report submitted to Congress pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, a detailed summary of—
efforts taken by the National Archives and Records Administration to address the backlog of records requests at the National Personnel Records Center; and
any recommendations for action proposed by the Inspector General related to reducing the backlog of records requests at the National Personnel Records Center and the status of compliance with those recommendations by the National Archives and Records Administration.