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Bill
Notes

H.R. 7337 — what changed

Access for Veterans to Records Act of 2022

From Introduced in House to Engrossed in House. 2 sections amended and 1 added between Introduced in House and Engrossed in House.

Section 1 Short title

changed This Act may be cited as the “Access for Veterans to Records Act”.Act of 2022”.

Sec. 2 Plan to eliminate records backlog at the National Personnel Records Center

(a)
changed 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 Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee of the Senate 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:
(1)
added An estimate of the number of backlogged record requests for veterans.
(2)
renumbered was (2)(3) Target timeframes to reduce the backlog.
(3)
added 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.
(2)
removed A detailed plan for improving the information technology infrastructure to prevent future backlogs.
(4)
renumbered was (2)(5) Actions to improve customer service for requesters.
(5)
added Measurable goals with respect to the comprehensive plan and metrics for tracking progress toward such goals.
(6)
added 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.
(b)
changed Authorization of appropriations—Updates— In addition to amounts otherwise available, there Not later than 90 days after the date on which the comprehensive plan is authorized to be appropriated to submitted under subsection (a), and biannually thereafter until the response rate by the National Archives and Personnel Records Administration, $60,000,000 to address backlogs in responding to Center reaches 90 percent of all requests from veterans for military personnel records, improve cybersecurity, improve digital preservation and access 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 archival Federal records, and address backlogs a fee that has not been paid in requests made under section 552 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 title 5, the United States Code (commonly referred shall submit to as the Freedom appropriate congressional committees an update of Information Act). Such amounts may also be used for the Federal Records Center Program.such plan that—
(1)
added 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;
(2)
added provides data on progress made toward the goals identified in the comprehensive plan; and
(3)
added describes any changes made to the comprehensive plan.
(c)
added Consultation requirement— In carrying out subsections (a) and (b), the Archivist of the United States shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(d)
added Appropriate congressional committees defined— In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means—
(1)
added the Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(2)
added the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate.

Sec. 3 Additional funding to address records backlog

added
(a)
added 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.
(b)
added 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).
(c)
added 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—
(1)
added efforts taken by the National Archives and Records Administration to address the backlog of records requests at the National Personnel Records Center; and
(2)
added 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.