I 111th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5225 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 5, 2010 Ms. Tsongas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to jointly develop and implement an electronic personnel file system, and to jointly conduct a study on improving the access of veterans to files related to military service and veterans benefits, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Improving Veterans’ Electronic Transition Services Act or the iVETS Act.

2.

Improving veterans access to records

(a)

Access to personnel files

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly develop and implement a system allowing a veteran to securely and electronically access the official military personnel file of the veteran. (b)

Centralized Web Portal

(1)

Study

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly conduct a study on establishing a veterans portal based on the knowledge online portals. (2)

Matters included

The study under paragraph (1) shall include an assessment of the following: (A)Using the knowledge online portals as a model for establishing a veterans portal that includes a single sign-on system for email, personal profiles, organizational pages, directory services, file sharing, and message boards. (B)The ability of a veteran to use the veterans portal to access the official military personnel file of the veteran, including form 214 of the Department of Defense. (C)The ability of a veteran to use the veterans portal to— (i)file for compensation, educational assistance, and other veterans benefits; (ii)request medical care; and (iii)track the status of filings and requests described by clause (i) and (ii). (D)The ability of a member of the Armed Forces who is retiring, being separated, or discharged from the Armed Forces to transfer the knowledge online portal account of the member to the veterans portal. (E)Other matters that the Secretaries consider appropriate in establishing a veterans portal. (3)

Report

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the study under paragraph (1). (4)

Definitions

In this subsection: (A)The term appropriate congressional committees means the following: (i)The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives. (ii)The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate. (B)The term compensation has the meaning given that term in section 101(13) of title 38, United States Code. (C)The term knowledge online portal means the Army Knowledge Online portal, the Defense Knowledge Online portal, or other similar Internet Web site established by the Secretary of Defense. (D)The term veterans portal means an Internet Web site that provides a veteran with a centralized, secure, and reliable method for accessing service records, health care records, and personalized information regarding compensation, educational assistance, and other related benefits provided under title 38, United States Code.