[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7337 Referred in Senate (RFS)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7337
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 18, 2022
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Access for Veterans to Records Act
of 2022''.
SEC. 2. PLAN TO ELIMINATE RECORDS BACKLOG AT THE NATIONAL PERSONNEL
RECORDS CENTER.
(a) 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:
(1) An estimate of the number of backlogged record requests
for veterans.
(2) Target timeframes to reduce the backlog.
(3) 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.
(4) Actions to improve customer service for requesters.
(5) Measurable goals with respect to the comprehensive plan
and metrics for tracking progress toward such goals.
(6) 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) 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--
(1) 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) provides data on progress made toward the goals
identified in the comprehensive plan; and
(3) describes any changes made to the comprehensive plan.
(c) Consultation Requirement.--In carrying out subsections (a) and
(b), the Archivist of the United States shall consult with the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(2) 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.
(a) 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) 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) 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) efforts taken by the National Archives and Records
Administration to address the backlog of records requests at
the National Personnel Records Center; and
(2) 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.
Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2022.
Attest:
CHERYL L. JOHNSON,
Clerk.