[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 191 (Monday, November 1, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7563-S7564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4122. Ms. CORTEZ MASTO (for herself and Mr. Blumenthal) submitted 
an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3867 submitted by 
Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 4350, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle B of title V, add the following:

[[Page S7564]]

  


     SEC. 520B. CONTACT OF ELIGIBLE MEMBERS FOR THE REVIEW AND 
                   CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a 
     search in accordance with subsection (b) to identify the 
     current address of each former member of the Armed Forces who 
     meets the following criteria:
       (1) Served as a member of the Armed Forces on or after 
     October 7, 2001.
       (2) Was discharged with a service characterization that was 
     less than honorable discharge, excluding a bad conduct 
     discharge or dishonorable discharge.
       (3) Has not received an upgrade of discharge to honorable 
     discharge.
       (b) Resources to Conduct Search.--To identify the current 
     addresses of former members of the Armed Forces who meet the 
     criteria under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall 
     access public record databases, including--
       (1) LexisNexis Public Records;
       (2) PeopleMap on Thomson Reuters Westlaw;
       (3) OPENonline; and
       (4) any other public record database as determined by the 
     Secretary of Defense.
       (c) Contact of Eligible Members.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall--
       (1) prepare a universal notice that includes--
       (A) a description of the process for a former member to 
     apply for a discharge upgrade or otherwise correct their 
     military record;
       (B) a list of resources through which a former member may 
     receive assistance in completing or submitting the 
     application;
       (C) a summary of any recent statutory amendments and agency 
     guidance that--
       (i) require any board established under section 1552(a)(1) 
     of title 10, United States Code, to grant liberal 
     consideration to applications involving post-traumatic stress 
     disorder, traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, and 
     other behavioral health conditions; and
       (ii) permit discharge upgrades to former members discharged 
     under section 654 of title 10, United States Code, as in 
     effect before such section was repealed pursuant to the Don't 
     Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-321);
       (D) a description of the medical evidence that a former 
     member may provide to a board to support an application, 
     noting that such evidence may include--
       (i) a medical diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, 
     traumatic brain injury, or other behavioral health issues;
       (ii) documentation by a medical professional or licensed 
     social worker of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, 
     traumatic brain injury, military sexual trauma, or other 
     behavioral health issues; and
       (iii) letters describing behavioral changes or symptoms of 
     post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and 
     other behavior health issues of the former member witnessed 
     by family members of the former member or other individuals; 
     and
       (E) information on the process for a former member to 
     obtain treatment or a medical health evaluations from the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs; and
       (2) take measures to provide the universal notice required 
     under paragraph (1) to each former member of the Armed Forces 
     who meets the criteria under subsection (a).
                                 ______