[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5951-H5952]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ACCESS FOR VETERANS TO RECORDS ACT OF 2022

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend 
the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7337) 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, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7337

       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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Keller) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise 
and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this 
measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the Access for Veterans to Records Act would address the 
serious backlog of requests for veterans' records currently pending at 
the National Personnel Records Center, or NPRC, which is part of the 
National Archives and Records Administration. This bill has received 
bipartisan support, and I thank my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle, including Ranking Member Comer and Representative Fred Keller, 
who have cosponsored this legislation, along with a number of other 
Members.
  Since the beginning of the pandemic, the NPRC has accumulated a 
backlog of veterans' records requests, which reached a peak of 603,000 
during March of 2022.

                              {time}  1430

  Veterans and their families need these records to access critical 
services, including housing and healthcare.
  Many of these records are only available as paper documents. That 
limitation, combined with limited building operations and a reduced 
workforce to protect NPRC employees during the coronavirus pandemic, 
have been the primary cause of this backlog.
  The NPRC has made some progress to reduce the backlog. As of February 
28, the NPRC workforce has returned to full capacity at its facility in 
St. Louis, Missouri. NPRC also added overtime shifts on weekends and 
some holidays. However, the backlog, which currently stands at 515,000 
records requests, remains significant and can only be remedied with 
legislative intervention.
  This bill has two components. First, it requires National Archives to 
provide the Oversight and Reform Committee with a detailed plan and 
target timeframes to eliminate the backlog and strategies to prevent a 
future records requests backlog. This includes submitting biannual 
status updates on the backlog and maintaining staffing levels to meet 
the goal of responding to 90 percent of requests in 20 days or less.
  Second, the bill would authorize $60 million for NARA to make 
upgrades to its information technology infrastructure. The upgrades are 
necessary for NARA to improve its ability to digitize documents and to 
prevent future backlogs.

[[Page H5952]]

  The committee has already voted to approve $60 million for National 
Archives in an amendment offered by Representative Keller to another 
bill.
  Congress must take action to help our veterans, many of whom put 
their lives on hold waiting for records from the NPRC. I urge my 
colleagues to support the veterans by supporting this important 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, over 2 years ago, committee Republicans opened an 
investigation into the veterans' records requests backlog at the 
National Personnel Records Center.
  Pennsylvania veterans and their families were frustrated and 
concerned with the lengthy delays they were experiencing as they tried 
to access their own documents outlining military service.
  American veterans and families rely on these records to prove 
eligibility for medical care and the benefits they are entitled to.
  What we found was deeply disturbing. The records at the NPRC are on 
paper. They cannot be accessed remotely.
  When the NPRC shut down in-person operations and told its workforce 
to go home, the backlog piled up to more than 500,000 military service 
records requests.
  Veterans put their lives on the line for our country. The least we 
can do for them is to ensure they have access to the care and benefits 
they have earned.
  Based on our findings, we urged the chairwoman to hold hearings. We 
pressed the NPRC to get staff back to work in person. But under the 
current administration, the backlog has grown to over 600,000 pending 
requests, with more added daily.
  That is why, in June of last year, I introduced the RECORDS Act to 
require the NPRC to get back to work in person. Finally, after 
significant pressure from congressional Republicans, the NPRC returned 
to full in-person staffing on March 7 of this year.
  I am pleased that this legislation has finally reached the House 
floor.
  The Access for Veterans to Records Act incorporates improvements 
Republicans made to ensure the backlog is fixed. This bipartisan 
legislation requires the NPRC to maintain in-person staffing levels.
  The bill also authorizes the funds necessary to speed up the digital 
preservation of records, so we will not face this problem in the 
future.
  Finally, the bill contains reporting requirements to ensure proper 
accountability for addressing the current backlog and preventing future 
issues.
  The Access for Veterans to Records Act is a bipartisan bill that 
demonstrates how Congress can work together to advance legislative 
reforms that are truly responsive to the needs of the American people 
and those who have given so much for our country.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes 
to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the distinguished 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Operations.
  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairwoman and 
Mr. Keller, my colleague and friend from Pennsylvania, for their 
leadership on H.R. 7337, the Access for Veterans to Records Act.
  The Access for Veterans to Records Act will help provide the National 
Archives and Records Administration resources desperately needed to 
address veterans' records requests.

  The records center houses records that are essential for veterans to 
receive the service-related benefits they need, including medical 
treatment, unemployment assistance, and emergency housing.
  The records center was already behind the curve when it came to 
investing in records digitization, creating a massive backlog. The 
pandemic then exacerbated that problem.
  Although NPRC has reduced the backlog to 515,000 from a peak of 
603,000, it is still preventing veterans from receipt of the records 
they need. It can't be an acceptable standard.
  The Access for Veterans to Records Act requires NARA to submit a 
detailed plan for eliminating the backlog and authorizes $60 million to 
improve the situation.
  This legislative effort works in lockstep with the National Archives 
and Records Administration's own efforts to secure funding from the 
Federal Technology Modernization Fund. At the urging of the chairwoman, 
myself, and others, the National Archives applied for and received a 
$9.1 million award from the Technology Modernization Fund to do just 
that.
  Projects like this one at the National Archives are precisely why we 
created the Technology Modernization Fund. Proactive investments in 
effective technologies make Federal programs work and will serve our 
veterans well.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the legislation.
  Mr. KELLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume 
for the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 7337 is a bipartisan bill directly addressing a 
current problem facing America's veterans. I am thankful that the 
chairwoman and her staff worked with me to bring this necessary 
legislation to the House floor.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of 
H.R. 7337, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7337, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. GOOD of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and 
nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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