[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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