[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19199]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  VETERANS PROOF OF SERVICE RECORDS SHOULD BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE

  (Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Defense transfers a 
veteran's service record to the National Archives 62 years after they 
are discharged from the military.
  100,000 archived records per year are requested--to determine 
eligibility for a medal, to research one's medical history, or to 
request a change in discharge status.
  The Department of Defense provides records to veterans for free, but 
once the records are sent to the Archives, veterans are charged $25 to 
$75 for a copy of their file.
  Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable that a veteran should have to pay 
the government for proof of their sacrifice and service. What is more, 
this fee is levied on veterans who are most likely living on a fixed 
income.
  This fee is unnecessary and inexcusable, and I ask my colleagues to 
support legislation that I am introducing today to eliminate it.

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