II 

Calendar No. 656 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4816 

[Report No. 117–265] 

To require the Archivist of the United States to submit to Congress a 

comprehensive plan for reducing the backlog of requests for records 

from the National Personnel Records Center, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 

Mr. OSSOFF (for himself, Mr. ROUNDS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. BRAUN, and Mr. 

SULLIVAN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

DECEMBER 15, 2022 

Reported by Mr. PETERS, with an amendment 

[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To require the Archivist of the United States to submit 

to Congress a comprehensive plan for reducing the backlog of requests for records from the National Personnel 

Records Center, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Access for Veterans 

3 to Records Act of 2022’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PLAN TO ELIMINATE RECORDS BACKLOG AT THE 

5 NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER. 

6 (a) PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later than 60 days after 

7 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Archivist of the 

8 United States shall submit to the appropriate congres9 sional committees a comprehensive plan to eliminate the 

10 backlog of requests for records from the National Per11 sonnel Records Center and to improve the efficiency and 

12 responsiveness of operations at the National Personnel 

13 Records Center, that includes, at a minimum, the fol14 lowing: 

15 (1) The number and percentage of unresolved 

16 veteran record requests that have been pending for 

17 more than— 

18 (A) 20 days; 

19 (B) 90 days; and 

20 (C) one year. 

21 (2) Target timeframes to eliminate the backlog. 

22 (3) A detailed plan for using existing funds to 

23 improve information technology infrastructure, in24 cluding secure access to appropriate agency Federal 

25 records, to prevent future backlogs. 


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1 (4) Actions to improve customer service for re2 questers. 

3 (5) Measurable goals with respect to the com4 prehensive plan and metrics for tracking progress 

5 toward such goals. 

6 (6) Strategies to prevent future record request 

7 backlogs, including backlogs caused by an event that 

8 prevents employees of the Center from reporting to 

9 work in person. 

10 (b) UPDATES.—Not later than 90 days after the date 

11 on which the comprehensive plan is submitted under sub12 section (a), and semiannually thereafter until the National 

13 Personnel Records Center resolves 90 percent of all re14 quests for separation documents (other than documents 

15 subject to fees or involving records damaged or lost in the 

16 1973 fire) in 20 days or less, the Archivist of the United 

17 States shall submit to the appropriate congressional com18 mittees an update of such plan that— 

19 (1) describes progress made by the National 

20 Personnel Records Center during the preceding 180- 

21 day period with respect to record request backlog re22 duction and efficiency and responsiveness improve23 ment; 

24 (2) provides data on progress made toward the 

25 goals identified in the comprehensive plan; and 


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1 (3) describes any changes made to the com2 prehensive plan. 

3 (c) CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.—In carrying out 

4 subsections (a) and (b), the Archivist of the United States 

5 shall consult with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

6 (d) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES

7 DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con8 gressional committees’’ means— 

9 (1) the Committee on Homeland Security and 

10 Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Vet11 erans’ Affairs of the Senate; and 

12 (2) the Committee on Oversight and Reform 

13 and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

14 House of Representatives. 

15 SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL FUNDING. 

16 In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is 

17 authorized to be appropriated to the National Archives 

18 and Records Administration, $20,000,000 to address 

19 backlogs in responding to requests from veterans for mili20 tary personnel records. and Records Administration, 

21 $60,000,000 to address backlogs in responding to requests 

22 from veterans for military personnel records, improve cy23 bersecurity, improve digital preservation and access to ar24 chival Federal records, and address backlogs in requests 

25 made under section 552 of title 5, United States Code (comVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:02 Dec 16, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S4816.RS S4816

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1 monly referred to as the ‘‘Freedom of Information Act’’). 

2 Such amounts may also be used for the Federal Records 

3 Center Program. 

4 SEC. 4. ADDITIONAL STAFFING. 

5 Not later than 30 days after the date of the enact6 ment of this Act, the Archivist of the United States shall 

7 ensure that the National Personnel Records Center main8 tains staffing levels that enable the maximum processing 

9 of records requests possible in order to achieve the per10 formance goal of responding to 90 percent of all requests 

11 for separation documents (other than documents subject 

12 to fees or involving records damaged or lost in the 1973 

13 fire) serviced in 20 days or less. 

14 SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL REPORTING. 

15 The Inspector General for the National Archives and 

16 Records Administration shall, for two years following the 

17 date of the enactment of this Act, include in every semi18 annual report submitted to Congress pursuant to the In19 spector General Act of 1978, a detailed summary of— 

20 (1) efforts taken by the National Archives and 

21 Records Administration to address the backlog of 

22 records requests at the National Personnel Records 

23 Center; and 

24 (2) any recommendations for action proposed 

25 by the Inspector General related to reducing the 


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1 backlog of records requests at the National Per2 sonnel Records Center and the status of compliance 

3 with those recommendations by the National Ar4 chives and Records Administration. 


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kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
Calendar No. 656 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4816 

[Report No. 117–265] 

A BILL 

To require the Archivist of the United States to 

other purposes. the National Personnel Records Center, and for ducing the backlog of requests for records from submit to Congress a comprehensive plan for reDECEMBER 15, 2022 

Reported with an amendment 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS