I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1729 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide the service records of veterans 

to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an efficient, electronic format. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 25, 2013 

Mrs. KIRKPATRICK (for herself and Mr. COFFMAN) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide the service 

records of veterans to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

in an efficient, electronic format. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Claims, Oper5 ations, and Records Efficiency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROVISION OF SERVICE RECORDS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with subsection (b), 

8 the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Sec9 retary of Veterans Affairs, shall make the covered records 


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1 of each member of the Armed Forces available to the Sec2 retary of Veterans Affairs in an electronic format. 

3 (b) TIMELINE.—The Secretary of Defense shall en4 sure that the covered records of members are made avail5 able to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs as follows: 

6 (1) With respect to a member of the Armed 

7 Forces who was discharged or released from the 

8 Armed Forces before the date of the enactment of 

9 this Act, not later than 45 days after the date of 

10 such discharge or release. 

11 (2) With respect to a member of the Armed 

12 Forces who is discharged or released from the 

13 Armed Forces on or after the date of the enactment 

14 of this Act, not later than 21 days after the date of 

15 such discharge or release. 

16 (c) CERTIFICATION.—For each member of the Armed 

17 Forces whose covered records are made available under 

18 subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall transmit to 

19 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a letter certifying that— 

20 (1) the Secretary of Defense thoroughly re21 viewed the records of the member; 

22 (2) the information provided in the covered 

23 records of such member is complete as of the date 

24 of the letter; 


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1 (3) no other information that should be in2 cluded in such covered records exist as of such date; 

3 and 

4 (4) if other information is later discovered— 

5 (A) such other information will be added to 

6 such covered records; and 

7 (B) the Secretary of Defense will notify 

8 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of such addi9 tion. 

10 (d) SHARING OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMA11 TION.—For purposes of the regulations promulgated 

12 under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability 

13 and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d–2 note), 

14 making medical records available to the Secretary of Vet15 erans Affairs under subsection (a) shall be treated as a 

16 permitted disclosure. 

17 (e) COVERED RECORDS DEFINED.—In this section, 

18 the term ‘‘covered records’’ means, with respect to a mem19 ber of the Armed Forces— 

20 (1) service treatment records; 

21 (2) accompanying personal records; 

22 (3) relevant unit records; and 


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1 (4) medical records created by reason of treat2 ment or services received pursuant to chapter 55 of 

3 title 10, United States Code. 

Æ 


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