Reopening to address Every COmplete Record request for Devoted Servicemembers Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.3710 | Sponsor: Rep. Keller, Fred (R-PA)
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Reopening to address Every COmplete Record request for Devoted Servicemembers Act of 2021 or the RECORDS Act of 2021
This bill directs the Office of the Archivist of the United States to take specified steps to address record request backlogs.
Specifically, the office must take actions to ensure that (1) the number of individuals employed by the National Personnel Records Center is equal to or exceeds the number of such individuals employed on March 2, 2020, and (2) the percentage of such individuals regularly reporting to work in person is equal to or exceeds the percentage of such individuals regularly reporting to work in person on that date.
The office shall submit to specified congressional committees a report that

To direct the Archivist of the United States to address certain record 
               request backlogs, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Reopening to address Every COmplete 
Record request for Devoted Servicemembers Act of 2021'' or the 
``RECORDS Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER BACKLOG REDUCTION.

    (a) Staffing Levels.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Archivist of the United States shall take 
such actions as are necessary to ensure--
            (1) the number of individuals employed by the National 
        Personnel Records Center is equal to or exceeds the number of 
        such individuals employed on March 2, 2020; and
            (2) the percentage of such individuals regularly reporting 
        to work in person is equal to or exceeds the percentage of such 
        individuals regularly reporting to work in person on March 2, 
        2020.
    (b) Comprehensive Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Archivist of the United States 
        shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
        report that--
                    (A) provides a comprehensive plan to address the 
                record request backlog of the National Personnel 
                Records Center and improve the efficiency and 
                responsiveness of operations at the Center;
                    (B) identifies measurable goals with respect to the 
                comprehensive plan and metrics for tracking progress 
                toward such goals; and
                    (C) describes 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.
            (2) Updates.--Not later than 90 days after submission of 
        the report required under paragraph (1) and quarterly 
        thereafter, the Archivist of the United States shall submit to 
        the appropriate congressional committees an update of such 
        report that--
                    (A) 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;
                    (B) provides data on progress made toward the goals 
                identified in such report; and
                    (C) describes any changes made to the comprehensive 
                plan provided in such report.
            (3) Consultation requirement.--In carrying out this 
        subsection, the Archivist of the United States shall consult 
        with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on best practices for 
        reducing record request backlogs.
            (4) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this 
        subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) in the House of Representatives--
                            (i) the Committee on Oversight and Reform; 
                        and
                            (ii) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs; 
                        and
                    (B) in the Senate--
                            (i) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                        Governmental Affairs; and
                            (ii) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
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