Ensuring Veterans Access Act

Bill: 116-hr-7926
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cox, TJ [D-CA-21]
Introduced: 2020-08-04
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability assistance

Government information and archives

Health information and medical records

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Personnel records

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-08-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Ensuring Veterans Access Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and maintain a secure, internet-based portal to enable a person or their representative to make records requests related to VA claims and benefits. Requests for records must specify in which format the copy is desired. The VA must notify a requester within 10 days that their request has been received and must fulfill the request within 120 days.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7926 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 4, 2020 Mr. Cox of California (for himself and Mr. Roy ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow for the electronic request of certain records, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Veterans Access Act . 2. Electronic request of certain records maintained by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (a) Electronic record requests Section 5702 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: (b) (1) The Secretary shall establish and maintain a secure, internet-based portal to ensure that a person or a duly authorized agent or representative of that person may submit an electronic request for such records. (2) The Secretary, upon receipt of a valid request made through the portal established under paragraph (1), shall provide to the requestor— (A) not later than 10 days after receipt, confirmation of such receipt; and (B) not later than 120 days after receipt, such records requested in the form selected by the requestor. . (b) Conforming amendments Section 5702(a) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking in writing and inserting in writing, including an electronic request submitted through the portal established under subsection (b), ; (2) in paragraph (1), by striking and at the end; (3) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (4) by adding at the end the following: (3) the format in which such copy is desired, including whether in printed form or by down­load­able file. . (c) Deadline; establishment of electronic portal Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish the portal required under section 5702(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, as added by this Act, and, to the extent practicable, the Secretary shall utilize existing online resources of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the purposes of such establishment.