US Congress House Bill 4588 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-9)
Status: Introduced on October 1 2019 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2019-10-14 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Authorizes the treatment of digitized records (e.g., photographs or files) as original documents for purposes of claims under laws of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), so long as the digitized versions are made in compliance with document disposal laws. Under the bill, the VA may not be required to produce or retain original physical files or records, including for proceedings occurring at the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. The bill requires the VA to implement a process to ensure a digitized record pertaining to a claim is (1) of sufficient quality to be viewed and read on an electronic screen, and (2) an accurate reproduction of the original file or document. The VA must return an original document or file to a claimant once the digitized version has been made. Finally, the VA must resolve any doubt regarding the accuracy of a digitized file or document pertaining to a claim in favor of the claimant if (1) the VA did not implement the process to ensure the quality and accuracy of the digitized version, (2) the claimant presents credible evidence that there is a deficiency or alteration to the file, or (3) the claimant presents credible evidence that such digitized version is missing from VA records.

Modernizing VA’s Records Management Program Act

Rep. TJ Cox [D-CA]	Rep. Suzanne Lee [D-NV]	Rep. Greg Steube [R-FL]	Rep. Amata Radewagen [R-AS]
Rep. Sanford Bishop [D-GA]	Rep. Jim Costa [D-CA]	Rep. Nanette Barragan [D-CA]	Rep. Raul Grijalva [D-AZ]
Rep. Josh Harder [D-CA]	Rep. Scott Tipton [R-CO]	Rep. Glenn Grothman [R-WI]	Rep. Darren Soto [D-FL]
Rep. Dan Crenshaw [R-TX]	Rep. Val Demings [D-FL]	Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D-TX]	Rep. Ro Khanna [D-CA]
Rep. Mike Kelly [R-PA]	Rep. Susan Brooks [R-IN]	Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon [R-PR]	Rep. Dean Phillips [D-MN]
Rep. William Keating [D-MA]	Rep. Harley Rouda [D-CA]	Rep. Joseph Morelle [D-NY]	Rep. Lee Zeldin [R-NY]

Date	Chamber	Action
2019-10-14	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
2019-10-14	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
2019-10-01	House	Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2019-10-01	House	Introduced in House

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4588/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr4588/BILLS-116hr4588ih.pdf