sbrooks's picture

On Friday, June 14 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1960, the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2014, by a recorded vote of 315-108. The bill contains an amendment which was originally contained in H.R. 1729, the VA Claims, Operations, and Records Efficiency (CORE) Act. The language of the amendment is intended to address the outrageous VA claims backlog.

Sponsored by Representatives Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ) and Mike Coffman (CO), and supported by The American Legion, the VA CORE amendment would direct the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to make the service treatment records, personal records, unit records, and medical records (service records) of each member of the Armed Forces available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) in an electronic format. It would also provide post-discharge or release timelines for such availability. It would further require each service record provided to include a DOD certification of the record's completeness. 

For more information, go to the following link: http://kirkpatrick.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/breaking-kirkpatrick-s-va-backlog-legislation-passes-house