,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #fgd  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #i1 #bjac ,mr4  
,hell] introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0   
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
require prompt responses f ! heads (    
cov]$ ,f$]al ag5cies :5 ! ,secret>y (   
,vet]ans ,affairs reque/s in=mation     
necess>y to adjudicate claims = b5efits 
"u laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y1 & = o!r
 purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act   
may be cit$ z ! ,acc\ntability =        
,vet]ans ,act ( #bjac4  #b4 ,requirem5t 
= prompt responses f cov]$ ag5cies :5   
,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs reque/s   
in=mation necess>y to adjudicate b5efits
 claims  7a7 ,initial reque/s =         
in=mation ,:5ev] ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs submits a reque/ to ! head ( a 
cov]$ ag5cy = in=mation t ! ,secret>y   
det]m9es is necess>y to adjudicate a    
claim = a b5efit "u a law adm9i/]$ by ! 
,secret>y1 ! head ( ! cov]$ ag5cy %all1 
n lat] ?an #cj days aft] receiv+ !      

reque/ f ! ,secret>y--  7#a7 furni% !   
,secret>y ) ! in=mation reque/$2 or     
7#b7 submit to ! ,secret>y--  7,a7 an   
explanation z to :y ! head is unable to 
furni% ! ,secret>y ) ! reque/$ in=mation
 )9 #cj days2 &  7,b7 an e/imate z to :5
 ! head w furni% ! ,secret>y ) ! reque/$
 in=mation4  7b7 ,cont9u\s resubmittal (
 reque/s ,9 ea* case 9 :i* ! ,secret>y  
has submitt$ or resubmitt$ "u ?is       
section a reque/ to ! head ( a cov]$    
ag5cy = in=mation t ! ,secret>y det]m9es
 is necess>y to adjudicate a claim = a  
b5efit "u a law adm9i/]$ by ! ,secret>y1
 has receiv$ "u ?is section 9 response  
to su* reque/ an e/imate z to :5 ! head 
w furni% ! ,secret>y ) ! reque/$        
in=mation1 has n receiv$ su* in=mation  
on or be=e ! date t is #ae days aft] !  
e/imat$ date1 & /ill requires su*       
in=mation to adjudicate ! claim1 !      
,secret>y %all resubmit su* reque/ & !  
head ( ! cov]$ ag5cy receiv+ su* reque/ 
%all1 n lat] ?an #cj days aft] receiv+ !
 resubmitt$ reque/ f ! ,secret>y--  7#a7

 furni% ! ,secret>y ) ! in=mation       
reque/$2 or  7#b7 submit to !           
,secret>y--  7,a7 an explanation z to :y
 ! head has be5 unable to furni% !      
,secret>y ) ! reque/$ in=mation2 &  7,b7
 an e/imate z to :5 ! head w furni% !   
,secret>y ) ! reque/$ in=mation4  7c7   
,notice to claimants  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,ea*
 "t ! ,secret>y receives an explanation 
& a "t e/imate "u subsection 7a77#b7 or 
7b77#b7 f ! head ( a cov]$ ag5cy reg>d+ 
in=mation ! ,secret>y reque/$ to        
adjudicate a claim ( a claimant1 !      
,secret>y %all1 n lat] ?an #de days aft]
 ! ,secret>y submitt$ or resubmitt$ !   
reque/1 notify ! claimant--  7,a7 t !   
,secret>y requires in=mation f ! cov]$  
ag5cy to adjudicate ! claim2  7,b7 9 !  
case ( receiv+ a "t e/imate "u          
subsection 7a77#b71 t ! cov]$ ag5cy 0   
unable to furni% ! in=mation to !       
,secret>y )9 #cj days ( ! reque/ = !    
in=mation2  7,c7 9 ! case ( receiv+ a "t
 e/imate "u subsection 7b77#b71 t !     
cov]$ ag5cy 0 unable to furni% !        

in=mation to ! ,secret>y be=e !         
previ\sly e/imat$ date2 &  7,d7 ( !     
curr5t e/imate ( ! head ( ! cov]$ ag5cy 
( ! date by :i* ! head w furni% !       
,secret>y ) ! in=mation reque/$4  7#b7  
,mann] ,notice provid$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 
%all be made by mail or by electronic   
means4  7d7 ,records ,! ,secret>y %all  
keep records ( ! "t x takes to receive--
  7#a7 responses f heads ( cov]$ ag5cies
 "u ?is section2 &  7#b7 ! in=mation    
reque/$ f ! heads ( cov]$ ag5cies "u ?is
 section4  7e7 ,semiannual reports ,n   
less frequ5tly ?an once e six mon?s1 !  
,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on
 ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !      
,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report t      
summ>izes ! records kept "u subsection  
7d7 reg>d+ ! mo/ rec5t six-mon? p]iod4  
7f7 ,cov]$ ag5cy def9$ ,9 ?is section1 !
 t]m cov]$ ag5cy includes ! foll[+3     
7#a7 ,! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se4  7#b7 ,!   
,social ,security ,adm9i/ration4  7#c7  
,! ,national ,ar*ives & ,records        

,adm9i/ration4