,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dehh  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,october #a1         
#bjai,mr4 ,cox of ,california 7for      
himself1 ,mrs4 ,lee of ,nevada1 ,mr4    
,steube1 and ,mrs4 ,radewagen7          
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 
to treat digitized records as originals 
with respect to claims under the laws   
administered by the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,modernizing ,,va's 
,records ,management ,program ,act4  #b4
 ,treatment of digitized records as     
originals  7a7 ,in general ,chapter #eg 
of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended by inserting after section #egjf
 the following new section3  #egjg4     
,treatment of digitized records as      
originals  7a7 ,in general ,a           
photograph1 microphotograph1 or         

digitized version of a file1 record1    
report1 or other paper or document1     
pertaining to any claim under any of the
 laws administered by the ,secretary    
shall have the same effect for purposes 
of this title as the original physical  
file1 record1 report1 or other paper or 
document1 if such photograph1           
microphotograph1 or digitized version is
 made in compliance with this section   
and chapter #cc of title #dd4 ,the      
,secretary may not be required to       
produce or retain such original physical
 file1 record1 report1 or other paper or
 document1 including with respect to a  
record of proceedings specified in      
section #gbeb7;b7 of this title4  7b7   
,quality and accuracy ,the ,secretary   
shall develop and carry out a process to
 ensure that a photograph1              
microphotograph1 or digitized version of
 a file1 record1 report1 or other paper 
or document1 pertaining to any claim    
under any of the laws administered by   
the ,secretary1 meets the following     

criteria3  7#a7 ,the photograph1        
microphotograph1 or digitized version is
 of sufficient quality to be viewed and 
read on an electronic screen or other   
appropriate equipment4  7#b7 ,the       
photograph1 microphotograph1 or         
digitized version is an accurate        
reproduction of the original file1      
record1 report1 or other paper or       
document4  7c7 ,return of original      
,after making a photograph1             
microphotograph1 or digitized version of
 a file1 record1 report1 or other paper 
or document of a claimant that pertains 
to any claim under any of the laws      
administered by the ,secretary1 and     
after carrying out the process to ensure
 the quality and accuracy of such       
photograph1 microphotograph1 or         
digitized version under subsection 7b71 
the ,secretary shall return the original
 such file1 record1 report1 or other    
paper or document to the claimant 7or   
the counsel or other appropriate        
custodian of the original version74  7d7

 ,presumption ,the ,secretary shall     
resolve any doubt regarding the accuracy
 of a photograph1 microphotograph1 or   
digitized version of a file1 record1    
report1 or other paper or document1     
pertaining to any claim under any of the
 laws administered by the ,secretary1 in
 favor of the claimant if--  7#a7 the   
,secretary did not carry out the process
 to ensure the quality and accuracy of  
the photograph1 microphotograph1 or     
digitized version pursuant to subsection
 7b72 or  7#b7 the claimant presents    
credible evidence that-- 7,a7 a         
deficiency or alteration in such a      
photograph1 microphotograph1 or         
digitized version exists2 or  7,b7 such 
a photograph1 microphotograph1 or       
digitized version is missing from the   
records maintained by the ,secretary4  4
  7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of 
sections at the beginning of such       
chapter is amended by inserting after   
the item relating to section #egjf the  
following new item3  #egjg4 ,treatment  

of digitized records as originals4  4