,,ii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ecge ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,august #g1 #bjbf,mr4 ,rounds 7for himself1 ,ms4 ,klobuchar1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 and ,mr4 ,coons7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to provide for records preservation processes for certain at-risk ,afghan allies4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,afghan ,ally ,records and ,credential ,heritage of #bjbf or ,,arch ,act4 #b4 ,records preservation processes for certain at-risk ,afghan allies 7a7 ,definition of ,afghan ally ,in this section and only for the purpose of the ,department of ,defense records preservation processes established by this section1 the term ,afghan ally means an alien who is a citizen or national of ,afghanistan1 or in the case of an alien having no nationality1 an alien who last habitually resided in ,afghanistan1 who-- 7#a7 was-- 7,a7 a member of-- 7i7 the special operations forces of the ,afghanistan ,national ,defense and ,security ,forces2 7ii7 the ,afghanistan ,national ,army ,special ,operations ,command2 7iii7 the ,afghan ,air ,force2 or 7iv7 the ,special ,mission ,wing of ,afghanistan2 7,b7 a female member of any other entity of the ,afghanistan ,national ,defense and ,security ,forces1 including-- 7i7 a cadet or instructor at the ,afghanistan ,national ,defense ,university2 and 7ii7 a civilian employee of the ,ministry of ,defense or the ,ministry of ,interior ,affairs2 7,c7 an individual associated with former ,afghan military and police human intelligence activities1 including operators and ,department of ,defense sources2 7,d7 an individual associated with former ,afghan military counterintelligence1 counterterrorism1 or counternarcotics2 7,e7 an individual associated with the former ,afghan ,ministry of ,defense1 ,ministry of ,interior ,affairs1 or court system1 and who was involved in the investigation1 prosecution1 or detention of combatants or members of the ,taliban or criminal networks affiliated with the ,taliban2 7,f7 an individual employed in the former justice sector in ,afghanistan as a judge1 prosecutor1 or investigator who was engaged in rule of law activities for which the ,united ,states provided funding or training2 or 7,g7 a senior military officer1 senior enlisted personnel1 or civilian official who served on the staff of the former ,ministry of ,defense or the former ,ministry of ,interior ,affairs of ,afghanistan2 and 7#b7 provided service to an entity or organization described in paragraph 7#a7 for not less than #a year during the period beginning on ,december #bb1 #bjja1 and ending on ,september #a1 #bjba1 and did so in support of the ,united ,states mission in ,afghanistan4 7b7 ,inclusions ,for purposes of this section1 the ,afghanistan ,national ,defense and ,security ,forces includes members of the security forces under the ,ministry of ,defense and the ,ministry of ,interior ,affairs of the ,islamic ,republic of ,afghanistan1 including the ,afghanistan ,national ,army1 the ,afghan ,air ,force1 the ,afghanistan ,national ,police1 and any other entity designated by the ,secretary of ,defense as part of the ,afghanistan ,national ,defense and ,security ,forces during the relevant period of service of the applicant concerned4 7c7 ,afghan allies records preservation program 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall establish a process by which an individual may apply to the ,secretary of ,defense for classification as an ,afghan ally4 7#b7 ,application system ,the process established under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 include the development and maintenance of a secure online portal through which applicants may provide information verifying their status as ,afghan allies and upload supporting documentation2 and 7,b7 allow-- 7i7 an applicant to submit his or her own application2 7ii7 a designee of an applicant to submit an application on behalf of the applicant2 and 7iii7 the submission of an application regardless of where the applicant is located1 provided that the applicant is outside the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,review process ,as soon as practicable after receiving a request for classification described in paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary of ,defense shall-- 7,a7 review-- 7i7 the service record of the applicant1 if available2 7ii7 if the applicant provides a service record or other supporting documentation1 any information within the internal or contractor-held records of the ,department of ,defense that helps verify the service record concerned1 including information or an attestation provided by any current or former official of the ,department of ,defense who has personal knowledge of the eligibility of the applicant for such classification2 and 7iii7 available data holdings in the possession of the ,department of ,defense or any contractor of the ,department of ,defense1 including as applicable biographic and biometric records1 iris scans1 fingerprints1 voice biometric information1 hand geometry biometrics1 other identifiable information1 and any other information related to the applicant1 including relevant derogatory information2 and 7,b7 7i7 in a case in which the ,secretary of ,defense determines that the applicant is an ,afghan ally without significant derogatory information1 the ,secretary shall preserve a complete record of such application for potential future use by the applicant or a designee of the applicant2 and 7ii7 include with such preserved record-- 7,i7 any service record concerned1 if available2 7,,ii7 if the applicant provides a service record1 any information that helps verify the service record concerned2 and 7,,iii7 any biometrics for the applicant4 7#d7 ,review process for denial of request for records preservation 7,a7 ,in general ,in the case of an applicant with respect to whom the ,secretary of ,defense denies a request for classification and records preservation based on a determination that the applicant is not an ,afghan ally or based on derogatory information-- 7i7 the ,secretary shall provide the applicant with a written notice of the denial that provides1 to the maximum extent practicable1 a description of the basis for the denial1 including the facts and inferences1 or evidentiary gaps1 underlying the individual determination2 and 7ii7 the applicant shall be provided an opportunity to submit not more than one written appeal to the ,secretary for each such denial4 7,b7 ,deadline for appeal ,an appeal under clause 7ii7 of subparagraph 7,a7 shall be submitted-- 7i7 not more than #abj days after the date on which the applicant concerned receives notice under clause 7i7 of that subparagraph2 or 7ii7 on any date thereafter1 at the discretion of the ,secretary of ,defense4 7,c7 ,request to reopen 7i7 ,in general ,an applicant who receives a denial under subparagraph 7,a7 may submit a request to reopen a request for classification and records preservation under the process established under paragraph 7#a7 so that the applicant may provide additional information1 clarify existing information1 or explain any unfavorable information4 7ii7 ,limitation ,after considering one such request to reopen from an applicant1 the ,secretary of ,defense may deny subsequent requests to reopen submitted by the same applicant4 7#e7 ,termination ,the application process under this subsection shall terminate on the date that-- 7,a7 is not earlier than #aj years after the date of the enactment of this ,act2 and 7,b7 on which the ,secretary of ,defense makes a determination that such termination is in the national interest of the ,united ,states4 7#f7 ,general provisions 7,a7 ,prohibition on fees ,the ,secretary of ,defense may not charge any fee in connection with a request for a classification or records preservation under this section4 7,b7 ,defense personnel ,any limitation in law with respect to the number of personnel within the ,office of the ,secretary of ,defense1 the military departments1 or a ,defense ,agency 7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code7 shall not apply to personnel employed for the primary purpose of carrying out this section4 7,c7 ,representation ,an alien applying for records preservation under this section may be represented during the application process1 including at relevant interviews and examinations1 by an attorney or other accredited representative4 ,such representation shall not be at the expense of the ,united ,states ,government4