Overseeing the GI Bill Act of 2021

I 117TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2420 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a modern informa- tion technology service to process claims for educational assistance under chapters 30, 33, 35, and 36 of title 38, United States Code. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 8, 2021 Mr. MOORE of Alabama introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a modern information technology service to process claims for educational assistance under chapters 30, 33, 35, and 36 of title 38, United States Code. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Overseeing the GI Bill 4 Act of 2021’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Apr 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2420.IH H2420 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2420 IH SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 1 SERVICES USED TO PROCESS CLAIMS FOR 2 EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE. 3 (a) MODERN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERV- 4 ICE.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall implement 5 an information technology service to process claims for 6 educational assistance under chapters 30, 33, 35, and 36 7 of title 38, United States Code, using one or more com- 8 mercial software systems. The Secretary shall complete 9 such implementation not later than August 1, 2024. 10 (b) REQUIRED CAPABILITIES.—The Secretary shall 11 ensure that the modern information technology service 12 under subsection (a) has the following capabilities: 13 (1) As compared to legacy information tech- 14 nology systems— 15 (A) the ability to process claims faster and 16 in a more efficient manner by improving proc- 17 essing integration and accuracy; 18 (B) improved data exchange and reporting; 19 and 20 (C) improved customer integration and 21 simplification of the online experience. 22 (2) Timely communication by employees of the 23 Department of Veterans Affairs to individuals and 24 educational institutions using an online portal that 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Apr 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2420.IH H2420 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2420 IH can provide real-time information on claims for edu- 1 cational assistance. 2 (3) The ability to be customized to address fu- 3 ture capabilities required by law. 4 (4) Fully automated to the extent practicable 5 for all original and supplemental claims, including 6 with respect to calculating accurate awards. 7 (5) The ability for individuals entitled to edu- 8 cational assistance to electronically apply for, with- 9 draw from, and amend such entitlement, and to re- 10 allocate a transferred entitlement. 11 (6) The ability to electronically process changes 12 made by educational institutions. 13 (7) The ability to verify attendance at an edu- 14 cational institution. 15 (8) The ability to process validations made by 16 an educational institution. 17 (c) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 120 days after 18 the date on which the Secretary awards a contract for the 19 modern information technology service, the Secretary shall 20 submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 21 House of Representatives and the Senate a report con- 22 taining information on the cost, schedule, and perform- 23 ance of the project for implementing such system, includ- 24 ing, with respect to such project, the following: 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Apr 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2420.IH H2420 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2420 IH (1) An estimate of acquisition, implementation, 1 and life cycle costs (including all direct and indirect 2 costs to acquire, implement, operate, and maintain 3 such system). 4 (2) An intended implementation schedule indi- 5 cating significant milestones, initial operating capa- 6 bility, and full operating capability or completion. 7 (3) Key business, functional, or performance 8 objectives. 9 (4) With respect to both original claims and 10 supplemental claims processed on a monthly basis, 11 statistics regarding— 12 (A) the number of such claims processed 13 using legacy information technology systems; 14 and 15 (B) the number of such claims estimated 16 to be processed using the modern information 17 technology service. 18 (5) The amount of savings that are estimated 19 to be realized from using the modern information 20 technology service rather than legacy information 21 technology systems. 22 (6) The estimated accuracy of processing 23 claims. 24 (7) The estimated timeliness for— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Apr 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2420.IH H2420 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 5 •HR 2420 IH (A) processing original claims; and 1 (B) processing supplemental claims. 2 (8) A description of how the modern informa- 3 tion technology service will— 4 (A) automate the processing of original 5 claims; and 6 (B) automate the processing of supple- 7 mental claims. 8 (d) UPDATED INFORMATION.— 9 (1) ANNUAL REPORTS.—On an annual basis 10 during the period in which the Secretary is imple- 11 menting the modern information technology service, 12 the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 13 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 14 and the Senate a report containing updated informa- 15 tion regarding the matters specified in subsection 16 (c). Each such updated report shall identify any 17 changes to the cost, schedule, or performance of the 18 project to implement such system. 19 (2) NOTIFICATION.— 20 (A) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 60 21 days after the date on which an action de- 22 scribed in subparagraph (B) occurs, the Sec- 23 retary shall submit to the Committees on Vet- 24 erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Apr 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2420.IH H2420 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 6 •HR 2420 IH and the Senate a notification of such action, in- 1 cluding a description of and explanation for 2 such action. 3 (B) ACTION DESCRIBED.—An action de- 4 scribed in this subparagraph is, with respect to 5 the project to implement the modern informa- 6 tion technology service, any of the following: 7 (i) With respect to the acquisition, im- 8 plementation, or life cycle cost of the 9 project, or an increment therein, a change 10 or variance that is 10 percent or greater 11 compared to the amount identified the 12 most recent report submitted under para- 13 graph (1). 14 (ii) With respect to the schedule for 15 achieving a significant milestone, initial op- 16 erating capability, or final completion of 17 the project, a change or variance that is 18 180 days or greater compared to the 19 schedule identified the most recent report 20 submitted under paragraph (1). 21 (iii) With respect to the performance, 22 an instance where a key business, func- 23 tional, or performance objective is not at- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Apr 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2420.IH H2420 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 7 •HR 2420 IH tained, or is not anticipated to be attained, 1 in whole or in part. 2 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 3 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans 4 Affairs for fiscal years 2022 through 2024 a total of 5 $250,000,000 to carry out this section. 6 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 7 (1) The term ‘‘legacy information technology 8 system’’ means an information technology system 9 used by the Department of Veterans Affairs to proc- 10 ess claims for educational assistance under chapters 11 30, 33, 35, and 36 of title 38, United States Code, 12 before the date on which the Secretary of Veterans 13 Affairs awards a contract under subsection (a) for 14 the modern information technology service. 15 (2) The term ‘‘modern information technology 16 service’’ means the information technology service 17 implemented under subsection (a) to process claims 18 for educational assistance under chapters 30, 33, 35, 19 and 36 of title 38, United States Code. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Apr 28, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2420.IH H2420 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS