COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE RESPONSE TO BUTTERBAUGH V. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

SEC. 1045. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE RESPONSE TO BUTTERBAUGH V. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting forth an assessment by the Comptroller General of the response of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice (336 F.3d 1332 (2003)).(b) Elements.—The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:(1) An estimate of the number of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, both past and present, who are entitled to compensation under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice.(2) An assessment of the current policies, procedures, and timeliness of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in implementing and resolving claims under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice.(3) An assessment whether or not the decisions made by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in implementing the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice follow a consistent pattern of resolution.(4) An assessment of whether or not the decisions made by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in implementing the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice are resolving claims by providing more compensation than an individual has been able to prove, under the rule of construction that laws providing benefits to veterans are liberally construed in favor of the veteran.(5) An estimate of the total amount of compensation payable to members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces, both past and present, as a result of the recent decision in Hernandez v. Department of the Air Force (No. 2006–3375, slip op.) that leave can be reimbursed for Reserve service before 1994, when Congress enacted chapter 43 of title 38, United States Code (commonly referred to as the “Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act”).(6) A comparative assessment of the handling of claims by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice with the handling of claims by other Federal agencies (selected by the Comptroller General for purposes of the comparative assessment) under that decision.(7) A statement of the number of claims by members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice that have been adjudicated by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.(8) A statement of the number of claims by members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice that have been denied by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.(9) A comparative assessment of the average amount of time required for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to resolve a claim under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice with the average amount of time required 122 STAT. 313 by other Federal agencies (as so selected) to resolve a claim under that decision.(10) A comparative statement of the backlog of claims with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice with the backlog of claims of other Federal agencies (as so selected) under that decision.(11) An estimate of the amount of time required for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to resolve all outstanding claims under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice.(12) An assessment of the reasonableness of the requirement of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for the submittal by members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces of supporting documentation for claims under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice.(13) A comparative assessment of the requirement of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for the submittal by members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces of supporting documentation for claims under the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice with the requirement of other Federal agencies (as so selected) for the submittal by such members of supporting documentation for such claims.(14) Such recommendations for legislative action as the Comptroller General considers appropriate in light of the decision in Butterbaugh v. Department of Justice and the decision in Hernandez v. Department of the Air Force.