38 U.S.C. § 5319 — Limitations on access to financial records

(a) The Secretary^* may make a request referred to in section 1113(p) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978 ( 12 U.S.C. 3413(p) ) only if the Secretary determines that the requested information— (1) is necessary in order for the Secretary to administer the provisions of law referred to in that section; and (2) cannot be secured by a reasonable search of records and information of the Department^*. (b) The Secretary must include a certification of the determinations referred to in subsection (a) in each request presented to a financial institution. (c) Information disclosed under a request referred to in subsection (a) may be used solely to the administration of benefits programs under laws administered by the Secretary if, except for the exemption in subsection (a), the disclosure of that information would otherwise be prohibited by any provision of the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978.