; (3) to promote awareness of the Office and its responsibilities among producers and other customers of Department programs; and (4) to raise issues and concerns with respect to, and make recommendations to the Secretary about, equitable access or implementation of Department programs. (e) Access to information (1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary shall establish procedures to provide the Office access to all departmental records necessary to execute the functions of the Office under subsection (d). (2) Timelines The procedures described in paragraph (1) shall include a requirement that requests from the Office for departmental records shall be fulfilled not later than 60 days after the request is made. (f) Annual report Beginning not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Ombudsperson shall prepare and submit to the House Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry a report on— (1) the activities carried out by the Office; and (2) the findings and recommendations of the Office with respect to equitable access or implementation of Department programs. (g) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2026. . 6. Burden of proof for national appeals division hearings Section 277(c)(4) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 ( 7 U.S.C. 6997(c)(4) ) is amended to read as follows: (4) Burden of proof The agency shall bear the burden of proving by substantial evidence that the adverse decision of the agency was valid. .