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<bill bill-stage="Introduced-in-House" dms-id="HBBE913DF27274293BDC7106C01ED999A" public-private="public" key="H" bill-type="olc"><form><distribution-code display="yes">I</distribution-code><congress display="yes">119th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">1st Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 5188</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES</current-chamber><action display="yes"><action-date date="20250908">September 8, 2025</action-date><action-desc><sponsor name-id="K000389">Mr. Khanna</sponsor> introduced the following bill; which was referred to the <committee-name committee-id="HAS00">Committee on Armed Services</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>A BILL</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish blast safety officer positions in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.</official-title></form><legis-body id="H183E5F2A00D8467F98FDCDC378FD7B96" style="OLC"><section id="H1D123B9C41204F3DBFD57453D2C6CAE3" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Establishment of blast safety officer positions</header><subsection id="H3222C873AF7940E589C53DFD7D1E8EA7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than September 30, 2026, the Secretary of Defense shall establish blast safety officer positions in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.</text></subsection><subsection id="H362DD9A519E243E389C67EDF6C34E7BD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Duties</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Duties of a blast safety officer shall include the following, in accordance with standards established pursuant to section 735 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note):</text><paragraph id="H466423A90D4F4C1A8F930B76FDE49520"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Monitoring and mitigating blast and overpressure exposure to members of such Armed Forces during live-fire or explosive exercises, including breaching exercises. A blast safety officer may order the cessation of such an exercise if exposure exceeds safe thresholds.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE09780AF44FE40B899A6B3EDDAA51FA7"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Briefing members of such Armed Forces, before an exercise, regarding the health risks of blast exposure and mitigation protocols (including minimum safe distances).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDF38F8CD12B4457C956D27AB54A64C09"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Overseeing the use of personal protective equipment and wearable sensors by such members during such an exercise.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HBF0B3F658CB44554B30762486E5CBCB3"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Investigating blast overpressure incidents, reporting findings, and coordinating with health care providers to address risks to the health of affected members.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H36C46AF977B74A68903332FF7B030BDA"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Maintaining blast overpressure exposure logs to support future mitigation.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDEF87B7DDA7B4017BF1923B068FECE18"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Coordinating with range safety officers and personnel.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2F906066804C4A33B760B5525202E74D"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Assignments</header><text>The Secretary of a military department concerned shall assign a blast safety officer to each special mission unit in each such Armed Forces.</text></subsection><subsection id="HDD59136ACD1D4C5499E26D7892B3933F"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Training; certification</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A blast safety officer shall receive training and maintain a certification in blast safety.</text></subsection></section></legis-body></bill>
