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<BillSummaries>
<item congress="114" measure-type="s" measure-number="244" measure-id="id114s244" originChamber="SENATE" orig-publish-date="2015-01-22" update-date="2015-03-26">
<title>A bill to require an independent comprehensive review of the process by which the Department of Veterans Affairs assesses cognitive impairments that result from traumatic brain injury for purposes of awarding disability compensation, and for other purposes.</title>
<summary summary-id="id114s244v00" currentChamber="SENATE" update-date="2015-03-26">
<action-date>2015-01-22</action-date>
<action-desc>Introduced in Senate</action-desc>
<summary-text><![CDATA[<p>Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to seek to enter into an agreement with the Institute of Medicine to conduct a comprehensive review of VA examinations that assess the cognitive impairments of individuals who submit claims for compensation for service-connected traumatic brain injury.</p> <p>Requires: (1) the Institute, in conducting the review, to convene a group of experts in clinical neuropsychology and other related disciplines; and (2) the review to include a determination of the adequacy of the VA's tools and protocols used in conducting such examinations and the credentials that are necessary for health care specialists and providers to perform the portions of such examinations that assess cognitive functions. </p> <p>Directs the Secretary to submit to Congress any Institute recommendations for legislative or administrative action to improve the adjudication of claims.</p> <p>Requires Secretary to seek to enter an agreement with a similar nongovernmental, nonprofit organization to conduct such review if the Secretary is unable to enter into an acceptable agreement with the Institute.</p>]]></summary-text>
</summary>
</item>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
<dc:contributor>Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress</dc:contributor>
<dc:description>This file contains bill summaries for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.</dc:description>
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