110 HR 3558 IH: To provide for the establishment of a Center of U.S. House of Representatives 2007-09-18 text/xml EN 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.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3558 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 18, 2007 Mr. Boozman (for himself, Mr. Hall of New York, Mrs. Wilson of New Mexico, Ms. Berkley, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Gordon of Tennessee, Mr. Filner, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Bilirakis, Ms. Norton, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Berry) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To provide for the establishment of a Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Military Eye Trauma Treatment Act of 2007.

2.

Center of excellence in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of military eye injuries

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1105 the following new section:

1105a.

Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries

(a)

In General

The Secretary of Defense shall establish within the Department of Defense a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of military eye injuries to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c). The center shall be known as a Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries. (b)

Partnerships

The Secretary shall ensure that the Center collaborates to the maximum extent practicable with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities (including international entities) to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c). (c)

Responsibilities

(1)The Center shall— (A)develop, implement, and oversee a registry of information for the tracking of the diagnosis, surgical intervention or other operative procedure, other treatment, and follow up for each case of significant eye injury incurred by a member of the armed forces while serving on active duty; (B)ensure the electronic exchange with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of information obtained through tracking under subparagraph (A); and (C)enable the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to access the registry and add information pertaining to additional treatments or surgical procedures and eventual visual outcomes for veterans who were entered into the registry and subsequently received treatment through the Veterans Health Administration. (2)The registry under this subsection shall be known as the Military Eye Injury Registry (hereinafter referred to as the Registry). (3)The Center shall develop the Registry in consultation with the ophthalmological specialist personnel and optometric specialist personnel of the Department of Defense and the ophthalmological specialist personnel and optometric specialist personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The mechanisms and procedures of the Registry shall reflect applicable expert research on military and other eye injuries. (4)The mechanisms of the Registry for tracking under paragraph (1)(A) shall ensure that each military medical treatment facility or other medical facility shall submit to the Center for inclusion in the Registry information on the diagnosis, surgical intervention or other operative procedure, other treatment, and follow up for each case of eye injury described in that paragraph as follows (to the extent applicable): (A)Not later than 30 days after surgery or other operative intervention, including a surgery or other operative intervention carried out as a result of a follow-up examination. (B)Not later than 180 days after the significant eye injury is reported or recorded in the medical record. (5)(A)The Center shall provide notice to the Blind Rehabilitation Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs and to the eye care services of the Veterans Health Administration on each member of the armed forces described in subparagraph (B) for purposes of ensuring the coordination of the provision of ongoing eye care and visual rehabilitation benefits and services by the Department of Veterans Affairs after the separation or release of such member from the armed forces. (B)A member of the armed forces described in this subparagraph is a member of the armed forces as follows: (i)A member with a significant eye injury incurred while serving on active duty, including a member with visual dysfunction related to traumatic brain injury. (ii)A member with an eye injury incurred while serving on active duty who has a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the injured eye. (iii)A member with an eye injury incurred while serving on active duty who has a loss of peripheral vision resulting in twenty degrees or less of visual field in the injured eye. (d)

Utilization of Registry Information

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly ensure that information in the Military Eye Injury Registry is available to appropriate ophthalmological and optometric personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs for purposes of encouraging and facilitating the conduct of research, and the development of best practices and clinical education, on eye injuries incurred by members of the armed forces in combat.

. (2)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 55 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1105 the following new item: 1105a. Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries. . (b)

Inclusion of Records of OIF/OEF Veterans

The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate actions to include in the Military Eye Injury Registry established under section 1105a of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), such records of members of the Armed Forces who incurred an eye injury while serving on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, but before the establishment of the Registry, as the Secretary considers appropriate for purposes of the Registry. (c)

Report on Establishment

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the status of the Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries under section 1105a of title 10, United States Code (as so added), including the progress made in establishing the Military Eye Injury Registry required under that section. (d)

Traumatic Brain Injury Post Traumatic Visual Syndrome

In carrying out the program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia, on Traumatic Brain Injury Post Traumatic Visual Syndrome, the Secretary of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs shall jointly provide for the conduct of a cooperative program for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury by military medical treatment facilities of the Department of Defense and medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs selected for purposes of this subsection for purposes of vision screening, diagnosis, rehabilitative management, and vision research, including research on prevention, on visual dysfunction related to Traumatic Brain Injury. (e)

Authorization of Appropriations

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2008 for Defense Health Program, $5,000,000 for the Center of Excellence in Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Military Eye Injuries under section 1105a of title 10, United States Code (as so added).