110 HR 3620 IH: Homecoming Enhancement Research and
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-09-20
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.
1.This Act may be cited as the
Homecoming Enhancement Research and
Oversight Act
.
2.Study on physical
and mental health and other readjustment needs of members and former members of
the Armed Forces who deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring
Freedom and their families
(a)Congress
makes the following findings:
(1)The order on April
11, 2007 to extend the tour of duty for members of the Army on active duty in
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom to 15 months is placing
additional strains on the wellness of members of the Armed Forces and their
families back home.
(2)20,000 United
States troops have been deployed at least 5 times since the war effort began.
70,000 have been deployed at least 3 times.
(3)Sixty percent of
deployed members of the Armed Forces have family responsibilities.
(4)More than 500,000
children have one or more parents deployed in support of the Global War on
Terror at any given time.
(5)It is estimated
that more than 2,700 children in the United States have lost a parent in
Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
(6)Women now comprise
16 percent of the all voluntary military force, yet there is a lack of research
on the psychological needs and readjustment concerns of female military
personnel.
(7)Members of the
Armed Forces who have screened positive for a mental health disorder were twice
as likely as members who have screened negative for a mental health disorder to
report concern about possible stigmatization and other barriers to accessing
care. Among members of the Armed Forces who screened positive for a mental
health disorder, only between 23 percent and 40 percent have sought
care.
(8)As many as one
quarter of all members of the Armed Forces returning from a combat zone have
less visible psychological injuries.
(9)On average, more
than 20 percent of wounded members of the Armed Forces have a traumatic brain
injury.
(10)More than a
decade passed between the end of the conflict in Vietnam and the publication by
the Federal Government of its landmark study on the readjustment needs of
veterans of that conflict. The impacts of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on
members of the Armed Forces, former members of the Armed Forces, and their
families must be rigorously researched and addressed without a wait of 10
years.
(b)The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, enter into an agreement with the National
Academy of Sciences for a study on the physical and mental health and other
readjustment needs of members and former members of the Armed Forces who
deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom and their
families as a result of such deployment.
(c)The
study required under subsection (b) shall consist of two phases:
(1)A
preliminary phase, to be completed not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act—
(A)to identify
preliminary findings on the physical and mental health and other readjustment
needs described in subsection (b) and on gaps in care for the members, former
members, and families described in that subsection; and
(B)to determine the
parameters of the second phase of the study under paragraph (2).
(2)A
second phase, to be completed not later than three years after the date of
enactment of this Act, to carry out a comprehensive assessment, in accordance
with the parameters identified under the preliminary report required by
paragraph (1), of the physical and mental health and other readjustment needs
of members and former members of the Armed Forces who deployed in Operation
Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom and their families as a result of
such deployment, including, at a minimum—
(A)an assessment of
the psychological, social, and economic impacts of such deployment on such
members and former members and their families;
(B)an assessment of
the particular impacts of multiple deployments in Operation Iraqi Freedom or
Operation Enduring Freedom on such members and former members and their
families;
(C)an assessment of
the scope of the neurological, psychiatric, and psychological effects of
traumatic brain injury on members and former members of the Armed Forces,
including the effects of such effects on the family members of such members and
former members, and an assessment of the efficacy of current treatment
approaches for traumatic brain injury in the United States and the efficacy of
screenings and treatment approaches for traumatic brain injury within the
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs;
(D)an assessment of
the effects of undiagnosed injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder and
traumatic brain injury, and an estimate of the long-term costs associated with
such injuries;
(E)an assessment of
the particular needs and concerns of female members of the Armed Forces and
female veterans;
(F)an assessment of
the particular needs and concerns of minority members of the Armed Forces and
minority veterans;
(G)an assessment of
the particular educational and vocational needs of such members and former
members and their families;
(H)the development,
based on such assessments, of recommendations for programs, treatments, or
policy remedies targeted at preventing, minimizing or addressing the impacts,
gaps and needs identified; and
(I)the development,
based on such assessments, of recommendations for additional research on such
needs.
(d)Populations To
be studiedThe study required under subsection (b) shall consider
the readjustment needs of each population of individuals as follows:
(1)Members of the
regular components of the Armed Forces who are returning, or have returned, to
the United States from deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation
Enduring Freedom.
(2)Members of the
National Guard and Reserve who are returning, or have returned, to the United
States from deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring
Freedom.
(3)Veterans of
Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
(4)Family members of
the members and veterans described in paragraphs (1) through (3).
(e)The National Academy of Sciences shall have access to
such personnel, information, records, and systems of the Department of Defense
and the Department of Veterans Affairs as the National Academy of Sciences
requires in order to carry out the study required under subsection (b).
(f)The National Academy of Sciences shall maintain any
personally identifiable information accessed by the Academy in carrying out the
study required under subsection (b) in accordance with all applicable laws,
protections, and best practices regarding the privacy of such information, and
may not permit access to such information by any persons or entities not
engaged in work under the study.
(g)
(1)Reports by
national academy of sciencesUpon the completion of each phase of
the study required under subsection (b), the National Academy of Sciences shall
submit to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs a
report on such phase of the study.
(2)Reports by
secretary of defenseThe Secretary of Defense shall submit to
Congress a comprehensive report on each phase of the study required under
subsection (b) not later than 30 days after the date of the completion of such
phase of the study. Each report shall set forth the report of the National
Academy of Sciences on the phase of the study concerned under paragraph (1) and
include such other information as the Secretary considers appropriate.
(3)Public
availability of reportsThe Secretary of Defense shall make
available to the public each report submitted to Congress under paragraph (2),
including by posting an electronic copy of such report on the Internet website
of the Department of Defense that is available to the public.
(h)DoD and VA
response to NAS reports
(1)Not later than 45 days after the receipt of a report
under subsection (g)(1) on each phase of the study required under subsection
(b), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
jointly develop a preliminary joint Department of Defense-Department of
Veterans Affairs plan to address the findings and recommendations of the
National Academy of Sciences contained in such report. The preliminary plan
shall provide preliminary proposals on the matters set forth in paragraph
(3).
(2)Not later than 90 days after the receipt of a report
under subsection (g)(1) on each phase of the study required under subsection
(b), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
jointly develop a final joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans
Affairs plan to address the findings and recommendations of the National
Academy of Sciences contained in such report. The final plan shall provide
final proposals on the matters set forth in paragraph (3).
(3)The matters set forth in this paragraph with respect to a
phase of the study required under subsection (b) are as follows:
(A)Modifications of
policy or practice within the Department of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs that are necessary to address gaps in care or services as
identified by the National Academy of Sciences under such phase of the
study.
(B)Modifications of
policy or practice within the Department of Defense and the Department of
Veterans Affairs that are necessary to address recommendations made by the
National Academy of Sciences under such phase of the study.
(C)An estimate of the
costs of implementing the modifications set forth under subparagraphs (A) and
(B), set forth by fiscal year for at least the first five fiscal years
beginning after the date of the plan concerned.
(4)The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall jointly submit to Congress a report setting forth each joint plan
developed under paragraphs (1) and (2).
(5)Public
availability of responsesThe Secretary of Defense and the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall each make available to the public each
report submitted to Congress under paragraph (4), including by posting an
electronic copy of such report on the Internet website of the Department of
Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs, as applicable, that is available
to the public.
(6)Not later than 45 days after the submittal to Congress of
the report under paragraph (4) on the final joint Department of
Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs plan under paragraph (2), the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report
assessing the contents of such report under paragraph (4). The report of the
Comptroller General under this paragraph shall include—
(A)an assessment of
the adequacy and sufficiency of the final joint Department of
Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs plan in addressing the findings and
recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences as a result of the study
required under subsection (b);
(B)an assessment of
the feasibility and advisability of the modifications of policy and practice
proposed in the final joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans
Affairs plan;
(C)an assessment of
the sufficiency and accuracy of the cost estimates in the final joint
Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs plan; and
(D)the comments, if
any, of the National Academy of Sciences on the final joint Department of
Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs plan.
(i)Authorization of
appropriationsThere is authorized to be appropriated to the
Department of Defense such sums as may be necessary to carry out this
section.