[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1443 Reported in House (RH)]

                                                 Union Calendar No. 175
113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1443

                          [Report No. 113-247]

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recognize tinnitus as a 
  mandatory condition for research and treatment by the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 9, 2013

 Mr. Michaud introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

                            October 22, 2013

  Additional sponsors: Mr. O'Rourke, Ms. Brownley of California, Mr. 
                         Walz, and Mr. McGovern

                            October 22, 2013

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recognize tinnitus as a 
  mandatory condition for research and treatment by the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.


 


    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Tinnitus Research and 
Treatment Act of 2013''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. RECOGNITION AND TREATMENT OF TINNITUS AT DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS AUDITORY CENTERS OF 
              EXCELLENCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall recognize tinnitus 
as a mandatory condition for research and treatment by the Department 
of Veterans Affairs Auditory Centers of Excellence.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. RESEARCH ON PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF 
              TINNITUS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that 
research is conducted at Department of Veterans Affairs facilities on 
the prevention and treatment of tinnitus. Such research shall include--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) an assessment of the efficacy of 
        multidisciplinary tinnitus treatment modalities on different 
        subsets of patients;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) studies on the underlying etiology of tinnitus 
        in veteran populations that occur as a result of different 
        causal factors, including blast-related tinnitus where there is 
        no measurable hearing loss versus other forms of noise-induced 
        tinnitus where there is hearing loss; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) a study of the underlying mechanisms between 
        hearing loss and tinnitus, including cases in which one or the 
        other condition is present, but not both.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. INTERDEPARTMENTAL COOPERATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure the 
cooperation of the Department of Veterans Affairs with the Hearing 
Center of Excellence established by the Department of Defense to 
further research on tinnitus.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tinnitus Research and Treatment Act 
of 2013''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Since 2006, the most prevalent service-connected 
        disability for which veterans have received compensation under 
        the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has 
        been tinnitus.
            (2) The number of veterans receiving such compensation for 
        tinnitus has risen each year since 2006, increasing the number 
        and cost of the compensation claims paid by the Secretary.
            (3) A growing body of peer reviewed literature indicates a 
        direct connection between traumatic brain injury, post 
        traumatic stress disorder, and tinnitus.
            (4) An analysis of data collected by the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs concluded that total amount of disability 
        compensation paid for tinnitus by the Department of Veterans 
        Affairs in 2012 was $1,500,000,000.
            (5) Based on projected rates of growth, the amount of 
        disability compensation payable to veterans for tinnitus is 
        expected to exceed $3,000,000,000 in 2017.

SEC. 3. RECOGNITION AND TREATMENT OF TINNITUS AT DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS AUDITORY CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall recognize tinnitus as a 
condition for research and treatment by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs Auditory Centers of Excellence.

SEC. 4. RESEARCH ON PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF TINNITUS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall recognize 
the need to enhance the research and treatment of tinnitus and to 
ensure the allocation of appropriate resources directed at the research 
and enhanced treatment of tinnitus conducted by the Auditory Centers of 
Excellence of the Department of Veterans Affairs, commensurate with 
peer-review protocols. Such research shall include--
            (1) an assessment of the efficacy of multidisciplinary 
        tinnitus treatment modalities on different subsets of patients;
            (2) studies on the underlying etiology of tinnitus in 
        veteran populations that occur as a result of different causal 
        factors, including blast-related tinnitus where there is no 
        measurable hearing loss versus other forms of noise-induced 
        tinnitus where there is hearing loss; and
            (3) a study of the underlying mechanisms between hearing 
        loss and tinnitus, including cases in which one or the other 
        condition is present, but not both.
    (b) Relationship to Other Authorities.--Nothing in this section 
shall be construed as interfering with the discretion of the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs to conduct research in accordance with peer-review 
protocols in order to ensure the quality and transparency of the 
research.

SEC. 5. INTERDEPARTMENTAL COOPERATION.

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure the cooperation of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs with the Hearing Center of 
Excellence established by the Department of Defense to further research 
on tinnitus.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 175

113th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 1443

                          [Report No. 113-247]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to recognize tinnitus as a 
  mandatory condition for research and treatment by the Department of 
               Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                            October 22, 2013

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed