[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2679 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2679

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs 
   a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, 
treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure 
                             to burn pits.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 15, 2016

  Ms. Klobuchar (for herself and Mr. Tillis) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs 
   a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, 
treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure 
                             to burn pits.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn 
Pits Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, 
              MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHABILITATION OF HEALTH 
              CONDITIONS RELATING TO EXPOSURE TO BURN PITS AND OTHER 
              ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter II of chapter 73 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7330B. Center of excellence in prevention, diagnosis, 
              mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health 
              conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and other 
              environmental exposures
    ``(a) Establishment.--(1) The Secretary shall establish within the 
Department a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, 
mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating 
to exposure to burn pits and other environmental exposures to carry out 
the responsibilities specified in subsection (d).
    ``(2) The Secretary shall establish the center of excellence under 
paragraph (1) through the use of--
            ``(A) the directives and policies of the Department in 
        effect as of the date of the enactment of the Helping Veterans 
        Exposed to Burn Pits Act;
            ``(B) the recommendations of the Comptroller General of the 
        United States and Inspector General of the Department in effect 
        as of such date; and
            ``(C) guidance issued by the Secretary of Defense under 
        section 313 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
        Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112-239; 10 U.S.C. 1074 note).
    ``(b) Selection of Site.--In selecting the site for the center of 
excellence established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
consider entities that--
            ``(1) are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to 
        study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to 
        exposure to burn pits and other environmental exposures;
            ``(2) have a track record of publishing information 
        relating to post-deployment health exposures among veterans who 
        served in the Armed Forces in support of Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;
            ``(3) have collaborated with a geosciences department that 
        has a medical geology division;
            ``(4) have developed animal models and in vitro models of 
        dust immunology and lung injury consistent with the injuries of 
        members of the Armed Forces who served in support of Operation 
        Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; and
            ``(5) have expertise in allergy and immunology, pulmonary 
        diseases, and industrial and management engineering.
    ``(c) Collaboration.--The Secretary shall ensure that the center of 
excellence collaborates, to the maximum extent practicable, with the 
Secretary of Defense, institutions of higher education, and other 
appropriate public and private entities (including international 
entities) to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection 
(d).
    ``(d) Responsibilities.--The center of excellence shall have the 
following responsibilities:
            ``(1) To provide for the development, testing, and 
        dissemination within the Department of best practices for the 
        treatment of health conditions relating to exposure to burn 
        pits and other environmental exposures.
            ``(2) To provide guidance for the health systems of the 
        Department and the Department of Defense in determining the 
        personnel required to provide quality health care for members 
        of the Armed Forces and veterans with health conditions 
        relating to exposure to burn pits and other environmental 
        exposures.
            ``(3) To establish, implement, and oversee a comprehensive 
        program to train health professionals of the Department and the 
        Department of Defense in the treatment of health conditions 
        relating to exposure to burn pits and other environmental 
        exposures.
            ``(4) To facilitate advancements in the study of the short-
        term and long-term effects of exposure to burn pits and other 
        environmental exposures.
            ``(5) To disseminate within medical facilities of the 
        Department best practices for training health professionals 
        with respect to health conditions relating to exposure to burn 
        pits and other environmental exposures.
            ``(6) To conduct basic science and translational research 
        on health conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and 
        other environmental exposures for the purposes of understanding 
        the etiology of such conditions and developing preventive 
        interventions and new treatments.
            ``(7) To provide medical treatment to all veterans 
        identified as part of the open burn pit registry established 
        under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' 
        Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-260; 38 U.S.C. 
        527 note).
    ``(e) Use of Burn Pits Registry Data.--In carrying out its 
responsibilities under subsection (d), the center shall have access to 
and make use of the data accumulated by the burn pits registry 
established under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other 
Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-260; 38 
U.S.C. 527 note).
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `burn pit' means an area of land located in 
        Afghanistan or Iraq that--
                    ``(A) is designated by the Secretary of Defense to 
                be used for disposing solid waste by burning in the 
                outdoor air; and
                    ``(B) does not contain a commercially manufactured 
                incinerator or other equipment specifically designed 
                and manufactured for the burning of solid waste.
            ``(2) The term `other environmental exposures' means 
        exposure to environmental hazards, including burn pits, dust or 
        sand, hazardous materials, and waste at any site in Afghanistan 
        or Iraq that emits smoke containing pollutants present in the 
        environment or smoke from fires or explosions.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for each of the 
first five fiscal years beginning after the date of the enactment of 
the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 73 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 7330A the following new item:

``7330B. Center of excellence in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, 
                            treatment, and rehabilitation of health 
                            conditions relating to exposure to burn 
                            pits and other environmental exposures.''.
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