[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4384 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 546
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4384
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to address exposure by
members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances at Karshi-Khanabad Air
Base, Uzbekistan, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 30, 2020
Mr. Sullivan (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
September 15, 2020
Reported by Mr. Moran, without amendment
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to address exposure by
members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances at Karshi-Khanabad Air
Base, Uzbekistan, and for other purposes.
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 ``K2 Veterans Advocacy Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. STUDY ON EXPOSURE BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO TOXICANTS
AT KARSHI-KHANABAD AIR BASE IN UZBEKISTAN.
(a) Agreement and Study.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
enter into an agreement with the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry for the Administrator to complete, not
later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, a
study to identify and assess any causation or correlation between--
(1) exposure to toxicants at the Karshi-Khanabad (K2) Air
Base in Uzbekistan during the period beginning on October 7,
2001, and ending on November 21, 2005; and
(2) incidents of cancer and other diseases or illnesses
experienced by individuals who were members of the Armed Forces
during the period described in paragraph (1) and exposed to
toxicants as described in such paragraph.
(b) Elements.--The study conducted under subsection (a) shall
include the following:
(1) An assessment regarding the conditions of Karshi-
Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, during the period beginning on
October 1, 2001, and ending on December 31, 2005, including an
identification of toxic substances contaminating the Air Base
during such period.
(2) An epidemiological study of the health consequences of
individuals who were members of the Armed Forces deployed to
the Air Base during such period.
(c) Support for Study.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall provide the
Administrator with assistance in carrying out the study
required by subsection (a), including by gathering such
information as the Administrator may consider useful in
carrying out the study, including environmental sampling data
relative to any location included in the study.
(2) Obtaining information concerning exposure.--Assistance
under paragraph (1) provided by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall include compiling information on exposure
described in subsection (a)(1) and any head of a Federal
department or agency with information concerning such exposure,
including the Secretary of Defense, shall provide the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs with such information concerning such
exposure as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs considers
appropriate for purposes of the study required by subsection
(a).
(d) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the matters
covered by the study completed under subsection (a).
(2) Contents.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) The findings of the Administrator with respect
to the study completed under subsection (a).
(B) A description of--
(i) the benefits administered by the
Secretary that a veteran may be eligible to
receive by reason of being exposed to toxic
substances at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base,
Uzbekistan, while serving in the Armed Forces;
and
(ii) the outreach conducted by the
Secretary to inform such veterans of such
benefits.
(3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress''
means--
(A) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives.
(e) Inclusion of Uzbekistan in Certain Registries and Programs.--
Section 201(c)(2) of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits
Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note) is
amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``Afghanistan or Iraq'' and inserting ``Afghanistan, Iraq, or
Uzbekistan''.
Calendar No. 546
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4384
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to address exposure by
members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances at Karshi-Khanabad Air
Base, Uzbekistan, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 15, 2020
Reported without amendment