[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 84 (Thursday, May 26, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3334-S3335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4333. Mr. UDALL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2017 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle I of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1097. RESEARCH ON IMPACT OF OPEN BURN PITS ON MEMBERS OF 
                   THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS.

       (a) Establishment of Research Network.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     establish a research network in which public and private 
     entities assist the Secretary in conducting research on--
       (A) the impact on the health of members of the Armed Forces 
     and veterans of exposure by such members and veterans to open 
     burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan; and
       (B) treatment for health conditions related to such 
     exposure.
       (2) Research conducted.--The research conducted pursuant to 
     this section shall include the following:
       (A) Scientific studies that advance knowledge of the 
     diagnosis and treatment of health conditions among members of 
     the Armed Forces and veterans associated with exposure of 
     such members and veterans to toxic chemicals that are known 
     or likely to

[[Page S3335]]

     be present in smoke from open burn pits used in Afghanistan 
     and Iraq after September 11, 2001.
       (B) Research on the impact of exposure of individuals to 
     open burn pits from the following fields:
       (i) Environmental medicine.
       (ii) Occupational medicine.
       (iii) Inhalation toxicology.
       (C) Research on the feasibility and advisability of using 
     complementary and alternative medicine to treat members of 
     the Armed Forces and veterans for health conditions arising 
     from exposure to open burn pits.
       (3) Use of research.--The Secretary shall use research 
     conducted pursuant to this section as follows:
       (A) To assist in developing best practices for treatment of 
     health conditions caused by exposure of members of the Armed 
     Forces or veterans to open burn pits.
       (B) To assist in determining a disability rating for any 
     veteran filing a claim for benefits under the laws 
     administered by the Secretary based on the exposure of the 
     veteran to an open burn pit while serving as a member of the 
     Armed Forces.
       (b) Availability of Information.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall make available to 
     eligible entities described in paragraph (2) the information 
     contained in the open burn pit registry for purposes of 
     conducting research described in subsection (a)(2).
       (2) Eligible entities described.--An eligible entity 
     described in this paragraph is any private research 
     institution or medical research center of an institution of 
     higher education that--
       (A) is dedicated to the conduct of research on health 
     conditions caused by exposure to air pollutants; and
       (B) is licensed and accredited under all applicable 
     Federal, State, and local laws to conduct research described 
     in subsection (a)(2).
       (3) Submittal of research.--Any eligible entity that 
     conducts research described in subsection (a)(2) using 
     information from the open burn pit registry shall submit such 
     research to the Secretary for inclusion in the database 
     established under subsection (c).
       (c) Establishment of Database.--The Secretary shall publish 
     on an Internet database of the Department available to the 
     public all research described in subsection (a)(2) that is 
     submitted to the Secretary pursuant to this section to allow 
     peer review and analysis of such research from the public.
       (d) Privacy.--Any medical or other personal information 
     obtained by the Department under this section or by an entity 
     conducting research under this section shall be protected 
     from disclosure or misuse in accordance with the laws on 
     privacy applicable to such information.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Complementary and alternative medicine.--The term 
     ``complementary and alternative medicine'' shall have the 
     meaning given that term in regulations the Secretary shall 
     prescribe for purposes of this section and shall--
       (A) to the degree practicable, be consistent with the 
     meaning given such term by the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services; and
       (B) include medicine or treatment that is a cultural 
     tradition of members of Indian tribes and Native Hawaiians.
       (2) Indian tribe defined.--The term ``Indian tribe'' has 
     the meaning given that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).
       (3) Open burn pit.--The term ``open burn pit'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 201(c) of the Dignified 
     Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 
     (Public Law 112-260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note).
       (4) Open burn pit registry.--The term ``open burn pit 
     registry'' means the registry established by the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs under section 201(a) of the Dignified 
     Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012.
                                 ______