[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1941. Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. Rounds, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. 
Sullivan, Mr. Coons, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Menendez, Mrs. 
Blackburn, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Booker) submitted an amendment intended 
to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations 
for fiscal year 2021 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 C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 7__. EXPOSURE TO OPEN BURN PITS AND TOXIC AIRBORNE 
                   CHEMICALS OR OTHER AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS AS 
                   PART OF HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE 
                   ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS DURING A PANDEMIC AND 
                   INCLUSION OF INFORMATION IN REGISTRY.

       (a) Health Assessment.--The Secretary of Defense and 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the first 
     health assessment conducted for a member of the Armed Forces 
     or veteran after the individual tested positive for a virus 
     certified by the Federal government as a pandemic includes an 
     evaluation of whether the individual has been--
       (1) based or stationed at a location where an open burn pit 
     was used; or
       (2) exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other airborne 
     contaminants relating to service in the Armed Forces, 
     including an evaluation of any information recorded as part 
     of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.
       (b) Inclusion of Individuals in Registry.--If an evaluation 
     conducted under subsection (a) with respect to an individual 
     establishes that the individual was based or stationed at a 
     location where an open burn pit was used, or that the 
     individual was exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other 
     airborne contaminants, the individual shall be enrolled in 
     the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry unless the 
     member elects to not enroll in such registry.
       (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
     construed to preclude eligibility of a veteran for benefits 
     under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs by reason of the history of exposure of the veteran 
     to an open burn pit not being recorded in an evaluation 
     conducted under subsection (a).
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Airborne hazards and open burn pit registry.--The term 
     ``Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry'' means the 
     registry established by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     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).
       (2) 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).

     SEC. 7__. STUDY ON IMPACT OF VIRAL PANDEMICS ON MEMBERS OF 
                   ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED 
                   TOXIC EXPOSURE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     conduct a study, through the Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits 
     Center of Excellence (in this section referred to as the 
     ``Center''), on the health impacts of infection with a virus 
     designated as a global pandemic, including a coronavirus, to 
     members of the Armed Forces and veterans who have been 
     exposed to open burn pits and other toxic exposures for the 
     purposes of understanding the health impacts of the virus and 
     whether individuals infected with the virus are at increased 
     risk of severe symptoms due to previous conditions linked to 
     toxic exposure.
       (b) Preparation for Future Pandemic.--The Secretary, 
     through the Center, shall analyze potential lessons learned 
     through the study conducted under subsection (a) to assist in 
     preparing the Department of Veterans Affairs for potential 
     future pandemics.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Coronavirus.--The term ``coronavirus'' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 506 of the Coronavirus 
     Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
     2020 (Public Law 116-123).
       (2) 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).
                                 ______