[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 184 (Wednesday, October 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7129-S7131]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 3863. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2792, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2022 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 appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. REAUTHORIZATION OF SBIR AND STTR PROGRAMS.

       (a) SBIR.--Section 9(m) of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 638(m)) is amended by striking ``September 30, 2022'' 
     and inserting ``September 30, 2027''.
       (b) STTR.--Section 9(n)(1)(A) of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 638(n)(1)(A)) is amended by striking ``2022'' and 
     inserting ``2027''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3864. Mr. BROWN (for himself, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Ernst, and Mr. 
Blumenthal) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill S. 2792, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 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 E of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 5__. PILOT PROGRAM ON ACTIVITIES UNDER THE TRANSITION 
                   ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR A REDUCTION IN SUICIDE 
                   AMONG VETERANS.

       (a) Pilot Program Required.--The Secretary of Defense and 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly carry out a 
     pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of 
     providing the module described in subsection (b) and the 
     services described in subsection (c) as part of the 
     Transition Assistance Program for members of the Armed Forces 
     participating in the Transition Assistance Program as a means 
     of reducing the incidence of suicide among veterans.
       (b) Module.--The module described in this subsection is a 
     three-hour module under the Transition Assistance Program for 
     each member of the Armed Forces participating in the pilot 
     program that includes the following:
       (1) An in-person meeting between the cohort of the member 
     and a social worker or mental health provider in which the 
     social worker or mental health provider--
       (A) counsels the cohort on specific potential risks 
     confronting members after discharge or release from the Armed 
     Forces, including loss of community or a support system, 
     isolation from family, friends, or society, identity crisis 
     in the transition from military to civilian life, 
     vulnerability viewed as a weakness, need for empathy, self-
     medication and addiction, importance of sleep and exercise, 
     homelessness, and reasons why veterans attempt and complete 
     suicide;
       (B) in coordination with the inTransition program of the 
     Department of Defense, counsels members of the cohort who 
     have been diagnosed with physical, psychological, or 
     neurological issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, 
     traumatic brain injury, adverse childhood experiences, 
     depression, and bipolar disorder, on--
       (i) the potential risks for such members from such issues 
     after discharge or release; and
       (ii) the resources and treatment options afforded to 
     members for such issues through the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs, the Department of Defense, and non-profit 
     organizations;
       (C) counsels the cohort about the resources afforded to 
     victims of military sexual trauma through the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs; and
       (D) counsels the cohort about the manner in which members 
     might experience grief during the transition from military to 
     civilian life, and the resources afforded to them for 
     grieving through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
       (2) In coordination with the Solid Start program of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs, the provision to each cohort 
     member of contact information for a counseling or other 
     appropriate facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
     the locality in which such member intends to reside after 
     discharge or release.
       (3) The submittal by cohort members to the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs (including both the Veterans Health 
     Administration and the Veterans Benefits Administration) of 
     their medical records in connection with service in the Armed 
     Forces, whether or not such members intend to file a claim 
     with the Department for benefits with respect to any service-
     connected disability.
       (c) Services.--The services described in this subsection in 
     connection with the Transition Assistance Program for each 
     member of the Armed Forces participating in the pilot program 
     are the following:
       (1) Not later than 90 days after the discharge or release 
     of the member from the Armed Forces, a contact of the member 
     by a social worker or behavioral health coordinator from the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs to schedule a follow-up 
     appointment with a social worker or behavioral health 
     provider at the facility applicable to the member under 
     subsection (b)(2) to occur not later than 90 days after such 
     contact.
       (2) During the appointment scheduled pursuant to paragraph 
     (1)--
       (A) an assessment of the member to determine the 
     experiences of the member with events during service in the 
     Armed Forces that could lead, whether individually or 
     cumulatively, to physical, psychological, or neurological 
     issues, including issues described in subsection (b)(1)(B); 
     and
       (B) the development of a medical treatment plan for the 
     member, including treatment for issues identified pursuant to 
     the assessment under subparagraph (A).
       (d) Locations.--
       (1) In general.--The pilot program shall be carried out at 
     not fewer than 10 Transition Assistance Centers of the 
     Department of Defense that serve not fewer than 300 members 
     of the Armed Forces annually that are jointly selected by the 
     Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     for purposes of the pilot program.
       (2) Members served.--The centers selected under paragraph 
     (1) shall, to the extent practicable, be centers that, 
     whether individually or in aggregate, serve all the Armed 
     Forces and both the regular and reserve components of the 
     Armed Forces.
       (e) Selection and Commencement.--The Secretary of Defense 
     and the Secretary of

[[Page S7130]]

     Veterans Affairs shall jointly select the locations of the 
     pilot program under subsection (d)(1) and commence carrying 
     out activities under the pilot program by not later than 120 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (f) Duration.--
       (1) In general.--The duration of the pilot program shall be 
     five years.
       (2) Continuation.--If the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs recommend in the report under 
     subsection (g) that the pilot program be extended beyond the 
     date otherwise provided by paragraph (1), the Secretaries may 
     jointly continue the pilot program for such period beyond 
     such date as the Secretaries jointly consider appropriate.
       (g) Reports.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter 
     during the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary of 
     Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly 
     submit to Congress a report on the activities under the pilot 
     program.
       (2) Elements.--Each report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       (A) A description of the members of the Armed Forces who 
     participated in the pilot program during the 180-day period 
     ending on the date of such report, disaggregated by the 
     following:
       (i) Sex.
       (ii) Branch of the Armed Forces in which served.
       (iii) Diagnosis of, or other symptoms consistent with, 
     military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, 
     traumatic brain injury, depression, or bipolar disorder in 
     connection with service in the Armed Forces.
       (B) A description of the activities under the pilot program 
     during such period.
       (C) An assessment of the benefits of the activities under 
     the pilot program during such period to veterans and family 
     members of veterans.
       (D) An assessment of whether the activities under the pilot 
     program as of the date of such report have reduced the 
     incidence of suicide among members who participated in the 
     pilot program within one year of discharge or release from 
     the Armed Forces.
       (E) Such recommendations as the Secretary of Defense and 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs jointly consider 
     appropriate regarding expansion of the pilot program, 
     extension of the pilot program, or both.
       (h) Transition Assistance Program Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``Transition Assistance Program'' means the 
     program of assistance and other transitional services carried 
     out pursuant to section 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3865. Mr. BROWN (for himself and Mr. Portman) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2792, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 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 G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1064. NOTIFICATIONS AND REPORTS REGARDING REPORTED CASES 
                   OF BURN PIT EXPOSURE.

       (a) Quarterly Notifications.--
       (1) In general.--On a quarterly basis, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report on each reported case of 
     burn pit exposure by a covered veteran reported during the 
     previous quarter.
       (2) Elements.--Each report submitted under paragraph (1) 
     shall include, with respect to each reported case of burn pit 
     exposure of a covered veteran included in the report, the 
     following:
       (A) Notice of the case, including the medical facility at 
     which the case was reported.
       (B) Notice of, as available--
       (i) the enrollment status of the covered veteran with 
     respect to the patient enrollment system of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs under section 1705(a) of title 38, United 
     States Code;
       (ii) a summary of all health care visits by the covered 
     veteran at the medical facility at which the case was 
     reported that are related to the case;
       (iii) the demographics of the covered veteran, including 
     age, sex, and race;
       (iv) any non-Department of Veterans Affairs health care 
     benefits that the covered veteran receives;
       (v) the Armed Force in which the covered veteran served and 
     the rank of the covered veteran;
       (vi) the period in which the covered veteran served;
       (vii) each location of an open burn pit from which the 
     covered veteran was exposed to toxic airborne chemicals and 
     fumes during such service;
       (viii) the medical diagnoses of the covered veteran and the 
     treatment provided to the veteran; and
       (ix) whether the covered veteran is registered in the 
     Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.
       (3) Protection of information.--The Secretary shall ensure 
     that the reports submitted under paragraph (1) do not include 
     the identity of covered veterans or contain other personally 
     identifiable data.
       (b) Annual Report on Cases.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the 
     Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report detailing the following:
       (A) The total number of covered veterans.
       (B) The total number of claims for disability compensation 
     under chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, approved 
     and the total number denied by the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs with respect to a covered veteran, and for each such 
     denial, the rationale of the denial.
       (C) A comprehensive list of--
       (i) the conditions for which covered veterans seek 
     treatment; and
       (ii) the locations of the open burn pits from which the 
     covered veterans were exposed to toxic airborne chemicals and 
     fumes.
       (D) Identification of any illnesses relating to exposure to 
     open burn pits that formed the basis for the Secretary to 
     award benefits, including entitlement to service connection 
     or an increase in disability rating.
       (E) The total number of covered veterans who died after 
     seeking care for an illness relating to exposure to an open 
     burn pit.
       (F) Any updates or trends with respect to the information 
     described in subparagraphs (A), (B), (C), (D), and (E) that 
     the Secretary determines appropriate.
       (2) Matters included in first report.--The Secretary shall 
     include in the first report under paragraph (1) information 
     specified in subsection (a)(2) with respect to reported cases 
     of burn pit exposure made during the period beginning January 
     1, 1990, and ending on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (c) Inclusion of Information After Death and Provision of 
     Information Regarding Open Burn Pit Registry.--Section 201(a) 
     of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits 
     Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-260; 38 U.S.C. 527 
     note) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(3) Reporting of information after death.--The Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs shall permit a survivor of a deceased 
     veteran to report to the registry under paragraph (1) the 
     exposure of the veteran to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes 
     caused by an open burn pit, even if such veteran was not 
     included in the registry before their death.
       ``(4) Information regarding registry.--
       ``(A) Notice.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
     ensure that a medical professional of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs informs a veteran of the registry under 
     paragraph (1) if the veteran presents at a medical facility 
     of the Department for treatment that the veteran describes as 
     being related to, or ancillary to, the exposure of the 
     veteran to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open 
     burn pits.
       ``(B) Display.--In making information public regarding the 
     number of participants in the registry under paragraph (1), 
     the Secretary shall display such numbers by both State and by 
     congressional district.''.
       (d) Comptroller General Report.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
     General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report containing an assessment of 
     the effectiveness of any memorandum of understanding or 
     memorandum of agreement entered into by the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs with respect to--
       (1) the processing of reported cases of burn pit exposure; 
     and
       (2) the coordination of care and provision of health care 
     relating to such cases at medical facilities of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs and at non-Department 
     facilities.
       (e) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) 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) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     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.
       (3) The term ``covered veteran'' means a veteran who 
     presents at a medical facility of the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs (or in a non-Department facility pursuant to section 
     1703 or 1703A of title 38, United States Code) for treatment 
     that the veteran describes as being related to, or ancillary 
     to, the exposure of the veteran to toxic airborne chemicals 
     and fumes caused by open burn pits at any time while serving 
     in the Armed Forces.
       (4) 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).
       (5) The term ``reported case of burn pit exposure'' means 
     each instance in which a veteran presents at a medical 
     facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs (or in a non-
     Department facility pursuant to section 1703 or 1703A of 
     title 38, United States Code) for treatment that the veteran 
     describes as

[[Page S7131]]

     being related to, or ancillary to, the exposure of the 
     veteran to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open 
     burn pits at any time while serving in the Armed Forces.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 3866. Mr. BROWN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 2792, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2022 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 B of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1013. STUDY AND REPORT ON HOUSING AND SERVICE NEEDS OF 
                   SURVIVORS OF TRAFFICKING AND INDIVIDUALS AT 
                   RISK FOR TRAFFICKING.

       (a) Definitions.--
       (1) In general.--In this section:
       (A) Survivor of a severe form of trafficking.--The term 
     ``survivor of a severe form of trafficking'' has the meaning 
     given the term ``victim of a severe form of trafficking'' in 
     section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 
     (22 U.S.C. 7102).
       (B) Survivor of trafficking.--The term ``survivor of 
     trafficking'' has the meaning given the term ``victim of 
     trafficking'' in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims 
     Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).
       (2) Technical amendments.--Section 103 of the Trafficking 
     Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102) is amended--
       (A) in paragraph (16), by striking ``paragraph (9)'' and 
     inserting ``paragraph (11)''; and
       (B) in paragraph (17), by striking ``paragraph (9) or 
     (10)'' and inserting ``paragraph (11) or (12)''.
       (b) Study.--
       (1) In general.--The United States Interagency Council on 
     Homelessness (referred to in this section as the ``Council'') 
     shall conduct a study assessing the availability and 
     accessibility of housing and services for individuals 
     experiencing homelessness or housing instability who are--
       (A) survivors of trafficking, including survivors of a 
     severe form of trafficking; or
       (B) at risk of being trafficked.
       (2) Coordination and consultation.--In conducting the study 
     required under paragraph (1), the Council shall--
       (A) coordinate with--
       (i) the Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat 
     Trafficking established pursuant to section 105 of the 
     Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7103);
       (ii) the United States Advisory Council on Human 
     Trafficking;
       (iii) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
       (iv) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
       (v) the Attorney General; and
       (B) consult with--
       (i) the National Advisory Committee on the Sex Trafficking 
     of Children and Youth in the United States;
       (ii) survivors of trafficking;
       (iii) direct service providers, including--

       (I) organizations serving runaway and homeless youth;
       (II) organizations serving survivors of trafficking through 
     community-based programs; and
       (III) organizations providing housing services to survivors 
     of trafficking; and

       (iv) housing and homelessness assistance providers, 
     including recipients of grants under--

       (I) the continuum of care program authorized under subtitle 
     C of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 11381 et seq.); and
       (II) the Emergency Solutions Grants Program authorized 
     under subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11371 et seq.).

       (3) Contents.--The study required under paragraph (1) shall 
     include--
       (A) with respect to the individuals described in such 
     paragraph--
       (i) an evaluation of formal assessments and outreach 
     methods used to identify and assess the housing and service 
     needs of such individuals, including outreach methods--

       (I) to ensure effective communication with individuals with 
     disabilities; and
       (II) to reach individuals with limited English proficiency;

       (ii) a review of the availability and accessibility of 
     homelessness or housing services for such individuals, 
     including the family members of such individuals who are 
     minors involved in foster care systems, that identifies the 
     disability-related needs of such individuals, including the 
     need for housing with accessibility features;
       (iii) the effect of any policies and procedures of 
     mainstream homelessness or housing services that facilitate 
     or limit the availability of such services and accessibility 
     for such individuals, including individuals who are involved 
     in the legal system, as such services are in effect as of the 
     date on which the study is initiated;
       (iv) an identification of best practices in meeting the 
     housing and service needs of such individuals; and
       (v) an assessment of barriers to fair housing and housing 
     discrimination against survivors of trafficking who are 
     members of a protected class under the Fair Housing Act (42 
     U.S.C. 3601 et seq.);
       (B) an assessment of the ability of mainstream homelessness 
     or housing services to meet the specialized needs of 
     survivors of trafficking, including trauma responsive 
     approaches specific to labor and sex trafficking survivors; 
     and
       (C) an evaluation of the effectiveness of, and 
     infrastructure considerations for, housing and service-
     delivery models that are specific to survivors of 
     trafficking, including survivors of severe forms of 
     trafficking, including emergency rental assistance models.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Council shall--
       (1) submit a report to the Committee on Banking, Housing, 
     and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Financial Services of the House of Representatives that 
     contains the information described in subsection (b)(3); and
       (2) make the report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly 
     available.

                          ____________________