[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 191 (Monday, November 1, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7567-S7568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4130. Mrs. SHAHEEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed 
to the bill H.R. 4350, 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 title VII, add the following:

Subtitle D--Documentation and Testing of Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl and 
                       Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

     SEC. 761. INCLUSION OF EXPOSURE TO PERFLUOROALKYL AND 
                   POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES AS PART OF PERIODIC 
                   HEALTH ASSESSMENTS.

       (a) Periodic Health Assessment.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall ensure that any periodic health assessment provided to 
     a member of the Armed Forces includes an evaluation of 
     whether the member has been--
       (1) based or stationed at a military installation 
     identified by the Department of Defense as a location with a 
     known or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or 
     polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in which the 
     member was based or stationed at the military installation; 
     or
       (2) exposed to such substances, including by evaluating any 
     information in the health record of the member.
       (b) Separation History and Physical Examinations.--Section 
     1145(a)(5) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(D) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that each 
     physical examination of a member under subparagraph (A) 
     includes an assessment of whether the member was--
       ``(i) based or stationed at a military installation 
     identified by the Department as a location with a known or 
     suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or 
     polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in which the 
     member was based or stationed at the military installation; 
     or
       ``(ii) exposed to such substances, including by assessing 
     any information in the health record of the member.''.
       (c) Deployment Assessments.--Section 1074f(b)(2) of title 
     10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new subparagraph:
       ``(E) An assessment of whether the member was--
       ``(i) based or stationed at a military installation 
     identified by the Department as a location with a known or 
     suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or 
     polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in which the 
     member was based or stationed at the military installation; 
     or
       ``(ii) exposed to such substances, including by assessing 
     any information in the health record of the member.''.

     SEC. 762. PROVISION OF BLOOD TESTING FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
                   FORCES, FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES, AND 
                   THEIR FAMILIES TO DETERMINE EXPOSURE TO 
                   PERFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES OR POLYFLUOROALKYL 
                   SUBSTANCES.

       (a) Members of the Armed Forces.--
       (1) In general.--If a covered evaluation of a member of the 
     Armed Forces results in a positive determination of potential 
     exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to that 
     member, during that covered evaluation, blood testing to 
     determine and document potential exposure to such substances.
       (2) Inclusion in health record.--The results of blood 
     testing of a member of the Armed Forces conducted under 
     paragraph (1) shall be included in the health record of the 
     member.
       (b) Former Members of the Armed Forces and Family 
     Members.--The Secretary shall pay for blood testing to 
     determine and document potential exposure to perfluoroalkyl 
     substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances for any covered 
     individual, at the election of the individual, either through 
     the TRICARE program for individuals otherwise eligible for 
     such program or through the use of vouchers to obtain such 
     testing.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Covered evaluation.--The term ``covered evaluation'' 
     means--
       (A) a periodic health assessment conducted in accordance 
     with section 761(a);
       (B) a separation history and physical examination conducted 
     under section 1145(a)(5) of title 10, United States Code, as 
     amended by section 761(b); and
       (C) a deployment assessment conducted under section 
     1074f(b)(2) of such title, as amended by section 761(c).
       (2) Covered individual.--The term ``covered individual'' 
     means a former member of

[[Page S7568]]

     the Armed Forces or a family member of a member or former 
     member of the Armed Forces who lived at a location (or the 
     surrounding area of such a location) identified by the 
     Department of Defense as a location with a known or suspected 
     release of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances during the period in which the individual lived at 
     that location (or surrounding area).
       (3) TRICARE program.--The term ``TRICARE program'' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 1072(7) of title 10, 
     United States Code.

     SEC. 763. DOCUMENTATION OF EXPOSURE TO PERFLUOROALKYL 
                   SUBSTANCES OR POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES.

       (a) Sharing of Information.--The Secretary of Defense and 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a 
     memorandum of understanding providing for the sharing by the 
     Department of Defense with the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     of the results of covered evaluations regarding the exposure 
     by a member of the Armed Forces to perfluoroalkyl substances 
     or polyfluoroalkyl substances.
       (b) Registry.--
       (1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     establish a registry of members of the Armed Forces who have 
     been exposed to, or are suspected to have been exposed to, 
     perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances.
       (2) Inclusion in registry.--The Secretary shall include a 
     member of the Armed Forces in the registry established under 
     paragraph (1) if a covered evaluation of the member 
     establishes that the member--
       (A) was based or stationed at a location identified by the 
     Department of Defense as a location with a known or suspected 
     release of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances during the period in which the member was based or 
     stationed at the location; or
       (B) was exposed to such substances.
       (3) Blood testing.--The results of any blood test conducted 
     under section 4(a) shall be included in the registry 
     established under paragraph (1) for any member of the Armed 
     Forces included in the registry.
       (4) Election.--A member of the Armed Forces may elect not 
     to be included in the registry established under paragraph 
     (1).
       (c) Provision of Information.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall provide to a member of the Armed Forces more 
     information on perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances and the potential impact of exposure to such 
     substances if a covered evaluation of such member establishes 
     that the member--
       (1) was based or stationed at a location identified by the 
     Department of Defense as a location with a known or suspected 
     release of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl 
     substances during the period in which the member was based or 
     stationed at the location; or
       (2) was exposed to such substances.
       (d) 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 exposure of the veteran to 
     perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances not 
     being recorded in a covered evaluation.
       (e) Covered Evaluation Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``covered evaluation'' means--
       (1) a periodic health assessment conducted in accordance 
     with section 761(a);
       (2) a separation history and physical examination conducted 
     under section 1145(a)(5) of title 10, United States Code, as 
     amended by section 761(b); and
       (3) a deployment assessment conducted under section 
     1074f(b)(2) of such title, as amended by section 761(c).
                                 ______