[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 53 (Thursday, March 24, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1780-S1781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 5014. Mr. SCHUMER (for Mr. Boozman (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Mr.
Blumenthal, and Mr. Kelly)) proposed an amendment to the bill S. 2102,
to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Under Secretary
for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mammography
screening for veterans who served in locations associated with toxic
exposure; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas
Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat
Environments Act'' or the ``Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE
Act''.
SEC. 2. REVISION OF BREAST CANCER MAMMOGRAPHY POLICY OF
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE
MAMMOGRAPHY SCREENING FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED
IN LOCATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TOXIC EXPOSURE.
(a) In General.--Section 7322 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``The'' and inserting
``In General.--The'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``The'' and inserting ``Standards for
Screening.--The''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``a record of service
in a location and during a period specified in subsection
(d),'' after ``risk factors,''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(c) Eligibility for Screening for Veterans Exposed to
Toxic Substances.--The Under Secretary for Health shall
ensure that, under the policy developed under subsection (a),
any veteran who, during active military, naval, or air
service, was deployed in support of a contingency operation
in a location and during a period specified in subsection
(d), is eligible for a mammography screening by a health care
provider of the Department.
``(d) Locations and Periods Specified.--(1) The locations
and periods specified in this subsection are the following:
``(A) Iraq during following periods:
``(i) The period beginning on August 2, 1990, and ending on
February 28, 1991.
``(ii) The period beginning on March 19, 2003, and ending
on such date as the Secretary determines burn pits are no
longer used in Iraq.
``(B) The Southwest Asia theater of operations, other than
Iraq, during the period beginning on August 2, 1990, and
ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn pits are
no longer used in such location, including the following
locations:
``(i) Kuwait.
``(ii) Saudi Arabia.
``(iii) Oman.
``(iv) Qatar.
``(C) Afghanistan during the period beginning on September
11, 2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Afghanistan.
``(D) Djibouti during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Djibouti.
``(E) Syria during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Syria.
``(F) Jordan during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Jordan.
``(G) Egypt during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Egypt.
``(H) Lebanon during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Lebanon.
``(I) Yemen during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Yemen.
``(J) Such other locations and corresponding periods as set
forth by the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry
established 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).
``(K) Such other locations and corresponding periods as the
Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense,
may determine appropriate in a report submitted under
paragraph (2).
``(2) Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting
Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act, and
not less frequently than once every two years thereafter, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the
Secretary of Defense, shall submit to Congress a report
[[Page S1781]]
specifying other locations and corresponding periods for
purposes of paragraph (1)(K).
``(3) A location under this subsection shall not include
any body of water around or any airspace above such location.
``(4) In this subsection, the term `burn pit' means an area
of land that--
``(A) is used for disposal of solid waste by burning in the
outdoor air; and
``(B) does not contain a commercially manufactured
incinerator or other equipment specifically designed and
manufactured for the burning of solid waste.''.
(b) Report on Breast Cancer Rates for Veterans Deployed to
Certain Areas.--Not later than two years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report that compares the rates of breast
cancer among members of the Armed Forces deployed to the
locations and during the periods specified in section 7322(d)
of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a),
as compared to members of the Armed Forces who were not
deployed to those locations during those periods and to the
civilian population.
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