[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2397. Mrs. BLACKBURN submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal year 2025 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 VII, add the following:

     SEC. 750. STUDY ON EFFECTIVENESS OF HEARING LOSS PREVENTION 
                   PROGRAMS.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense, in partnership with 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall conduct a study on 
     the effectiveness of hearing loss prevention programs of the 
     Department of Defense in reducing hearing loss and tinnitus 
     prevalence among members of the Armed Forces and veterans.
       (b) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a report on the study 
     conducted under subsection (a).
       (2) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
     shall include, at a minimum--
       (A) the amount of funding used and types of programs 
     implemented to address hearing loss among members of the 
     Armed Forces;
       (B) an identification of such programs that are effective; 
     and
       (C) recommendations for legislative action to improve 
     hearing health outcomes among members of the Armed Forces and 
     veterans.
       (3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
     subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives.
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