[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 154 (Friday, September 19, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6797]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3910. Mr. BOOKER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 3748 proposed by Mr. Wicker (for himself and Mr. Reed) to
the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 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 F of title X, add the following:
SEC. 1067. STUDY ON HEALTH CONDITIONS AMONG SPOUSES AND
DEPENDENTS OF VIETNAM-ERA HERBICIDE-EXPOSED
VETERANS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Toxic Exposure Research
Working Group established under section 501 of the Sergeant
First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address
Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-168; 136
Stat. 1785) (in this section referred to as the ``Working
Group'') shall conduct a study on the diagnoses of health
conditions among spouses and dependents of Vietnam-era
herbicide-exposed veterans.
(b) Elements.--The study required under subsection (a)
shall include an assessment and comprehensive review of
diagnoses of health conditions among spouses and dependents
of Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed veterans, including--
(1) cancers;
(2) gynecological conditions, including infertility;
(3) birth defects; and
(4) birth and pregnancy-related complications, including
miscarriages.
(c) Reports.--
(1) Report on study.--
(A) In general.--Following the completion of the study
under subsection (a), the Working Group shall submit to the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs a report on the results of the
study.
(B) Elements.--The report required under subparagraph (A)
shall include--
(i) a summary of the research and other activities carried
out as part of the study; and
(ii) recommendations to improve early screening, detection,
prevention, and treatment of health conditions of spouses and
dependents of Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed veterans.
(2) Report to congress.--Not later than December 31, 2027,
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) an unaltered version of the report required under
paragraph (1); and
(B) an assessment by the Secretary of the findings and
recommendations of the study required under subsection (a),
including a plan for implementing the recommendations.
(d) Vietnam-era Herbicide-exposed Veteran Defined.--In this
section, the term ``Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed veteran''
has the meaning given that term in section 1710(e)(4)(A) of
title 38, United States Code.
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