Military Deployment Health Research Act of 2000

Summary: Title II: Centers for Research on Post-Deployment Illnesses in Department of Veterans Affairs
 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish and operate centers for research, education, and clinical activities related to post-deployment illnesses, designating such centers as National Centers for Military Post-Deployment Illness Research. Defines a "post-deployment illness" as one having an association or relation to a military mission, including a peacekeeping mission. Allows the designation of no more than 25 centers, and requires geographical diversity of such centers. Requires the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a peer review panel to assess the scientific and clinical merit of proposals submitted for center designation.
Authorizes appropriations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Military Deployment Health Research 
Act of 2000''.

   TITLE I--NATIONAL CENTER FOR MILITARY DEPLOYMENT HEALTH RESEARCH.

SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established in the executive branch of 
the Government an agency to be known as the National Center for 
Military Deployment Health Research (hereinafter in this title referred 
to as the ``Center''). The Center shall, in accordance with this title, 
coordinate and conduct private and public research on deployment-
related health issues of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and 
their families.
    (b) Reporting.--(1) The Center shall be under the auspices of, and 
shall report to, the Military and Veterans Health Coordinating Board 
established on November 11, 1998, by Presidential Review Directive 5.
    (2) The provisions of that directive as in effect on the date of 
the enactment of this Act shall remain in effect unless changed by law.
    (3) The Research Working Group of that Board, as in effect on the 
date of the enactment of this Act, shall be disestablished, and the 
functions of that group shall be assumed by the Center.

SEC. 102. GOVERNING BOARD.

    (a) Establishment of Governing Board.--The Center shall be under 
the direction of a Governing Board. The Governing Board shall consist 
of 21 members, appointed as follows:
            (1) Twelve members appointed by the President, of whom--
                    (A) six shall be appointed from persons who, by 
                reason of training, experience, and education, have 
                qualifications in the fields of research to be 
                considered by the Board; and
                    (B) six shall be appointed from the general 
                population, including persons representing the 
                interests of veterans and their families and the 
                general public.
            (2) Three members appointed by the Secretary of Veterans 
        Affairs from officers and employees of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs.
            (3) Three members appointed by the Secretary of Defense 
        from officers and employees of the Department of Defense and 
        members of the Armed Forces.
            (4) Three members appointed by the Secretary of Health and 
        Human Services from officers and employees of the Department of 
        Health and Human Services.
    (b) Recommendations by Independent Scientific Entity.--The 
President shall designate an independent scientific entity to make 
recommendations for appointments under paragraph (1) of subsection (a). 
When making such recommendations, the entity shall recommend twice the 
number of candidates as there are positions available.
    (c) Terms.--Persons appointed to the Governing Board under 
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall serve for a term of three years, 
except that, of the persons initially appointed--
            (1) pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(A), two shall be 
        appointed for a term of one year, and two shall be appointed 
        for a term of two years;
            (2) pursuant to subsection (a)(1)(B), two shall be 
        appointed for a term of one year, and two shall be appointed 
        for a term of two years;
            (3) pursuant to subsection (a)(2), one shall be appointed 
        for a term of one year, and one shall be appointed for a term 
        of two years;
            (4) pursuant to subsection (a)(3), one shall be appointed 
        for a term of one year, and one shall be appointed for a term 
        of two years; and
            (5) pursuant to subsection (a)(4), one shall be appointed 
        for a term of one year, and one shall be appointed for a term 
        of two years.
    (d) Pay.--Persons appointed to the Governing Board under paragraph 
(1) of subsection (a) shall receive pay at the rate of basic pay 
payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule. Persons appointed to 
the Governing Board under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subsection (a) 
shall receive no additional compensation by reason of service on the 
board.
    (e) Chair of the Governing Board.--The President shall designate 
one of the members of the Governing Board to chair the Board.
    (f) Meetings.--The Governing Board shall meet on the call of the 
chair of the Board or a majority of the members of the Board.
    (g) Functions.--The functions of the Governing Board shall be as 
follows:
            (1) Development of a coordinated research agenda.
            (2) Commissioning of new research.
            (3) Creation of policies for the conduct and dissemination 
        of research by the Center, other Federal entities, and non-
        Federal entities in matters relating to deployment-related 
        health issues of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and 
their families, including policies to minimize research duplication.
            (4) Evaluation of the results of research described in 
        paragraph (3).
            (5) Development of policy recommendations that emerge from 
        that research.
            (6) Communication of the results of the research described 
        in paragraph (3) to the medical community and patients with 
        deployment-related health issues.
    (h) Director.--The Governing Board shall select a Director for the 
Center, who shall receive pay at the rate of basic pay payable for 
level III of the Executive Schedule.

SEC. 103. RESEARCH NETWORK.

    (a) In General.--The Center shall coordinate and conduct research 
activities relating to deployment-related health issues of members of 
the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. The Center's research 
activities shall include (1) activities with respect to Federal 
research programs, and (2) Center-initiated research.
    (b) Federal Research Programs.--(1) The Center shall conduct and 
maintain an inventory of research programs relating to deployment-
related health issues carried out by the Secretary of Defense, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, and other Federal officials.
    (2) The Center shall consult with, and seek the advice of, other 
federally sponsored researchers (both intramural and extramural) in 
developing the Center's research agenda.
    (c) Center-Initiated Research.--(1) The Center shall conduct a 
broad-based research program into deployment-related health issues. As 
part of that program, the Center may, from funds appropriated for that 
purpose, make grants for research into deployment-related health 
issues. Any such grant shall be made based upon issuance of a Request 
for Applications or a Request for Proposals. Applications and proposals 
shall be assessed through a peer-review process, which shall, to the 
extent possible, be carried out by the National Institutes of Health.
    (2) In conducting such research, the Center shall solicit proposals 
from other Federal agencies, from universities, and from other research 
sites.
    (3) In awarding contracts for research, the Center shall seek to 
establish a network of research sites at academic medical centers, 
university-wide research facilities, and other appropriate sources.
    (d) Core Research Principles.--Center-initiated research shall be 
conducted using the following core set of principles:
            (1) Use of a scientific peer-review process for all 
        research.
            (2) Dissemination of research results to the scientific 
        community through conventional venues of scientific 
        communication.
            (3) Encouragement of interagency, interdepartmental, and 
        Federal-academic collaboration.

SEC. 104. CORE FUNCTIONS.

    The Center shall carry out the following core functions:
            (1) Research coordination and setting of priorities.
            (2) Synthesis of research for the purpose of developing 
        policy recommendations.
            (3) Review and analysis of longitudinal monitoring of 
        deployment-related health of veterans.
            (4) Facilitating the use of national data resources for 
        research activities relating to deployment-related health 
        issues.
            (5) Communication of the results of such research 
        activities to the medical community and patients with 
        deployment-related health issues.

SEC. 105. ANNUAL REPORT; BUDGET.

    (a) Annual Report.--The Governing Board for the Center shall submit 
to Congress an annual report on the activities of the Center. The 
report shall include--
            (1) a description of the activities of the Center during 
        the preceding year; and
            (2) a detailed description of the proposed budget for the 
        Center for the next fiscal year.
    (b) Budget.--Funds shall be provided for the Center for each fiscal 
year in a discrete appropriation. Amounts appropriated for the Center 
for the core functions of the Center and for Center-initiated research 
shall be set forth separately.

SEC. 106. DEPLOYMENT-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES DEFINED.

    For purposes of this title, the term ``deployment-related health 
issues'' includes the following:
            (1) Issues relating to injuries and illnesses to members of 
        the Armed Forces during deployment resulting from combat, 
        training, infectious diseases, and environmental exposures.
            (2) Conditions that emerge during or following deployment, 
        including--
                    (A) diagnosable conditions;
                    (B) medically unexplained symptoms (both physical 
                and mental);
                    (C) effects on health-related quality of life;
                    (D) family impacts; and
                    (E) sequelae of combat injuries.
            (3) Conditions arising from inoculations before deployment 
        that are intended to provide protection from conditions that 
        could be encountered during deployment.

    TITLE II--CENTERS FOR RESEARCH ON POST-DEPLOYMENT ILLNESSES IN 
                    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS

    (a) In General.--(1) Chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 7323. Centers for research on post-deployment illnesses
    ``(a) The Secretary shall establish and operate centers for 
research, education, and clinical activities related to post-deployment 
illnesses. Such centers shall be known as `National Centers for 
Military Post-Deployment Illness Research'. Such centers shall be 
established and operated by collaborating Department facilities as 
provided in subsection (c)(1).
    ``(2) For purposes of this section and section 7324 of this title, 
the term `post-deployment illness' means any health condition being 
currently studied or that will be studied that has (or that may have) 
an association to or relation to a military deployment mission, 
including a peacekeeping mission.
    ``(3) Each such center shall function as a center for--
          ``(A) research on post-deployment illnesses;
          ``(B) the use by the Department of specific models for 
        furnishing services to treat post-deployment illnesses;
          ``(C) education and training of health-care professionals of 
        the Department; and
          ``(D) the development and implementation of innovative 
        clinical activities and systems of care with respect to the 
        delivery of such services by the Department.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall provide for the research conducted by 
such centers to be compiled and transmitted to a centrally located 
coordinating center.
  ``(b)(1) The Secretary shall, upon the recommendation of the Under 
Secretary for Health, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, designate not more than 25 centers under 
this section. In making such designations, the Secretary shall ensure 
that the centers designated are located in various geographic regions 
of the United States.
  (2) The authority of the Secretary to establish and operate centers 
under this section is subject to the appropriation of funds for that 
purpose.
    ``(c) The Secretary may not designate a health-care facility as a 
location for a center under subsection (a) unless the peer review panel 
established under subsection (d) has determined under that subsection 
that the proposal submitted by such facility as a location for a new 
center under subsection (a) is among those proposals which have met the 
highest competitive standards of scientific and clinical merit, and the 
Secretary (upon the recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health) 
determines that the facility has (or may reasonably be anticipated to 
develop) each of the following:
            ``(1) An arrangement with an accredited medical school 
        which provides education and training in post-deployment 
        illnesses and with which such facility is affiliated under 
        which residents receive education and training in post-
        deployment illnesses.
            ``(2) An arrangement under which nursing or allied health 
        personnel receive training and education in post-deployment 
        illnesses.
            ``(3) The ability to attract the participation of 
        scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity in 
        health-care research efforts.
            ``(4) A policymaking advisory committee composed of 
        appropriate health-care and research representatives of the 
        facility and of the affiliated school or schools to advise the 
        directors of such facility and such center on policy matters 
        pertaining to the activities of such center during the period 
        of the operation of such center.
            ``(5) The capability to conduct effectively evaluations of 
        the activities of such center.
    ``(d)(1) In order to provide advice to assist the Secretary and the 
Under Secretary for Health in carrying out their responsibilities under 
this section, the Under Secretary shall establish a panel to assess the 
scientific and clinical merit of proposals that are submitted to the 
Secretary for the establishment of new centers under this section.
    ``(2) The membership of the panel shall consist of experts in the 
fields of post-deployment illnesses research, education, and clinical 
care. Members of the panel shall serve as consultants to the Department 
for a period of no longer than six months.
    ``(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted to the panel 
by the Under Secretary and shall submit its views on the relative 
scientific and clinical merit of each such proposal to the Under 
Secretary.
    ``(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act.
    ``(e) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for the support of the research, treatment, and education 
activities of the centers established pursuant to subsection (a). The 
Under Secretary for Health shall allocate to such centers from other 
funds appropriated generally for the Department medical care account 
and medical and prosthetics research account, as appropriate, such 
amounts as the Under Secretary for Health determines appropriate.
    ``(f) Activities of clinical and scientific investigation at each 
center established under subsection (a) shall be eligible to compete 
for the award of funding from funds appropriated for the Department 
medical and prosthetics research account and shall receive priority in 
the award of funding from such account insofar as funds are awarded to 
projects for research in post-deployment illnesses.''.
    (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is 
amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``7323. Centers for research on post-deployment illnesses.''.