Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act

Summary: Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act  This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to open burn pits and other environmental exposures in Afghanistan or Iraq. The VA shall, in selecting the site, consider entities that:    are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to such exposure;  have a publication track record of post-deployment health exposures among veterans who served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;  have collaborated with a geosciences department that has a medical geology division;  have developed animal models and in vitro models of dust immunology and lung injury consistent with the injuries of members of the Armed Forces who served in support of such Operations; and   have expertise in allergy and immunology, pulmonary diseases, and industrial and management engineering.  The VA shall ensure that the center collaborates with the Department of Defense (DOD), institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities to:   provide for dissemination within the VA of best practices for the treatment of such conditions and the training of health professionals;   provide guidance for the VA and DOD health systems in determining the personnel required to provide quality health care for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with such conditions; establish, implement, and oversee a comprehensive program to train VA and DOD health professionals in the treatment of such conditions;  facilitate advancements in the study of the short-term and long-term effects of such exposure;  conduct basic science and translational research on such conditions for the purposes of understanding the etiology of such conditions and developing preventive interventions and new treatments; and  provide medical treatment to all veterans identified as part of the burn pits registry established under the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012.   The center shall have access to and make use of the data accumulated by such registry.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn 
Pits Act''.

SEC. 2. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, MITIGATION, 
              TREATMENT, AND REHABILITATION OF HEALTH CONDITIONS 
              RELATING TO EXPOSURE TO BURN PITS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL 
              EXPOSURES.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs a center of 
excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and 
rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to burn pits 
and other environmental exposures to carry out the responsibilities 
specified in subsection (d). Such center shall be established using--
            (1) the directives, policies, and Comptroller General and 
        Inspector General recommendations in effect as of the date of 
        the enactment of this Act; and
            (2) guidance issued pursuant to section 313 of the National 
        Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 112-
        239; 126 Stat. 1692; 10 U.S.C. 1074 note).
    (b) Selection of Sites.--In selecting the site for the center of 
excellence established under subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall consider entities that--
            (1) are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to 
        study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to 
        exposure to burn pits and other environmental exposures;
            (2) have a publication track record of post-deployment 
        health exposures among veterans who served in the Armed Forces 
        in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring 
        Freedom;
            (3) have collaborated with a geosciences department that 
        has a medical geology division;
            (4) have developed animal models and in vitro models of 
        dust immunology and lung injury consistent with the injuries of 
        members of the Armed Forces who served in support of Operation 
        Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; and
            (5) have expertise in allergy and immunology, pulmonary 
        diseases, and industrial and management engineering.
    (c) Collaboration.--The Secretary shall ensure that the center of 
excellence collaborates, to the maximum extent practicable, with the 
Secretary of Defense, institutions of higher education, and other 
appropriate public and private entities (including international 
entities) to carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection 
(d).
    (d) Responsibilities.--The center of excellence shall have the 
following responsibilities:
            (1) To provide for the development, testing, and 
        dissemination within the Department of Veterans Affairs of best 
        practices for the treatment of health conditions relating to 
        exposure to burn pits and other environmental exposures.
            (2) To provide guidance for the health system of the 
        Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense in 
        determining the personnel required to provide quality health 
        care for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with health 
        conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and other 
        environmental exposures.
            (3) To establish, implement, and oversee a comprehensive 
        program to train health professionals of the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense in the treatment 
        of health conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and 
        other environmental exposures.
            (4) To facilitate advancements in the study of the short-
        term and long-term effects of exposure to burn pits and other 
        environmental exposures.
            (5) To disseminate within the military medical treatment 
        facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs best practices 
        for training health professionals with respect to health 
        conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and other 
        environmental exposures.
            (6) To conduct basic science and translational research on 
        health conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and other 
        environmental exposures for the purposes of understanding the 
        etiology of such conditions and developing preventive 
        interventions and new treatments.
            (7) To provide medical treatment to all veterans identified 
        as part of the burn pits 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).
    (e) Use of Burn Pits Registry Data.--In carrying out its 
responsibilities under subsection (d), the center shall have access to 
and make use of the data accumulated by the burn pits 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).
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``burn pit'' means an area of land located in 
        Afghanistan or Iraq that--
                    (A) is designated by the Secretary of Defense to be 
                used for disposing 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.
            (2) The term ``other environmental exposures'' means 
        exposure to environmental hazards, including burn pits, dust or 
        sand, hazardous materials, and waste at any site in Afghanistan 
        or Iraq that emits smoke containing pollutants present in the 
        environment or smoke from fires or explosions.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $30,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2016 through 2021.