Helping Veterans Exposed to Toxic Chemicals Act

Summary: Helping Veterans Exposed to Toxic Chemicals Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to establish within the Department of Defense (DOD) three centers of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to open burn pits and other environmental exposures. Requires the Secretary to select for such centers entities that: (1) are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to such exposure; (2) have a publication track record of post-deployment health exposures among veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan; (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 from Iraq and Afghanistan; and (5) have expertise in allergy and immunology, pulmonary diseases, and industrial and management engineering. Directs the Secretary to ensure that the centers collaborate with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities to carry out specified responsibilities, including to: (1) implement the comprehensive plan and strategy for DOD for the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to such exposure; and (2) provide for dissemination within DOD of best practices for the treatment of such conditions and the training of health professionals. Requires the center to have access to and make use of the data accumulated by the burn pits registry established under the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Helping Veterans Exposed to Toxic 
Chemicals Act''.

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

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish within 
the Department of Defense three centers of excellence in the 
prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of 
health conditions relating to exposure to open burn pits and other 
environmental exposures to carry out the responsibilities specified in 
subsection (c). Such centers 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 sites for the centers of 
excellence under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall select 
entities that--
            (1) are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to 
        study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to 
        exposure to open burn pits and other environmental exposures;
            (2) have a publication track record of post-deployment 
        health exposures among veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan;
            (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 from Iraq and Afghanistan; and
            (5) have expertise in allergy and immunology, pulmonary 
        diseases, and industrial and management engineering.
    (c) Partnerships.--The Secretary shall ensure that the centers 
collaborate to the maximum extent practicable with the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, 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 shall have responsibilities as 
follows:
            (1) To implement the comprehensive plan and strategy for 
        the Department of Defense for the prevention, diagnosis, 
        mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions 
        relating to exposure to open burn pits and other environmental 
        exposures.
            (2) To provide for the development, testing, and 
        dissemination within the Department of best practices for the 
        treatment of health conditions relating to exposure to open 
        burn pits and other environmental exposures.
            (3) To provide guidance for the health system of the 
        Department in determining the personnel required to provide 
        quality health care for members of the Armed Forces with health 
        conditions relating to exposure to open burn pits and other 
        environmental exposures.
            (4) To establish, implement, and oversee a comprehensive 
        program to train health professionals of the Department in the 
        treatment of health conditions relating to exposure to open 
        burn pits and other environmental exposures.
            (5) To facilitate advancements in the study of the short-
        term and long-term effects of exposure to open burn pits and 
        other environmental exposures.
            (6) To disseminate within the military medical treatment 
        facilities of the Department best practices for training health 
        professionals with respect to health conditions relating to 
        exposure to open burn pits and other environmental exposures.
            (7) To conduct basic science and translational research on 
        health conditions relating to exposure to open burn pits and 
        other environmental exposures for the purposes of understanding 
        the etiology of such conditions and developing preventive 
        interventions and new treatments.
            (8) 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 (c), 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 ``open 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 2014 through 2019.