I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1565

To establish a National Center for Military Deployment Health Research 

in the Department of Health and Human Services to provide an independent means for the conduct and coordination of research into issues 

relating to the deployment of members of the Armed Forces overseas, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 2, 2003

Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Ms. LEE, Mr. FROST, Mr. SANDERS, Mrs. JONES

of Ohio, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Mr. CONYERS) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 

in addition to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs, the Budget, and 

Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL

To establish a National Center for Military Deployment 

Health Research in the Department of Health and 

Human Services to provide an independent means for 

the conduct and coordination of research into issues relating to the deployment of members of the Armed 

Forces overseas, and for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Servicemembers 

3 Health Protection Act of 2003’’. 

4 TITLE I—NATIONAL CENTER 

5 FOR MILITARY DEPLOYMENT 

6 HEALTH RESEARCH 

7 SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR 

8 MILITARY DEPLOYMENT HEALTH RESEARCH. 

9 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the 

11 Department of Health and Human Services a center 

12 to be known as the National Center for Military De13 ployment Health Research (hereinafter in this Act 

14 referred to as the ‘‘Center’’). 

15 (2) DIRECTOR.—The Center shall be headed by 

16 a Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary 

17 of Health and Human Services. 

18 (3) PURPOSE.—The Center shall, in accordance 

19 with this Act, conduct research on deployment-re20 lated health issues of members of the Armed Forces, 

21 veterans, and their families and serve as the national 

22 center for coordination of private and public re23 search on those issues. 

24 (b) DEPLOYMENT-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES DE25 FINED.—For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘deployment26 related health issues’’ includes the following: 
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1 (1) Issues relating to injuries, diseases, dis2 orders, or other health conditions of members of the 

3 Armed Forces arising or incurred during deployment 

4 and resulting from combat, training, infectious dis5 eases, and environmental exposures. 

6 (2) Conditions that emerge during or following 

7 deployment, including—

8 (A) diagnosable conditions; 

9 (B) medically unexplained symptoms (both 

10 physical and mental); 

11 (C) effects on health-related quality of life; 

12 (D) family impacts; and 

13 (E) sequelae of combat injuries. 

14 (3) Conditions arising from inoculations before 

15 deployment that are intended to provide protection 

16 from conditions that could be encountered during 

17 deployment. 

18 SEC. 102. FUNCTIONS. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—The functions of the Center shall 

20 be as follows: 

21 (1) Development of a coordinated research plan 

22 for deployment-related health issues. 

23 (2) Conducting and supporting research relat24 ing to deployment-related health issues. 
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1 (3) Creation of policies for conducting and sup2 porting such research and making the results of 

3 such research available to the public and guidelines 

4 for the conduct and dissemination of research by 

5 other Federal entities and by non-Federal entities, 

6 in matters relating to deployment-related health 

7 issues of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, 

8 and their families, including policies to minimize re9 search duplication. 

10 (4) Evaluation of the results of research de11 scribed in paragraph (3). 

12 (5) Development of policy recommendations 

13 that emerge from that research. 

14 (6) Communication of the results of the re15 search described in paragraph (3) to the medical 

16 community and persons with deployment-related 

17 health issues. 

18 (b) CORE FUNCTIONS.—The Center shall carry out 

19 the following core functions: 

20 (1) Research coordination and setting of prior21 ities. 

22 (2) Synthesis of research for the purpose of de23 veloping policy recommendations. 

24 (3) Review and analysis of longitudinal moni25 toring of deployment-related health of veterans. 
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1 (4) Facilitating the use of national data re2 sources for research activities relating to deploy3 ment-related health issues. 

4 (5) Communication of the results of such re5 search activities to the medical community and per6 sons with deployment-related health issues. 

7 (c) CONSULTATION.—The Director of the Center 

8 shall consult closely with the Advisory Committee on Mili9 tary Deployment Health Research established under sec10 tion 104 on all aspects of the activities of the Center. 

11 SEC. 103. RESEARCH NETWORK. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Center shall coordinate and 

13 conduct research activities relating to deployment-related 

14 health issues of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, 

15 and their families. The Center’s research activities shall 

16 include (1) activities with respect to research programs by 

17 other Federal departments and agencies, and (2) research 

18 activities initiated by the Center. 

19 (b) FEDERAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS.—

20 (1) INVENTORY OF FEDERAL RESEARCH PRO21 GRAMS.—The Center shall develop and maintain an 

22 inventory of research programs relating to deploy23 ment-related health issues carried out by the Sec24 retary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
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1 the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and 

2 other Federal officials. 

3 (2) CONSULTATION.—The Center shall consult 

4 with, and seek the advice of, other federally spon5 sored researchers in developing the Center’s research 

6 agenda. 

7 (c) CENTER-INITIATED RESEARCH.—

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Center shall conduct a 

9 broad-based research program into deployment-re10 lated health issues. As part of that program, the 

11 Center may, from funds appropriated for that pur12 pose, make grants for research into deployment-re13 lated health issues. Any such grant shall be made 

14 based upon issuance of a request for applications or 

15 a request for proposals. Applications and proposals 

16 shall be assessed through a peer-review process, 

17 which shall, to the extent possible, be carried out by 

18 the National Institutes of Health. 

19 (2) SOLICITATION OF PROPOSALS.—In con20 ducting such research, the Center shall solicit pro21 posals from other Federal agencies, from univer22 sities, and from other research entities. 

23 (3) RESEARCH NETWORK.—In awarding con24 tracts for research, the Center shall seek to establish 

25 a network of research sites at academic medical cen-
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1 ters, university-wide research facilities, and other ap2 propriate sources. 

3 (d) CORE RESEARCH PRINCIPLES.—Center-initiated 

4 research shall be conducted using the following core set 

5 of principles: 

6 (1) Use of a scientific peer-review process for 

7 all research. 

8 (2) Dissemination of research results to the sci9 entific community through conventional venues of 

10 scientific communication. 

11 (3) Encouragement of interagency, interdepart12 mental, and Federal-academic collaboration. 

13 SEC. 104. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 

14 (a) ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—

15 The Center shall have an Advisory Committee on Military 

16 Deployment Health Research. The Advisory Committee 

17 shall advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

18 and the Director of the Center on all aspects of the activi19 ties of the Center. 

20 (b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Committee shall 

21 consist of 21 members, appointed as follows: 

22 (1) 12 members appointed by the President, of 

23 whom—

24 (A) 6 shall be appointed from persons who, 

25 by reason of training, experience, and edu-
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1 cation, have qualifications in the fields of re2 search to be conducted by the Center; and 

3 (B) 6 shall be appointed from the general 

4 population, including persons representing the 

5 interests of veterans and their families and the 

6 general public. 

7 (2) 3 members appointed by the Secretary of 

8 Veterans Affairs from officers and employees of the 

9 Department of Veterans Affairs. 

10 (3) 3 members appointed by the Secretary of 

11 Defense from officers and employees of the Depart12 ment of Defense and members of the Armed Forces. 

13 (4) 3 members appointed by the Secretary of 

14 Health and Human Services from officers and em15 ployees of the Department of Health and Human 

16 Services. 

17 (c) RECOMMENDATIONS BY INDEPENDENT SCI18 ENTIFIC ENTITY.—The President shall designate an inde19 pendent scientific entity to make recommendations for ap20 pointments under paragraph (1) of subsection (b). When 

21 making such recommendations, the entity shall rec22 ommend twice the number of candidates as there are posi23 tions available. 
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1 (d) TERMS.—Persons appointed to the Advisory 

2 Committee under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) shall 

3 serve for a term of three years, except that—

4 (1) of the persons initially appointed pursuant 

5 to subsection (b)(1)(A), two shall be appointed for a 

6 term of one year and two shall be appointed for a 

7 term of two years; and 

8 (2) of the persons initially appointed pursuant 

9 to subsection (b)(1)(B), two shall be appointed for 

10 a term of one year and two shall be appointed for 

11 a term of two years. 

12 (e) PAY AND TRAVEL EXPENSES.—

13 (1) PAY.—Persons appointed to the Advisory 

14 Committee under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) 

15 shall receive pay at the daily equivalent of the rate 

16 of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive 

17 Schedule for each day engaged in functions for the 

18 Advisory Committee. Persons appointed to the Advi19 sory Committee under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of 

20 subsection (b) shall receive no additional compensa21 tion by reason of service on the Advisory Committee. 

22 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members of the Advi23 sory Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, in24 cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates au25 thorized for employees of agencies under subchapter 
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1 I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 

2 away from their homes or regular places of business 

3 in the performance of services for the Commission. 

4 (f) CHAIR.—The President shall designate one of the 

5 members of the Advisory Committee to chair the Advisory 

6 Committee. 

7 (g) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee shall meet 

8 on the call of the chair or a majority of the members of 

9 the Advisory Board. 

10 (h) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Section 

11 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply 

12 to the Advisory Committee. 

13 SEC. 105. ANNUAL REPORT. 

14 The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 

15 submit to Congress an annual report on the activities of 

16 the Center. The report shall include—

17 (1) a description of the activities of the Center 

18 during the preceding fiscal year and 

19 (2) a detailed description of the proposed budg20 et for the Center for the next fiscal year. 

21 SEC. 106. BUDGET. 

22 In the President’s budget for any fiscal year sub23 mitted to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United 

24 States Code, amounts requested for the activities of the 

25 Center shall be set forth separately and distinctly, with
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1 amounts requested for the core functions of the Center 

2 and for Center-initiated research identified individually. 

3 TITLE II—CENTERS FOR RE4 SEARCH ON POST-DEPLOY5 MENT ILLNESSES IN DEPART6 MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 

7 SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 73 of 

9 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

10 end the following new section:

11 ‘‘§ 7327. Centers for research on post-deployment ill12 nesses 

13 ‘‘(a)(1) The Secretary shall establish and operate 

14 centers for research, education, and clinical activities re15 lated to post-deployment illnesses. Such centers shall be 

16 known as ‘National Centers for Military Post-Deployment 

17 Illness Research’. Such centers shall be established and 

18 operated by collaborating Department facilities as pro19 vided in subsection (c)(1). 

20 ‘‘(2) For purposes of this section, term ‘post-deploy21 ment illness’ means any health condition being currently 

22 studied or that will be studied that has (or that may have) 

23 an association to or relation to a military deployment mis24 sion, including a peacekeeping mission. 

25 ‘‘(3) Each such center shall function as a center for—
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1 ‘‘(A) research on post-deployment illnesses; 

2 ‘‘(B) the use by the Department of specific models 

3 for furnishing services to treat post-deployment ill4 nesses; 

5 ‘‘(C) education and training of health-care profes6 sionals of the Department; and 

7 ‘‘(D) the development and implementation of in8 novative clinical activities and systems of care with 

9 respect to the delivery of such services by the De10 partment. 

11 ‘‘(4) The Secretary shall provide for the research con12 ducted by such centers to be compiled and transmitted to 

13 a centrally located coordinating center. 

14 ‘‘(b)(1) The Secretary shall, upon the recommendation 

15 of the Under Secretary for Health, the Secretary of De16 fense, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 

17 designate not more than 25 centers under this section. In 

18 making such designations, the Secretary shall ensure that 

19 the centers designated are located in various geographic 

20 regions of the United States. 

21 ‘‘(2) The authority of the Secretary to establish and op22 erate centers under this section is subject to the appro23 priation of funds for that purpose. 

24 ‘‘(c) The Secretary may not designate a health-care 

25 facility as a location for a center under subsection (a) un-
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1 less the peer review panel established under subsection (d) 

2 has determined under that subsection that the proposal 

3 submitted by such facility as a location for a new center 

4 under subsection (a) is among those proposals which have 

5 met the highest competitive standards of scientific and 

6 clinical merit, and the Secretary (upon the recommenda7 tion of the Under Secretary for Health) determines that 

8 the facility has (or may reasonably be anticipated to de9 velop) each of the following: 

10 ‘‘(1) An arrangement with an accredited med11 ical school which provides education and training in 

12 post-deployment illnesses and with which such facil13 ity is affiliated under which residents receive edu14 cation and training in post-deployment illnesses. 

15 ‘‘(2) An arrangement under which nursing or 

16 allied health personnel receive training and edu17 cation in post-deployment illnesses. 

18 ‘‘(3) The ability to attract the participation of 

19 scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity 

20 in health-care research efforts. 

21 ‘‘(4) A policymaking advisory committee com22 posed of appropriate health-care and research rep23 resentatives of the facility and of the affiliated 

24 school or schools to advise the directors of such fa25 cility and such center on policy matters pertaining to 
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1 the activities of such center during the period of the 

2 operation of such center. 

3 ‘‘(5) The capability to conduct effectively eval4 uations of the activities of such center. 

5 ‘‘(d)(1) In order to provide advice to assist the Sec6 retary and the Under Secretary for Health in carrying out 

7 their responsibilities under this section, the Under Sec8 retary shall establish a panel to assess the scientific and 

9 clinical merit of proposals that are submitted to the Sec10 retary for the establishment of new centers under this sec11 tion. 

12 ‘‘(2) The membership of the panel shall consist of ex13 perts in the fields of post-deployment illnesses research, 

14 education, and clinical care. Members of the panel shall 

15 serve as consultants to the Department for a period of 

16 no longer than six months. 

17 ‘‘(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted 

18 to the panel by the Under Secretary and shall submit its 

19 views on the relative scientific and clinical merit of each 

20 such proposal to the Under Secretary. 

21 ‘‘(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal 

22 Advisory Committee Act. 

23 ‘‘(e) There are authorized to be appropriated such 

24 sums as may be necessary for the support of the research, 

25 treatment, and education activities of the centers estab-
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1 lished pursuant to subsection (a). The Under Secretary 

2 for Health shall allocate to such centers from other funds 

3 appropriated generally for the Department medical care 

4 account and medical and prosthetics research account, as 

5 appropriate, such amounts as the Under Secretary for 

6 Health determines appropriate. 

7 ‘‘(f) Activities of clinical and scientific investigation 

8 at each center established under subsection (a) shall be 

9 eligible to compete for the award of funding from funds 

10 appropriated for the Department medical and prosthetics 

11 research account and shall receive priority in the award 

12 of funding from such account insofar as funds are award13 ed to projects for research in post-deployment illnesses.’’.

14 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

15 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

16 after the item relating to section 7326 the following new 

17 item:

‘‘7327. Centers for research on post-deployment illnesses.’’.

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