II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1602 

To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a national center for 

the diagnosis, treatment, and research of health conditions of the descendants of veterans exposed to toxic substances during service in the 

Armed Forces, to provide certain services to those descendants, to establish an advisory board on exposure to toxic substances, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 29, 2013 

Mr. BLUMENTHAL introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a national center for the diagnosis, treatment, and research 

of health conditions of the descendants of veterans exposed to toxic substances during service in the Armed 

Forces, to provide certain services to those descendants, 

to establish an advisory board on exposure to toxic substances, 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 ‘‘Toxic Exposure Re3 search and Military Family Support Act of 2013’’. 

4 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

5 In this Act: 

6 (1) ARMED FORCE.—The term ‘‘Armed Force’’ 

7 means the United States Army, Navy, Marine 

8 Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, including the re9 serve components thereof. 

10 (2) DESCENDANT.—The term ‘‘descendant’’ 

11 means, with respect to an individual, the biological 

12 child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of that indi13 vidual. 

14 (3) TOXIC SUBSTANCE.—The term ‘‘toxic sub15 stance’’ shall have the meaning given that term by 

16 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and shall include 

17 all substances that have been proven by peer re18 viewed scientific research or a preponderance of 

19 opinion in the medical community to lead to disabil20 ities related to the exposure of an individual to those 

21 substances while serving as a member of the Armed 

22 Forces. 

23 (4) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 

24 meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, 

25 United States Code. 


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1 SEC. 3. NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, TREAT2 MENT, AND RESEARCH OF HEALTH CONDI3 TIONS OF THE DESCENDANTS OF INDIVID4 UALS EXPOSED TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES DUR5 ING SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES. 

6 (a) NATIONAL CENTER.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year 

8 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec9 retary of Veterans Affairs shall select a medical cen10 ter of the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve 

11 as the national center for the diagnosis, treatment, 

12 and research of health conditions of descendants of 

13 individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving 

14 as members of the Armed Forces that are related to 

15 that exposure (in this section referred to as the 

16 ‘‘Center’’). 

17 (2) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.—The Center 

18 shall be selected under paragraph (1) from among 

19 medical centers of the Department with expertise in 

20 diagnosing and treating functional and structural 

21 birth defects and caring for individuals exposed to 

22 toxic substances, or that are affiliated with research 

23 medical centers or teaching hospitals with such ex24 pertise, that seek to be selected under this section. 

25 (b) FUNCTIONS.— 

26 (1) DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT.— 


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1 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Center may diag2 nose and treat, without charge, each patient for 

3 whom the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has 

4 made the following determinations: 

5 (i) The patient is a descendant of an 

6 individual who served as a member of the 

7 Armed Forces. 

8 (ii) The individual was exposed to a 

9 toxic substance while serving as a member 

10 of the Armed Forces. 

11 (iii) The patient is afflicted with a 

12 health condition that is determined by the 

13 advisory board established in section 4 to 

14 be a health condition that results from the 

15 exposure of that individual to that toxic 

16 substance. 

17 (B) TREATMENT.—Treatment under this 

18 section is limited to treatment of health condi19 tions for which the advisory board established 

20 in section 4 has made a determination described 

21 in subparagraph (A)(iii). 

22 (C) ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSIS AND TREAT23 MENT.—Nothing in this section shall preclude a 

24 patient from receiving additional diagnosis or 

25 treatment at the Center or another facility of 


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1 the Department in connection with other health 

2 conditions or benefits to which the individual is 

3 entitled under laws administered by the Sec4 retary. 

5 (D) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE

6 TREATMENT.—Recommendations for future 

7 treatment of a patient shall be transmitted to 

8 a primary care provider for that patient, with 

9 follow-up consultations with the Center sched10 uled as appropriate. 

11 (E) USE OF RECORDS.— 

12 (i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of 

13 Defense or the head of a Federal agency 

14 may make available to the Secretary of 

15 Veterans Affairs for review records held by 

16 the Department of Defense, an Armed 

17 Force, or that Federal agency, as appro18 priate, that might assist the Secretary of 

19 Veterans Affairs in making the determina20 tions required by subparagraph (A). 

21 (ii) MECHANISM.—The Secretary of 

22 Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of De23 fense or the head of the appropriate Fed24 eral agency may jointly establish a mecha25 nism for the availability and review of 


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1 records by the Secretary of Veterans Af2 fairs under clause (i). 

3 (2) RESEARCH.—The Center may conduct re4 search on the diagnosis and treatment of health con5 ditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic 

6 substances while serving as members of the Armed 

7 Forces that are related to that exposure. 

8 (c) SOCIAL WORKERS.—The Center shall employ not 

9 less than one licensed clinical social worker to coordinate 

10 access of patients to appropriate Federal, State, and local 

11 social and healthcare programs and to handle case man12 agement. 

13 (d) REIMBURSEMENT FOR NECESSARY TRAVEL AND

14 ROOM AND BOARD.—The Center may reimburse any par15 ent, guardian, spouse, or sibling who accompanies a pa16 tient diagnosed or treated pursuant to this section for the 

17 reasonable cost of— 

18 (1) travel to the Center for diagnosis or treat19 ment of the patient pursuant to this section; and 

20 (2) room and board during the period in which 

21 the patient is undergoing diagnosis or treatment at 

22 the Center pursuant to this section. 

23 (e) REPORT.—Not less frequently than annually, the 

24 Center shall submit a report to Congress that includes the 

25 following: 


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1 (1) A summary of the extent and nature of care 

2 provided pursuant to this section. 

3 (2) A summary of the research efforts of the 

4 Center under this section that have been completed 

5 within the previous year and that are ongoing as of 

6 the date of the submission of the report under this 

7 subsection. 

8 SEC. 4. ADVISORY BOARD. 

9 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than one year after 

10 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 

11 Veterans Affairs shall establish an advisory board (in this 

12 section referred to as the ‘‘Advisory Board’’) to advise the 

13 Center established under section 3, to determine which 

14 health conditions result from exposure to toxic substances, 

15 and to study and evaluate cases of exposure of current 

16 and former members of the Armed Forces to toxic sub17 stances if such exposure is related the service of the mem18 ber in the Armed Forces. 

19 (b) MEMBERSHIP.— 

20 (1) COMPOSITION.—Not later than 150 days 

21 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec22 retary of Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with 

23 the Secretary of Health and Human Services and 

24 other heads of Federal agencies as the Secretary of 

25 Veterans Affairs determines appropriate, select not 


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1 less than 13 members of the Advisory Board, of 

2 whom— 

3 (A) not less than three shall be members 

4 of organizations exempt from taxation under 

5 section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue 

6 Code of 1986; 

7 (B) not less than one shall be— 

8 (i) a descendant of an individual who 

9 was exposed to toxic substances while serv10 ing as a member of the Armed Forces and 

11 the descendant has manifested a birth de12 fect or functional disability as a result of 

13 the exposure of that individual; or 

14 (ii) a parent, child, or grandchild of 

15 that descendant; and 

16 (C) additional members may be selected 

17 from among— 

18 (i) health professionals, scientists, and 

19 academics with expertise in— 

20 (I) birth defects; 

21 (II) developmental disabilities; 

22 (III) epigenetics; 

23 (IV) public health; 


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1 (V) the science of environmental 

2 exposure or environmental exposure 

3 assessment; or 

4 (VI) the science of toxic sub5 stances; 

6 (ii) social workers; and 

7 (iii) advocates for veterans or mem8 bers of the Armed Forces. 

9 (2) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary shall select 

10 a Chairperson from among the members of the Advi11 sory Board. 

12 (3) TERMS.—Each member of the Advisory 

13 Board shall serve a term of two or three years as 

14 determined by the Secretary. 

15 (c) DUTIES.— 

16 (1) ADVISORY ROLE WITH RESPECT TO THE

17 CENTER.—With respect to the Center established 

18 under section 3, the Advisory Board shall— 

19 (A) oversee and assess the work of the 

20 Center; and 

21 (B) advise the Secretary of Veterans Af22 fairs on— 

23 (i) issues related to the provision of 

24 treatment and care at the Center; 


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1 (ii) issues related to the research con2 ducted at the Center; and 

3 (iii) the particular benefits and serv4 ices required by the descendants of individ5 uals exposed to toxic substances while serv6 ing as members of the Armed Forces. 

7 (2) DETERMINATION THAT HEALTH CONDI8 TIONS RESULTED FROM TOXIC EXPOSURE.—The Ad9 visory Board shall determine which health conditions 

10 in descendants of individuals exposed to toxic sub11 stances while serving as members of the Armed 

12 Forces are health conditions that resulted from the 

13 exposure of that individual to that toxic substance 

14 for purposes of eligibility for the following: 

15 (A) Treatment of that descendant at the 

16 Center established under section 3. 

17 (B) Medical care for that descendant 

18 under section 1781 of title 38, United States 

19 Code. 

20 (C) Support for the family caregiver of 

21 that descendant under section 1720G(a) of such 

22 title. 

23 (D) Support for the caregiver of that de24 scendant under section 1720G(b) of such title. 


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1 (3) STUDY AND CONSIDERATION OF TOXIC SUB2 STANCE EXPOSURE CLAIMS.— 

3 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Board 

4 shall study and evaluate claims of exposure to 

5 toxic substances by current and former mem6 bers of the Armed Forces that is related to the 

7 service of the member in the Armed Forces. 

8 (B) SUBMISSION OF CLAIMS.—Claims of 

9 exposure described in subparagraph (A) may be 

10 submitted to the Advisory Board in such form 

11 and in such manner as the Secretary of Vet12 erans Affairs may require by any of the fol13 lowing individuals or entities: 

14 (i) A member of the Armed Forces. 

15 (ii) A veteran. 

16 (iii) A descendant of a member of the 

17 Armed Forces. 

18 (iv) A descendant of a veteran. 

19 (v) A veterans advocacy group. 

20 (vi) An official of the Department of 

21 Veterans Affairs with responsibility or ex22 perience monitoring the health of current 

23 and former members of the Armed Forces. 

24 (vii) An official of the Department of 

25 Defense with responsibility or experience 


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1 monitoring the health of current and 

2 former members of the Armed Forces. 

3 (C) CONSIDERATION OF CLAIMS.—Not 

4 later than 180 days after receiving a claim sub5 mitted pursuant to subparagraph (B), the Advi6 sory Board shall consider the claim and take 

7 one of the following actions: 

8 (i) If the Advisory Board determines 

9 that exposure to a toxic substance occurred 

10 to a degree that an individual exposed to 

11 that substance may have or develop a med12 ical condition that would qualify that indi13 vidual for health care or compensation 

14 from the Department of Veterans Affairs 

15 or the Department of Defense, the Advi16 sory Board shall submit to the Secretary of 

17 Veterans Affairs a report described in sub18 paragraph (D). 

19 (ii) If the Advisory Board determines 

20 that further consideration of the claim is 

21 necessary to adequately assess the extent 

22 of exposure, the Advisory Board shall refer 

23 the claim to the Office of Extramural Re24 search established under section 5 to conVerDate Mar 15 2010 19:27 Oct 30, 2013 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1602.IS S1602

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1 duct further research and report its find2 ings to the Advisory Board. 

3 (iii) If the Advisory Board determines 

4 that exposure to a toxic substance did not 

5 occur or occurred to a negligible extent, 

6 the Advisory Board shall report such de7 termination to the Secretary of Veterans 

8 Affairs. 

9 (D) REPORT.—If the Advisory Board 

10 makes a determination under subparagraph 

11 (C)(i), the Advisory Board shall submit to the 

12 Secretary of Veterans Affairs a report that con13 tains the following: 

14 (i) Evidence used by the Advisory 

15 Board in making the determination under 

16 subparagraph (C)(i), including, if appro17 priate, the following: 

18 (I) Scientific research, including 

19 any research conducted by the Office 

20 of Extramural Research established 

21 under section 5. 

22 (II) Peer-reviewed articles from 

23 scientific journals relating to exposure 

24 to toxic substances. 


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1 (III) Medical research conducted 

2 by the Department of Veterans Af3 fairs, the Department of Defense, or 

4 the medical community. 

5 (ii) Recommendations on the extent to 

6 which the Department of Veterans Affairs 

7 or the Department of Defense should pro8 vide health care, benefits, or other com9 pensation with respect to exposure to a 

10 toxic substance to the following individuals: 

11 (I) An individual exposed to a 

12 toxic substance as determined under 

13 subparagraph (C)(i). 

14 (II) A descendant of that indi15 vidual. 

16 (iii) Information on cost and attrib17 utable exposure, as defined in regulations 

18 prescribed pursuant to this Act. 

19 (E) PUBLICATION OF EVIDENCE.— 

20 (i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 

21 in clause (ii), the Secretary shall publish in 

22 the Federal Register the evidence described 

23 in clause (i) of subparagraph (D) that is 

24 submitted with the report required by that 

25 subparagraph. 


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1 (ii) EXCEPTION.—Such evidence may 

2 not be published if the Secretary deter3 mines that preventing such publication— 

4 (I) is in the national security in5 terest of the United States; or 

6 (II) protects the privacy interests 

7 of individuals exposed to toxic sub8 stances. 

9 (F) SUBPOENA AUTHORITY.—The Advi10 sory Board may require by subpoena the at11 tendance and testimony of witnesses necessary 

12 to consider claims of exposure to toxic sub13 stances under this paragraph. 

14 (G) COOPERATION OF FEDERAL AGEN15 CIES.—The head of each relevant Federal agen16 cy, including the Administrator of the Environ17 mental Protection Agency, shall cooperate fully 

18 with the Advisory Board for purposes of consid19 ering claims of exposure to toxic substances 

20 under this paragraph. 

21 (d) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Board shall meet at 

22 the call of the Chair, but not less frequently than semi23 annually. 

24 (e) COMPENSATION.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The members of the Advi2 sory Board shall serve without compensation. 

3 (2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the 

4 Advisory Board shall be allowed travel expenses, in5 cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates au6 thorized for employees of agencies under subchapter 

7 I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 

8 away from their homes or regular places of business 

9 in the performance of services for the Advisory 

10 Board. 

11 (f) PERSONNEL.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson may, with13 out regard to the civil service laws and regulations, 

14 appoint an executive director of the Advisory Board, 

15 who shall be a civilian employee of the Department 

16 of Veterans Affairs, and such other personnel as 

17 may be necessary to enable the Advisory Board to 

18 perform its duties. 

19 (2) APPROVAL.—The appointment of an execu20 tive director under paragraph (1) shall be subject to 

21 approval by the Advisory Board. 

22 (3) COMPENSATION.—The Chairperson may fix 

23 the compensation of the executive director and other 

24 personnel without regard to the provisions of chapter 

25 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, 


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1 United States Code, except that the rate of pay for 

2 the executive director and other personnel may not 

3 exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive 

4 Schedule under section 5316 of such title. 

5 SEC. 5. OFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH. 

6 (a) OFFICE.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

7 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 

8 Affairs shall establish an Office of Extramural Research 

9 (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Office’’)— 

10 (1) to conduct research on wounds, illnesses, in11 juries, and other conditions suffered by individuals 

12 as a result of exposure to toxic substances while 

13 serving as members of the Armed Forces; and 

14 (2) to assist the Advisory Board established 

15 under section 4 in the consideration of claims of ex16 posure to toxic substances. 

17 (b) DIRECTOR.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

18 shall select a Director of the Office. 

19 (c) GRANTS.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to approval by the 

21 advisory council established under subsection (e), the 

22 Director may award grants to reputable scientists 

23 and epidemiologists to carry out this section. 

24 (2) EXCEPTION.—The Director may not award 

25 grants to individuals or organizations associated 


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1 with or having an interest in a chemical company or 

2 any other organization that the Secretary determines 

3 may have an interest in the increased use of toxic 

4 substances. 

5 (d) SUPPORT TO ADVISORY BOARD.—Not later than 

6 180 days after receiving a request from the Advisory 

7 Board established under section 4 to review a claim of ex8 posure pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(C)(ii) of that section, 

9 the Office shall submit a report to the Advisory Board 

10 with one of the following determinations: 

11 (1) A determination that exposure to a toxic 

12 substance occurred to a degree that an individual ex13 posed to that substance may have or develop a med14 ical condition that would qualify that individual for 

15 health care or compensation from the Department of 

16 Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. 

17 (2) A determination that further study of the 

18 claim is necessary, to be carried out by, or under the 

19 direction of, the Office in coordination with the Ad20 visory Board. 

21 (3) A determination that exposure to a toxic 

22 substance did not occur or occurred to a negligible 

23 extent. 

24 (e) ADVISORY COUNCIL.— 


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1 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 

2 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec3 retary of Veterans Affairs shall establish an advisory 

4 council (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Council’’) 

5 for the Office established under this section. 

6 (2) MEMBERSHIP.— 

7 (A) COMPOSITION.— 

8 (i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of 

9 Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with 

10 the Secretary of Health and Human Serv11 ices and any other heads of Federal agen12 cies as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

13 determines appropriate, select 11 members 

14 of the Council, of whom— 

15 (I) not less than three shall be 

16 members of organizations exempt 

17 from taxation under section 

18 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue 

19 Code of 1986; and 

20 (II) additional members may be 

21 selected from among— 

22 (aa) environmental epi23 demiologists; 

24 (bb) academics; and 


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1 (cc) veterans or the descend2 ants of veterans. 

3 (ii) REQUIREMENTS FOR SCI4 ENTISTS.—When considering individuals 

5 who are members of the scientific commu6 nity for selection to the Council, the Sec7 retary of Veterans Affairs may select only 

8 those individuals— 

9 (I) who have evidenced expertise 

10 in and demonstrate a commitment to 

11 research that leads to peer-reviewed 

12 scientific evaluation of the wounds, ill13 nesses, injuries, and other conditions 

14 that may arise from exposure to toxic 

15 substances; and 

16 (II) who are not associated with 

17 and do not have an interest in a 

18 chemical company or any other orga19 nization that the Secretary determines 

20 may have an interest in the increased 

21 use of toxic substances. 

22 (B) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary of Vet23 erans Affairs shall select a Chairperson from 

24 among the members of the Council. 


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1 (C) TERMS.—Each member of the Council 

2 shall serve a term of two or three years as de3 termined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 

4 (3) DUTIES.—The Council shall— 

5 (A) approve or disapprove of grants pro6 posed to be awarded by the Director pursuant 

7 to subsection (c); and 

8 (B) advise the Secretary of Veterans Af9 fairs and the Director on— 

10 (i) establishing guidelines for grant 

11 proposals and research proposals under 

12 this section; and 

13 (ii) assisting the Advisory Board es14 tablished under section 4 in the consider15 ation of claims of exposure to toxic sub16 stances. 

17 (4) MEETINGS.—The Council shall meet at the 

18 call of the Chairperson, but not less frequently than 

19 semiannually. 

20 (5) COMPENSATION.— 

21 (A) IN GENERAL.—The members of the 

22 Council shall serve without compensation. 

23 (B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of 

24 the Council shall be allowed travel expenses, in25 cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates 


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1 authorized for employees of agencies under sub2 chapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 

3 Code, while away from their homes or regular 

4 places of business in the performance of serv5 ices for the Council. 

6 (f) REPORT.—Not later than two years after the es7 tablishment of the Office under this section, the Director 

8 and the Chairman of the Council shall jointly submit to 

9 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Congress a report 

10 that contains the following: 

11 (1) A summary of the research efforts con12 ducted and the grants awarded under this section. 

13 (2) A summary of the effects of exposure to 

14 toxic substances studied pursuant to this section. 

15 (3) Recommendations for steps to be taken to 

16 care for and serve— 

17 (A) individuals exposed to toxic substances 

18 while serving as a member of the Armed 

19 Forces; and 

20 (B) the progeny of those individuals. 


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1 SEC. 6. PROVISION OF DEPENDENT CARE AND CAREGIVER 

2 ASSISTANCE TO DESCENDANTS OF VETERANS 

3 EXPOSED TO CERTAIN TOXIC SUBSTANCES 

4 DURING SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES. 

5 (a) DEPENDENT CARE.—Section 1781(a) of title 38, 

6 United States Code, is amended— 

7 (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘, and’’ and 

8 inserting a comma; 

9 (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the semicolon 

10 at the end and inserting ‘‘, and’’; and 

11 (3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the fol12 lowing new paragraph: 

13 ‘‘(5) an individual who is the biological child, 

14 grandchild, or great-grandchild of a veteran who the 

15 Secretary has determined was exposed to a toxic 

16 substance while serving as a member of the Armed 

17 Forces, if— 

18 ‘‘(A) the individual has a health condition 

19 that is determined by the Advisory Board estab20 lished by section 4 of the Toxic Exposure Re21 search and Military Family Support Act of 

22 2013 to be a health condition that results from 

23 exposure to that toxic substance, 

24 ‘‘(B) the individual is homebound as a re25 sult of that health condition, and 


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1 ‘‘(C) the Secretary determines that the vet2 eran has or had the same health condition,’’. 

3 (b) CAREGIVER ASSISTANCE.— 

4 (1) COMPREHENSIVE ASSISTANCE.—Subsection 

5 (a) of section 1720G of title 38, United States Code, 

6 is amended— 

7 (A) by striking ‘‘veteran’’ each place it ap8 pears (except for paragraph (2)(A)) and insert9 ing ‘‘individual’’; 

10 (B) by striking ‘‘veterans’’ each place it 

11 appears and inserting ‘‘individuals’’; 

12 (C) in paragraph (2)— 

13 (i) by striking subparagraphs (A) and 

14 (B) and inserting the following: 

15 ‘‘(A)(i) is a veteran or member of the Armed 

16 Forces undergoing medical discharge from the 

17 Armed Forces and has a serious injury (including 

18 traumatic brain injury, psychological trauma, or 

19 other mental disorder) incurred or aggravated in the 

20 line of duty in the active military, naval, or air serv21 ice on or after September 11, 2001; or 

22 ‘‘(ii) is the biological child, grandchild, or great23 grandchild of a veteran who the Secretary has deter24 mined was exposed to a toxic substance while serv25 ing as a member of the Armed Forces, if— 


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1 ‘‘(I) the individual has a health condition 

2 that is determined by the Advisory Board estab3 lished by section 4 of the Toxic Exposure Re4 search and Military Family Support Act of 

5 2013 to be a health condition that results from 

6 exposure to that toxic substance; 

7 ‘‘(II) the individual is homebound as a re8 sult of that health condition; and 

9 ‘‘(III) the Secretary determines that the 

10 veteran has or had the same health condition; 

11 and’’; and 

12 (ii) by redesignating subparagraph 

13 (C) as subparagraph (B); and 

14 (D) in paragraph (9)(C)(i), by striking 

15 ‘‘veteran’s’’ and inserting ‘‘individual’s’’. 

16 (2) GENERAL CAREGIVER SUPPORT.—Sub17 section (b) of such section is amended— 

18 (A) by striking ‘‘veteran’’ each place it ap19 pears and inserting ‘‘individual’’; 

20 (B) by striking ‘‘veterans’’ each place it 

21 appears and inserting ‘‘individuals’’; 

22 (C) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘who 

23 are’’ and all that follows through ‘‘of this title’’; 

24 and 

25 (D) in paragraph (2)— 


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1 (i) by redesignating subparagraphs 

2 (A), (B), and (C) as clauses (i), (ii), and 

3 (iii), respectively; and 

4 (ii) in the matter preceding clause (i), 

5 as redesignated by clause (i), by striking 

6 ‘‘any individual who needs’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘any individual who— 

8 ‘‘(A)(i) is enrolled in the health care system es9 tablished under section 1705(a) of this title; or 

10 ‘‘(ii) is the biological child, grandchild, or great11 grandchild of a veteran who the Secretary has deter12 mined was exposed to a toxic substance while serv13 ing as a member of the Armed Forces, if— 

14 ‘‘(I) the individual has a health condition 

15 that is determined by the Advisory Board estab16 lished by section 4 of the Toxic Exposure Re17 search and Military Family Support Act of 

18 2013 to be a health condition that results from 

19 exposure to that toxic substance; 

20 ‘‘(II) the individual is homebound as a re21 sult of that health condition; and 

22 ‘‘(III) the Secretary determines that the 

23 veteran has or had the same health condition; 

24 and 

25 ‘‘(B) needs’’. 


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1 (3) DEFINITIONS.—Subsection (d) of such sec2 tion is amended— 

3 (A) by striking ‘‘eligible veteran’’ each 

4 place it appears and inserting ‘‘eligible indi5 vidual’’; 

6 (B) by striking ‘‘covered veteran’’ each 

7 place it appears and inserting ‘‘covered indi8 vidual’’; 

9 (C) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘the vet10 eran’’ and inserting ‘‘the eligible individual or 

11 covered individual’’; 

12 (D) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘the vet13 eran’’ and inserting ‘‘the eligible individual’’; 

14 (E) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘the vet15 eran’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘the 

16 eligible individual’’; 

17 (F) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘the vet18 eran’’ and inserting ‘‘the eligible individual or 

19 covered individual’’; and 

20 (G) by adding at the end the following: 

21 ‘‘(5) The term ‘toxic substance’ has the mean22 ing given that term in section 2 of the Toxic Expo23 sure Research and Military Family Support Act of 

24 2013.’’. 

25 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 


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•S 1602 IS

1 (1) BENEFICIARY TRAVEL.—Section 111 of title 

2 38, United States Code, is amended— 

3 (A) in subsection (b)(1), by adding at the 

4 end the following new subparagraph: 

5 ‘‘(G) An individual described in section 

6 1720G(a)(2)(A)(ii) of this title.’’; and 

7 (B) in subsection (e)— 

8 (i) by striking ‘‘veteran’’ each place it 

9 appears (except for paragraph (2)(B)) and 

10 inserting ‘‘individual’’; and 

11 (ii) in paragraph (2)(B)— 

12 (I) by striking ‘‘a veteran’’ and 

13 inserting ‘‘an individual’’; and 

14 (II) by striking ‘‘such veteran’’ 

15 and inserting ‘‘such individual’’. 

16 (2) COUNSELING, TRAINING, AND MENTAL

17 HEALTH SERVICES.—Section 1782(c)(2) of such title 

18 is amended by striking ‘‘an eligible veteran or a 

19 caregiver of a covered veteran’’ and inserting ‘‘a vet20 eran who is an eligible individual or a caregiver of 

21 a veteran who is a covered individual’’. 


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29 

•S 1602 IS

1 SEC. 7. DECLASSIFICATION BY DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

2 OF CERTAIN INCIDENTS OF EXPOSURE OF 

3 MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES TO TOXIC 

4 SUBSTANCES. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may de6 classify documents related to any known incident in which 

7 not less than 100 members of the Armed Forces were ex8 posed to a toxic substance that resulted in at least one 

9 case of a disability that a member of the medical profes10 sion has determined to be associated with that toxic sub11 stance. 

12 (b) LIMITATION.—The declassification authorized by 

13 subsection (a) shall be limited to information necessary 

14 for an individual who was potentially exposed to a toxic 

15 substance to determine the following: 

16 (1) Whether that individual was exposed to that 

17 toxic substance. 

18 (2) The potential severity of the exposure of 

19 that individual to that toxic substance. 

20 (3) Any potential health conditions that may 

21 have resulted from exposure to that toxic substance. 

22 (c) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary of Defense is not re23 quired to declassify documents if the Secretary determines 

24 that declassification of those documents would materially 

25 and immediately threaten the security of the United 

26 States. 


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•S 1602 IS

1 SEC. 8. NATIONAL OUTREACH CAMPAIGN ON POTENTIAL 

2 LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE 

3 TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES BY MEMBERS OF THE 

4 ARMED FORCES AND THEIR DESCENDANTS. 

5 The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of 

6 Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of Defense 

7 shall jointly conduct a national outreach and education 

8 campaign directed towards members of the Armed Forces, 

9 veterans, and their family members to communicate the 

10 following information: 

11 (1) Information on— 

12 (A) incidents of exposure of members of 

13 the Armed Forces to toxic substances; 

14 (B) health conditions resulting from such 

15 exposure; and 

16 (C) the potential long-term effects of such 

17 exposure on the individuals exposed to those 

18 substances and the descendants of those indi19 viduals. 

20 (2) Information on the national center estab21 lished under section 3 of this Act for individuals eli22 gible for treatment at the center. 

Æ 


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