II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1892 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a registry of certain 

veterans who were stationed at or underwent training at Canadian Forces 

Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, Canada, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 20, 2013 

Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. KING) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 

registry of certain veterans who were stationed at or 

underwent training at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, 

New Brunswick, Canada, 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, 

3 SECTION 1. CANADIAN FORCES BASE GAGETOWN REG4 ISTRY. 

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

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

7 Veterans Affairs shall establish and maintain a registry 

8 to be known as the ‘‘Canadian Forces Base Gagetown 


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1 Health Registry’’ (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Reg2 istry’’). 

3 (b) CONTENTS.—Except as provided in subsection 

4 (c), the Registry shall include the following information: 

5 (1) A list containing the name of each indi6 vidual who— 

7 (A) while serving as a member of the 

8 Armed Forces, was stationed at or underwent 

9 training at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, 

10 New Brunswick, Canada, at any time during 

11 the period beginning on January 1, 1956, and 

12 ending on December 31, 2006; and 

13 (B)(i) applies for care or services from the 

14 Department of Veterans Affairs under chapter 

15 17 of title 38, United States Code; 

16 (ii) files a claim for compensation under 

17 chapter 11 of such title on the basis of any dis18 ability that may be associated with such service; 

19 (iii) dies and is survived by a spouse, child, 

20 or parent who files a claim for dependency and 

21 indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of 

22 such title on the basis of such service; 

23 (iv) requests from the Secretary a health 

24 examination under subsection (d)(1); or 


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1 (v)(I) receives from the Secretary a health 

2 examination similar to the health examination 

3 under subsection (d)(1); and 

4 (II) submits to the Secretary a request to 

5 be included in the Registry. 

6 (2) Relevant medical data relating to the health 

7 status of, and other information that the Secretary 

8 considers relevant and appropriate with respect to, 

9 each individual described in paragraph (1) who— 

10 (A) grants to the Secretary permission to 

11 include such information in the Registry; or 

12 (B) at the time the name of the individual 

13 is added to the Registry, is deceased. 

14 (c) INDIVIDUALS SUBMITTING CLAIMS OR MAKING

15 REQUESTS BEFORE DATE OF ENACTMENT.—If an appli16 cation, claim, or request referred to in paragraph (1) of 

17 subsection (b) was submitted, filed, or made with respect 

18 to an individual described in that paragraph before the 

19 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, to 

20 the extent feasible, include in the Registry the information 

21 described in that subsection relating to that individual. 

22 (d) EXAMINATIONS.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—Upon the request of an indi24 vidual described in subsection (b)(1)(A), the Sec25 retary shall provide the individual with— 


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1 (A) a health examination (including any 

2 appropriate diagnostic tests); and 

3 (B) consultation and counseling with re4 spect to the results of the examination and 

5 tests. 

6 (2) CONSULTATION AND COUNSELING TO FAM7 ILY MEMBERS.—In the case of an individual de8 scribed in subsection (b)(1)(A) who is deceased, 

9 upon the request of a spouse, child, or parent of that 

10 individual, the Secretary shall provide that spouse, 

11 child, or parent with consultation and counseling 

12 with respect to the results of the examination and 

13 tests under paragraph (1)(A) or the results of an ex14 amination similar to that examination with respect 

15 to that individual. 

16 (e) OUTREACH.— 

17 (1) ONGOING OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS LIST18 ED IN THE REGISTRY.—The Secretary shall, from 

19 time to time, notify individuals listed in the Registry 

20 of significant developments in research on the health 

21 consequences of potential exposure to a toxic sub22 stance or environmental hazard related to service at 

23 Canadian Forces Base Gagetown. 

24 (2) EXAMINATION OUTREACH.—The Secretary 

25 shall carry out appropriate outreach activities with 


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1 respect to the provision of any health examinations 

2 (including any diagnostic tests) and consultation and 

3 counseling services under subsection (d). 

4 (f) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INFORMATION.—The 

5 Secretary of Defense shall furnish to the Secretary of Vet6 erans Affairs such information maintained by the Sec7 retary of Defense as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs con8 siders necessary to establish and maintain the Registry. 

9 (g) INDEPENDENT STUDY.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans 

11 Affairs shall provide for a study on the potential ex12 posure of individuals to toxic substances or environ13 mental hazards related to service at Canadian 

14 Forces Base Gagetown at any time during the pe15 riod beginning on January 1, 1956, and ending on 

16 December 31, 2006. 

17 (2) INDEPENDENT ENTITY.—The study re18 quired by paragraph (1) shall be carried out by an 

19 entity that— 

20 (A) has experience conducting studies with 

21 respect to the exposure of individuals to toxic 

22 substances or environmental hazards; and 

23 (B) is not affiliated with the Department 

24 of Veterans Affairs. 


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1 (3) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—The study 

2 required by paragraph (1) shall be completed not 

3 later than one year after the date of the enactment 

4 of this Act. 

5 (h) ANNUAL REPORT.— 

6 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two years 

7 after the date of the enactment of this Act, and each 

8 year thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

9 shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

10 of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Af11 fairs of the House of Representatives a report on the 

12 Registry. 

13 (2) ELEMENTS.—Each report required by para14 graph (1) shall include the following: 

15 (A) The number of veterans included in 

16 the Registry. 

17 (B) Any trend in claims for compensation 

18 under chapter 11 or 13 of title 38, United 

19 States Code, with respect to veterans included 

20 in the Registry. 

21 (C) A description of the outreach efforts 

22 made by the Secretary under subsection (e) 

23 during the one-year period ending on the date 

24 of such report. 


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1 (D) Such other matters as the Secretary 

2 considers appropriate. 

Æ 


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