Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Veterans Registry and Study Act of 2016

To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a registry of certain veterans who participated in a radiation cleanup mission in the Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands during the period beginning on January 1, 1977, and ending on December 31, 1980, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Veterans Registry and Study Act of 2016 2. Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Registry (a) Establishment Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish and maintain a registry to be known as the Enewetak Atoll Veterans Health Registry Registry (b) Contents Except as provided in subsection (c), the Registry shall include the following information: (1) A list containing the name of each individual who— (A) while serving as a member of the Armed Forces, performed a radiation cleanup mission in the Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands at any time during the period beginning on January 1, 1977, and ending on December 31, 1980; and (B) (i) applies for care or services from the Department of Veterans Affairs under chapter 17 (ii) files a claim for compensation under chapter 11 of such title on the basis of any disability that may be associated with such service; (iii) dies and is survived by a spouse, child, or parent who files a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation under chapter 13 of such title on the basis of such service; (iv) requests from the Secretary a health examination under subsection (d)(1); or (v) (I) receives from the Secretary a health examination similar to the health examination under subsection (d)(1); and (II) submits to the Secretary a request to be included in the Registry. (2) Relevant medical data relating to the health status of, and other information that the Secretary considers relevant and appropriate with respect to, each individual described in paragraph (1) who— (A) grants to the Secretary permission to include such information in the Registry; or (B) at the time the name of the individual is added to the Registry, is deceased. (c) Individuals submitting claims or making requests before date of enactment If an application, claim, or request referred to in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) was submitted, filed, or made with respect to an individual described in that paragraph before the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, to the extent feasible, include in the Registry the information described in that subsection relating to that individual. (d) Examinations (1) In general Upon the request of an individual described in subsection (b)(1)(A), the Secretary shall provide the individual with— (A) a health examination (including any appropriate diagnostic tests); and (B) consultation and counseling with respect to the results of the examination and tests. (2) Consultation and counseling to family members In the case of an individual described in subsection (b)(1)(A) who is deceased, upon the request of a spouse, child, or parent of that individual, the Secretary shall provide that spouse, child, or parent with consultation and counseling with respect to the results of the examination and tests under paragraph (1)(A) or the results of an examination similar to that examination with respect to that individual. (e) Outreach (1) Ongoing outreach to individuals listed in the registry The Secretary shall, from time to time, notify individuals listed in the Registry of significant developments in research on the health consequences of potential exposure to radiation related to service at Enewetak Atoll during the period beginning on January 1, 1977, and ending on December 31, 1980. (2) Examination outreach The Secretary shall carry out appropriate outreach activities with respect to the provision of any health examinations (including any diagnostic tests) and consultation and counseling services under subsection (d). (f) Department of Defense information The Secretary of Defense shall furnish to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs such information maintained by the Secretary of Defense as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs considers necessary to establish and maintain the Registry. (g) Independent study (1) In general The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide for a study on the potential exposure of individuals to radiation related to service at Enewetak Atoll at any time during the period beginning on January 1, 1977, and ending on December 31, 1980. (2) Independent entity The study required by paragraph (1) shall be carried out by an entity that— (A) has experience conducting studies with respect to the exposure of individuals to radiation; and (B) is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. (3) Deadline for completion The study required by paragraph (1) shall be completed not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act. (h) Annual report (1) In general Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than annually thereafter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the Registry. (2) Elements Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) The number of veterans included in the Registry. (B) Any trend in claims for compensation under chapter 11 or 13 of title 38, United States Code, with respect to veterans included in the Registry. (C) A description of the outreach efforts made by the Secretary under subsection (e) during the one-year period ending on the date of such report. (D) Such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate.

Summary: Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Veterans Registry and Study Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and maintain the Enewetak Atoll Veterans Health Registry of each veteran who performed a radiation cleanup mission in the Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands between January 1, 1977, and December 31, 1980, while serving as a member of the Armed Forces and who: applies for medical care or services from the VA; files a claim for compensation on the basis of any disability associated with such service; dies and is survived by a spouse, child, or parent who files a claim for dependency and indemnity compensation on the basis of such service; requests a health examination from the VA; or receives such a health examination and submits a request to be included in the registry. The registry shall include relevant medical data relating to the health status of each such individual who: (1) grants the VA permission to include such information, or (2) is deceased when the individual's name is added to the registry. In the case of such an individual who is deceased, the VA shall provide that individual's spouse, child, or parent with consultation and counseling with respect to the results of an examination of such individual, upon request. The VA shall: (1) periodically notify individuals listed in the registry of significant developments in research on the health consequences of potential radiation exposure related to such service, (2) provide for an independent study on such potential exposure, and (3) carry out outreach activities with respect to health examinations and consultation and counseling services.