Combatting Anomalous Health Incidents Act

To direct the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing on anomalous health incidents affecting members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Combatting Anomalous Health Incidents Act 2. Briefing on anomalous health incidents involving members of the armed forces (a) Briefing Not later than March 1, 2022, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on anomalous health incidents affecting members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense, any ongoing efforts carried out by the Secretary to protect such members and employees from the effects of anomalous health incidents, and the extent and nature of engagement by the Secretary with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies regarding anomalous health incidents affecting the employees of such other departments and agencies. (b) Matters The briefing provided under subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following: (1) Information on cases of confirmed or suspected anomalous health incidents affecting members of the Armed Forces or civilian employees of the Department. (2) An update on the strategy of the Department to protect such members and employees from the effects of anomalous health incidents, including any efforts carried out by the Secretary to ensure that— (A) suspected anomalous health incidents are promptly reported; and (B) victims of anomalous health incidents are provided immediate and long-term medical treatment. (3) The current efforts of the Department to contribute to the overall approach of the U.S. Government to address, prevent, and respond to, anomalous health incidents, including such contributed efforts of the Department to defend against anomalous health incident attacks against personnel of the U.S. Government and United States citizens. (4) The current efforts of the Department to prepare members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department for the effects of anomalous health incidents, including prior to deployment. (5) Recommendations on how to improve the identification and reporting of anomalous health incidents affecting such members and employees, including a recommendation on whether to conduct a health assessment prior to the deployment of such members or employees if the prospective deployment is to an embassy of the United States (or to another location that the Secretary determines may present a heightened risk of anomalous health incidents), to establish a medical baseline against which medical data of the member or employee may be compared following a suspected anomalous health incident. (6) An identification by the Secretary of a senior official of the Department who has been designated by the Secretary as the official with principal responsibility for leading the efforts of the Department regarding anomalous health incidents (and related issues within the Department) and for coordinating with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies regarding such incidents and related issues. (c) Senate confirmation of responsible individual If the designated senior official identified pursuant to subsection (b)(6) has not been appointed by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the Secretary shall ensure that the principal responsibility for the actions specified in such subsection is transferred to a senior official of the Department who has been so appointed. (d) Appropriate congressional committees defined In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

Summary: Combatting Anomalous Health Incidents Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to brief Congress on anomalous health incidents affecting members of the Armed Forces and civilian DOD employees. In its briefing, DOD must address any ongoing efforts to protect members and employees from the effects of anomalous health incidents and the extent and nature of engagement by DOD with other federal departments and agencies regarding anomalous health incidents affecting their employees. The senior DOD official with the principal responsibility for leading the efforts regarding anomalous health incidents must be an official who is appointed by, and with the advice and consent of, the Senate.