SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pandemic Care for 
Burn Pits Exposure Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. EXPOSURE TO OPEN BURN PITS AND TOXIC AIR-
BORNE CHEMICALS OR OTHER AIRBORNE 
CONTAMINANTS AS PART OF HEALTH AS-
SESSMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
FORCES AND VETERANS DURING A PAN-
DEMIC AND INCLUSION OF INFORMATION IN 
REGISTRY. 
(a) HEALTH ASSESSMENT.—The Secretary of De-
fense and Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that 
the first health assessment conducted for a member of the 
Armed Forces or veteran after the individual tested posi-
tive for a virus certified by the Federal Government as 
a pandemic includes an evaluation of whether the indi-
vidual has been— 
(1) based or stationed at a location where an 
open burn pit was used; or 
(2) exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other 
airborne contaminants relating to service in the 
Armed Forces, including an evaluation of any infor-
mation recorded as part of the Airborne Hazards 
and Open Burn Pit Registry. 
(b) INCLUSION OF INDIVIDUALS IN REGISTRY.—If an 
evaluation conducted under subsection (a) with respect to 
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an individual establishes that the individual was based or 
stationed at a location where an open burn pit was used, 
or that the individual was exposed to toxic airborne chemi-
cals or other airborne contaminants, the individual shall 
be enrolled in the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit 
Registry unless the member elects to not enroll in such 
registry. 
(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to preclude eligibility of a veteran 
for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs by reason of the history of exposure 
of the veteran to an open burn pit not being recorded in 
an evaluation conducted under subsection (a). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AIRBORNE HAZARDS AND OPEN BURN PIT 
REGISTRY.—The term ‘‘Airborne Hazards and Open 
Burn Pit Registry’’ means the registry established 
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section 
201 of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ 
Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 
112–260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note). 
(2) OPEN BURN PIT.—The term ‘‘open burn 
pit’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
201(c) of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ 
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Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 
112–260; 126 Stat. 2422; 38 U.S.C. 527 note). 
SEC. 3. STUDY ON IMPACT OF VIRAL PANDEMICS ON MEM-
BERS OF ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS 
WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TOXIC EXPOSURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall conduct a study, through the Airborne Hazards and 
Burn Pits Center of Excellence (in this section referred 
to as the ‘‘Center’’), on the health impacts of infection 
with a virus designated as a global pandemic, including 
a coronavirus, to members of the Armed Forces and vet-
erans who have been exposed to open burn pits and other 
toxic exposures for the purposes of understanding the 
health impacts of the virus and whether individuals in-
fected with the virus are at increased risk of severe symp-
toms due to previous conditions linked to toxic exposure. 
(b) PREPARATION
FOR FUTURE PANDEMIC.—The 
Secretary, through the Center, shall analyze potential les-
sons learned through the study conducted under sub-
section (a) to assist in preparing the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs for potential future pandemics. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) CORONAVIRUS.—The term ‘‘coronavirus’’ 
has the meaning given that term in section 506 of 
the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supple-
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mental Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116– 
123). 
(2) OPEN BURN PIT.—The term ‘‘open burn 
pit’’ has the meaning given that term in section 
201(c) of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ 
Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 
112–260; 126 Stat. 2422; 38 U.S.C. 527 note). 
Æ 
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