SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Helping Veterans Ex-
posed to Burn Pits Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN 
PREVENTION, 
DIAGNOSIS, 
MITIGATION, 
TREATMENT, 
AND 
REHABILITATION 
OF 
HEALTH CONDITIONS RELATING TO EXPO-
SURE TO BURN PITS AND OTHER ENVIRON-
MENTAL EXPOSURES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 73 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 7330C. Center of excellence in prevention, diag-
nosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabili-
tation of health conditions relating to ex-
posure to burn pits and other environ-
mental exposures 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—(1) The Secretary shall es-
tablish within the Department a center of excellence in 
the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and reha-
bilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to burn 
pits and other environmental exposures to carry out the 
responsibilities specified in subsection (d). 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall establish the center of excel-
lence under paragraph (1) through the use of— 
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‘‘(A) the directives and policies of the Depart-
ment in effect as of the date of the enactment of the 
Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act; 
‘‘(B) the recommendations of the Comptroller 
General of the United States and Inspector General 
of the Department in effect as of such date; and 
‘‘(C) guidance issued by the Secretary of De-
fense under section 313 of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Public Law 
112–239; 10 U.S.C. 1074 note). 
‘‘(b) SELECTION OF SITE.—In selecting the site for 
the center of excellence established under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall consider entities that— 
‘‘(1) are equipped with the specialized equip-
ment needed to study, diagnose, and treat health 
conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and 
other environmental exposures; 
‘‘(2) have a track record of publishing informa-
tion relating to post-deployment health exposures 
among veterans who served in the Armed Forces in 
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 
Enduring Freedom; 
‘‘(3) have access to animal models and in vitro 
models of dust immunology and lung injury con-
sistent with the injuries of members of the Armed 
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Forces who served in support of Operation Iraqi 
Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom; and 
‘‘(4) have expertise in allergy, immunology, and 
pulmonary diseases. 
‘‘(c) COLLABORATION.—The Secretary shall ensure 
that the center of excellence collaborates, to the maximum 
extent practicable, with the Secretary of Defense, institu-
tions of higher education, and other appropriate public 
and private entities (including international entities) to 
carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (d). 
‘‘(d) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The center of excellence 
shall have the following responsibilities: 
‘‘(1) To provide for the development, testing, 
and dissemination within the Department of best 
practices for the treatment of health conditions re-
lating to exposure to burn pits and other environ-
mental exposures. 
‘‘(2) To provide guidance for the health systems 
of the Department and the Department of Defense 
in determining the personnel required to provide 
quality health care for members of the Armed 
Forces and veterans with health conditions relating 
to exposure to burn pits and other environmental ex-
posures. 
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‘‘(3) To establish, implement, and oversee a 
comprehensive program to train health professionals 
of the Department and the Department of Defense 
in the treatment of health conditions relating to ex-
posure to burn pits and other environmental expo-
sures. 
‘‘(4) To facilitate advancements in the study of 
the short-term and long-term effects of exposure to 
burn pits and other environmental exposures. 
‘‘(5) To disseminate within medical facilities of 
the Department best practices for training health 
professionals with respect to health conditions relat-
ing to exposure to burn pits and other environmental 
exposures. 
‘‘(6) To conduct basic science and translational 
research on health conditions relating to exposure to 
burn pits and other environmental exposures for the 
purposes of understanding the etiology of such con-
ditions and developing preventive interventions and 
new treatments. 
‘‘(7) To provide medical treatment to veterans 
diagnosed with medical conditions specific to expo-
sure to burn pits and other environmental exposures. 
‘‘(e) USE OF BURN PITS REGISTRY DATA.—In car-
rying out its responsibilities under subsection (d), the cen-
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ter of excellence shall have access to and make use of the 
data accumulated by the burn pits registry established 
under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other Vet-
erans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 
112–260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note). 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘burn pit’ means an area of land 
located in Afghanistan or Iraq that— 
‘‘(A) is designated by the Secretary of De-
fense to be used for disposing solid waste by 
burning in the outdoor air; and 
‘‘(B) does not contain a commercially man-
ufactured incinerator or other equipment spe-
cifically designed and manufactured for the 
burning of solid waste. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘other environmental exposures’ 
means exposure to environmental hazards, including 
burn pits, dust or sand, hazardous materials, and 
waste at any site in Afghanistan or Iraq that emits 
smoke containing pollutants present in the environ-
ment or smoke from fires or explosions. 
‘‘(g) FUNDING.—(1) There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this section $4,100,000 for each of 
the first five fiscal years beginning after the date of the 
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enactment of the Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits 
Act. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary may award additional amounts on 
a competitive basis to the center of excellence from the 
medical and prosthetics research account of the Depart-
ment for the purpose of conducting research under this 
section relating to clinical and scientific investigation.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 73 of such title is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 7330B the 
following new item: 
‘‘7330C. Center of excellence in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, 
and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to 
burn pits and other environmental exposures.’’. 
Æ 
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