SEC. 2. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAG-
NOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHA-
BILITATION OF HEALTH CONDITIONS RELAT-
ING TO EXPOSURE TO OPEN BURN PITS AND 
OTHER EXPOSURE TO OPEN BURN PITS AND 
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish within the Department of Defense three 
centers of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitiga-
tion, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions re-
lating to exposure to open burn pits and other environ-
mental exposures to carry out the responsibilities specified 
in subsection (c). Such centers shall be established 
using— 
(1) the directives, policies, and Comptroller 
General and Inspector General recommendations in 
effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act; 
and 
(2) guidance issued pursuant to section 313 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2013 (Public Law 112–239; 126 Stat. 1692; 
10 U.S.C. 1074 note). 
(b) SELECTION OF SITES.—In selecting sites for the 
centers of excellence under subsection (a), the Secretary 
of Defense shall select entities that— 
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(1) are equipped with the specialized equipment 
needed to study, diagnose, and treat health condi-
tions relating to exposure to open burn pits and 
other environmental exposures; 
(2) have a publication track record of post-de-
ployment health exposures among veterans from 
Iraq and Afghanistan; 
(3) have collaborated with a geosciences depart-
ment that has a medical geology division; 
(4) have developed animal models and in vitro 
models of dust immunology and lung injury from 
Iraq and Afghanistan; and 
(5) have expertise in allergy and immunology, 
pulmonary diseases, and industrial and management 
engineering. 
(c) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the centers collaborate to the maximum extent practicable 
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, institutions 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 shall have re-
sponsibilities as follows: 
(1) To implement the comprehensive plan and 
strategy for the Department of Defense for the pre-
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vention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and reha-
bilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to 
open burn pits and other environmental exposures. 
(2) To provide for the development, testing, and 
dissemination within the Department of best prac-
tices for the treatment of health conditions relating 
to exposure to open burn pits and other environ-
mental exposures. 
(3) To provide guidance for the health system 
of the Department in determining the personnel re-
quired to provide quality health care for members of 
the Armed Forces with health conditions relating to 
exposure to open burn pits and other environmental 
exposures. 
(4) To establish, implement, and oversee a com-
prehensive program to train health professionals of 
the Department in the treatment of health condi-
tions relating to exposure to open burn pits and 
other environmental exposures. 
(5) To facilitate advancements in the study of 
the short-term and long-term effects of exposure to 
open burn pits and other environmental exposures. 
(6) To disseminate within the military medical 
treatment facilities of the Department best practices 
for training health professionals with respect to 
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health conditions relating to exposure to open burn 
pits and other environmental exposures. 
(7) To conduct basic science and translational 
research on health conditions relating to exposure to 
open burn pits and other environmental exposures 
for the purposes of understanding the etiology of 
such conditions and developing preventive interven-
tions and new treatments. 
(8) To provide medical treatment to all veterans 
identified as part of the burn pits registry estab-
lished 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). 
(e) USE OF BURN PITS REGISTRY DATA.—In car-
rying out its responsibilities under subsection (c), the cen-
ter shall have access to and make use of the data accumu-
lated by the burn pits registry established 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). 
(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘open burn pit’’ means an area 
of land located in Afghanistan or Iraq that— 
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(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 manu-
factured incinerator or other equipment specifi-
cally designed and manufactured for the burn-
ing 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) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2019. 
Æ 
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