(A) any undiagnosed illness; and
(B) any illness for which the Director of
the National Institutes of Health (pursuant to
section 2) identified a valid model of treatment.
(c) TRACKING CAPACITY.—The database shall be de-
veloped so that it has the capacity to track and analyze—
(1) the illnesses referred to in subsection (b)(1);
(2) the treatments referred to in subsection
(b)(3); and
(3) the progress of the treatments as viewed by
Gulf War veterans.
(d) DATA TO BE INCLUDED.—The database shall in-
clude the following:
(1) Information in the Persian Gulf War Veter-
ans Health Registry established under section 702 of
the Persian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Status Act
(title VII of Public Law 102–585; 38 U.S.C. 527
note).
(2) Information in the Comprehensive Clinical
Evaluation Program for Veterans established under
section 734 of the National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Years 1992 and 1993 (10 U.S.C.
1074 note).
(3) Information derived from other examina-
tions and treatment provided to veterans who served
in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during
the period specified in section 8(1).
(4) Information derived from other examina-
tions and treatment provided current members of
the Armed Forces (including members on active
duty and members of the reserve components) who
served in that theater of operations during that pe-
riod.
(5) Information derived from other examina-
tions and treatment provided to Gulf War veterans
who receive medical care in the private sector.
(6) Information derived from physicians’ Cur-
rent Procedure Terminology (CPT) and the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services-approved Inter-
national Classification of Diseases with Clinical
Modification (ICD–9–CM) codes in the Persian Gulf
veterans’ medical charges and medical bills, from
any medical treatments and examinations provided
to Persian Gulf veterans, even if they are not reg-
istered in the registry referred to in paragraph (1)
and are not covered by the Comprehensive Clinical
Evaluation Program for Veterans referred to in
paragraph (2).
(7) Information pertaining to causes of death,
health claims, and diagnoses of Gulf War veterans
contained in the Department of Veterans Affairs’
Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Sub-
system (BIRLS).
(8) Such other information as the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of Defense consid-
ers appropriate for inclusion in the database, includ-
ing information regarding persons who underwent
preparations to deploy to the Southwest Asia theater
of operations but were not deployed.
(9) Such other information as the Director of
the National Institutes of Health, based upon the
advice of health professionals, scientists, and epi-
demiologists, considers appropriate for inclusion in
the database, including information regarding per-
sons who underwent preparations to deploy to the
Southwest Asia theater of operations but were not
deployed.
(e) IMPLEMENTATION OF DATABASE.—(1) Not later
than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Director of the National Institutes of Health shall sub-
mit for comment and evaluation a plan for the develop-
ment of the database to the following:
(A) The Comptroller General.
(B) The designated congressional committees.
(C) Representatives of Gulf War veterans, in-
cluding (among others) the veterans’ service organi-
zations, with special emphasis on those organizations
formed on behalf of Persian Gulf veterans.
(2) The Director of the National Institutes of Health
shall modify the database plan according to the evalua-
tions received from the entities specified in subparagraphs
(A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1) and shall, not later
than 60 days after receiving the evaluations, implement
the plan as modified.
(3) The Director shall carry out paragraphs (1) and
(2) in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
and the Secretary of Defense.
(4) The database shall become operational no later
than six months after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(f) COMPILATION AND ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION
IN DATABASE.—The Director of the National Institutes
of Health shall compile and analyze, on an ongoing basis,
all clinical data in the database under subsection (a) that
is likely to be scientifically useful in determining the asso-
ciation, if any, between the illnesses (including diagnosed
illnesses and undiagnosed illnesses) of Gulf War veterans
covered by such data and exposure to biological or chemi-
cal agents, other toxic agents (including depleted uranium
and organophosphates), pyridostigmine bromide, vaccines,
and any other potentially hazardous substance.
(g) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than January 31
of each year after the database is operational, the Director
of the National Institutes of Health shall submit to the
designated congressional committees a report contain-
ing—
(1) with respect to the data compiled in accord-
ance with subsection (b) during the preceding year—
(A) an analysis of the data;
(B) a discussion of the types, incidence,
and prevalence of the disabilities and illnesses
identified through such data;
(C) an explanation for the incidence and
prevalence of such disabilities and illnesses;
(D) other reasonable explanations for the
incidence and prevalence of such disabilities and
illnesses; and
(E) an analysis of the scientific validity of
drawing conclusions from the incidence and
prevalence of such disabilities and illnesses, as
evidenced by such data, about any association
between such disabilities and illnesses, as the
case may be, and exposure to biological or
chemical agents, other toxic agents (including
depleted 
uranium 
and 
organophosphates),
pyridostigmine bromide, vaccines, and any other
potentially hazardous substance; and
(2) with respect to the most current informa-
tion regarding treatment models identified under
section 2(e)—
(A) an analysis of the information;
(B) the results of any consultation between
such Secretaries regarding the implementation
of such treatment models in the health care sys-
tems of the Department of Veterans Affairs
and the Department of Defense; and
(C) in the event either such Secretary de-
termines not to implement such treatment mod-
els, an explanation for such determination and
the views of the Director of the National Insti-
tutes of Health regarding such determination.
SEC. 4. SEMIANNUAL REPORT ON RESEARCH PROGRAMS.
The Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall submit to the designated congressional com-
mittees a semiannual joint report on their research
progress concerning the health of Gulf War veterans and
the health status of the veterans being tracked in the data-
base under section 3.
SEC. 5. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE ANNUAL ASSESS-
MENT AND REPORT.
(a) ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS.—(1) The Comptroller
General shall carry out—
(A) an assessment each year of the establish-
ment and management of research during the pre-
ceding calendar year by the Director of the National
Institutes of Health under section 2;
(B) an assessment each year to determine
whether the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the
Secretary of Defense are effectively and efficiently
allocating funds toward research protocols required
by the Director of the National Institutes of Health;
and
(C) an assessment each year of the establish-
ment, maintenance, and use during the preceding
calendar year of the database established under sec-
tion 3.
(2) If the Comptroller General finds under paragraph
(1)(B) that funds are not being allocated according to the
Director’s guidelines, the Comptroller General shall make
recommendations to the Congress to reappropriate funds
or to take such other action as is appropriate and nec-
essary to ensure that the research protocols are carried
out. The recommendations of the Comptroller General
ans Affairs and Department of Defense to train
those physicians in treatment protocols for persons
exposed to acute and low-level toxic substances. The
Director shall carry out the program through the
Director of the National Institute of Environmental
Health Sciences.
(2) TRAINING ENTITY.—The training program
shall be conducted by an appropriate entity outside
the Government which is experienced in treating per-
sons exposed to toxic substances.
(3) CONTENT
OF
PROGRAM.—The Director
shall ensure that the training program includes
training for the entire range of medical and sci-
entific disciplines in the course curricula as they per-
tain to diagnosing and treating individual and mul-
tiple toxic exposures, with special emphasis placed
on understanding the effects of repeated low-level
exposures to single and multiple toxic substances.
(4) GOAL
FOR
TRAINING.—The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall
seek to ensure that not less than 15 percent of the
attending physicians within their respective depart-
ments participate in the training program.
(5) TIMETABLE FOR PROGRAM.—The training
program shall be implemented not later than one
year after the date of the enactment of this Act. Not
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Director shall identify the course
content for the training program and not later than
30 days thereafter shall issue a request for proposals
for a contract for the training program. The Direc-
tor shall enter into such a contract not later than
120 days after issuing the request for proposals.
(c) RENEWAL OF TRAINING PROGRAM.—Whenever
the Director determines that there have been new research
results that warrant additional training as described in
subsection (b), the Director shall provide for an additional
training program to be made available in the same manner
as provided in subsection (b).
(d) CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAM.—The Direc-
tor shall ensure that the training program contains a con-
tinuing education component in order to provide training
for new attending physicians of the Department of Veter-
ans Affairs and the Department of Defense.
(e) REIMBURSEMENT.—A training program under
this section shall be conducted on a reimbursable basis.
SEC. 7. OUTREACH.
(a) OUTREACH PROGRAM
BY DIRECTOR
OF NA-
TIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.—
(1) REQUIRED OUTREACH PROGRAM.—The Di-
rector of the National Institutes of Health shall
carry out an ongoing program to provide Gulf War
veterans the information described in subsection (c).
(2) REQUIRED CONSULTATION.—The Director
shall carry out the outreach program in consultation
with—
(A) the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and
the Secretary of Defense; and
(B) representatives of Gulf War veterans.
(b) OMBUDSMAN.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—As part of the outreach pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Director shall estab-
lish an ombudsman program to facilitate addressing
complaints of Gulf War veterans regarding treat-
ment for health risks described in subsection (c)(1).
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary to carry out the ombudsman
program under paragraph (1).
(c) COVERED
INFORMATION.—Information under
this subsection is information relating to—
(1) the health risks, if any, resulting from expo-
sure to biological or chemical agents, other toxic
agents 
(including 
depleted 
uranium 
and
organophosphates), pyridostigmine bromide, vac-
cines, and any other potentially hazardous substance
due to service in, or mobilization in support of, com-
bat operations in the areas of responsibility of the
United States Central Command and the United
States European Command during the period begin-
ning on August 2, 1990, and ending on December
31, 1991; and
(2) any health services, medical care, or bene-
fits that are or become available with respect to such
health risks.
(d) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY
OF RESEARCH FIND-
INGS.—
(1) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The Director of
the National Institutes of Health shall ensure that
all research findings from research activities covered
by this Act, and all treatment protocols developed
pursuant to section 6, are made available to the pub-
lic through the Internet World Wide Web, peer-re-
viewed medical journals, and other appropriate medi-
cal channels. The Director shall publish reliable, rel-
evant, and objective medical data regarding diseases
of Gulf War veterans. Peer review of that research
shall include at least one representative from each of
the veterans’ service organizations.
(2) REQUIRED CONSULTATION.—The Director
shall carry out paragraph (1) in consultation with
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary
of Defense.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ‘‘Gulf War veteran’’ means a vet-
eran or member of the Armed Forces who during
the period beginning on August 2, 1990, and ending
on December 31, 1991, while serving on active
duty—
(A) served in the area of responsibility of
the United States Central Command or the
United States European Command; or
(B) while outside either such area of re-
sponsibility—
(i) received an inoculation in anticipa-
tion of deployment to either such area of
responsibility; or
(ii) handled equipment or supplies re-
turned from either such area of respon-
sibility after Operation Desert Storm.
(2) The term ‘‘designated congressional com-
mittees’’ means the following:
(A) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
and the Committee on Armed Services of the
Senate.
(B) The Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
and the Committee on National Security of the
House of Representatives.
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