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SEC. 7. CODIFICATION OF DUTIES OF SECRETARY OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS RELATING TO EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subchapter I of chapter 81
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
‘‘§ 8117. Emergency preparedness
‘‘(a) READINESS OF DEPARTMENT MEDICAL CEN-
TERS.—(1) The Secretary shall take appropriate actions
to provide for the readiness of Department medical centers
to protect the patients and staff of such centers from
chemical or biological attack or otherwise to respond to
such an attack so as to enable such centers to fulfill their
obligations as part of the Federal response to public health
emergencies.
‘‘(2) Actions under paragraph (1) shall include—
‘‘(A) the provision of decontamination equip-
ment and personal protection equipment at Depart-
ment medical centers; and
‘‘(B) the provision of training in the use of such
equipment to staff of such centers.
‘‘(b) SECURITY AT DEPARTMENT MEDICAL AND RE-
SEARCH FACILITIES.—(1) The Secretary shall take appro-
priate actions to provide for the security of Department
medical centers and research facilities, including staff and
patients at such centers and facilities.
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‘‘(2) In taking actions under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall take into account the results of the evaluation
of the security needs at Department medical centers and
research facilities required by section 154(b)(1) of the
Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness
and Response Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–188; 116
Stat. 631), including the results of such evaluation relat-
ing to the following needs:
‘‘(A) Needs for the protection of patients and
medical staff during emergencies, including a chem-
ical or biological attack or other terrorist attack.
‘‘(B) Needs, if any, for screening personnel en-
gaged in research relating to biological pathogens or
agents, including work associated with such re-
search.
‘‘(C) Needs for securing laboratories or other
facilities engaged in research relating to biological
pathogens or agents.
‘‘(c) TRACKING OF PHARMACEUTICALS AND MED-
ICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT.—The Secretary shall
develop and maintain a centralized system for tracking the
current location and availability of pharmaceuticals, med-
ical supplies, and medical equipment throughout the De-
partment health care system in order to permit the ready
identification and utilization of such pharmaceuticals, sup-
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plies, and equipment for a variety of purposes, including
response to a chemical or biological attack or other ter-
rorist attack.
‘‘(d) TRAINING.—The Secretary shall ensure that the
Department medical centers, in consultation with the ac-
credited medical school affiliates of such medical centers,
develop and implement curricula to train resident physi-
cians and health care personnel in medical matters relat-
ing to biological, chemical, or radiological attacks or at-
tacks from an incendiary or other explosive weapon.
‘‘(e) PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL DISASTER MED-
ICAL SYSTEM.—(1) The Secretary shall establish and
maintain a training program to facilitate the participation
of the staff of Department medical centers, and of the
community partners of such centers, in the National Dis-
aster Medical System established pursuant to section
2811(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
300hh–11(b)).
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall establish and maintain the
training program under paragraph (1) in accordance with
the recommendations of the working group on the preven-
tion, preparedness, and response to bioterrorism and other
public health emergencies established under section
319F(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
247d–6(a)).
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‘‘(3) The Secretary shall establish and maintain the
training program under paragraph (1) in consultation
with the following:
‘‘(A) The Secretary of Defense.
‘‘(B) The Secretary of Health and Human
Services.
‘‘(C) The Director of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
‘‘(f) MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING.—(1) With re-
spect to activities conducted by personnel serving at De-
partment medical centers, the Secretary shall develop and
maintain various strategies for providing mental health
counseling and assistance, including counseling and assist-
ance for post-traumatic stress disorder, following a bioter-
rorist attack or other public health emergency to the fol-
lowing persons:
‘‘(A) Veterans.
‘‘(B) Local and community emergency response
providers.
‘‘(C) Active duty military personnel.
‘‘(D) Individuals seeking care at Department
medical centers.
‘‘(2) The strategies under paragraph (1) shall include
the following:
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‘‘(A) Training and certification of providers of
mental health counseling and assistance.
‘‘(B) Mechanisms for coordinating the provision
of mental health counseling and assistance to emer-
gency response providers referred to in paragraph
(1).
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall develop and maintain the
strategies under paragraph (1) in consultation with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the American
Red Cross, and the working group referred to in sub-
section (e)(2).’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating
to section 8116 the following new item:
‘‘8117. Emergency preparedness.’’.
(b) REPEAL OF CODIFIED PROVISIONS.—Subsections
(a), (b)(2), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of section 154 of the Pub-
lic Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and
Response Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–188; 38 U.S.C.
note prec. 8101) are repealed.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Subsection (g) of
such section is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘of section
8117 of title 38, United States Code’’ after ‘‘sub-
section (a)’’; and
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(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘subsections
(b) through (f)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(1) of
this section and subsections (b) through (f) of sec-
tion 8117 of title 38, United States Code’’.
Attest:
Clerk.