I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3256
To establish a National Center for Military Deployment Health Research
in the Department of Health and Human Services to provide an inde-
pendent means for the conduct and coordination of research into issues
relating to the deployment of members of the Armed Forces overseas,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 8, 2001
Ms. BALDWIN (for herself, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. KAPTUR, and
Mr. SHOWS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on
Veterans’ Affairs, the Budget, and Armed Services, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee con-
cerned
A BILL
To establish a National Center for Military Deployment
Health Research in the Department of Health and
Human Services to provide an independent means for
the conduct and coordination of research into issues re-
lating to the deployment of members of the Armed
Forces overseas, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Servicemembers
Health Protection Act of 2001’’.
TITLE 
I—NATIONAL 
CENTER
FOR MILITARY DEPLOYMENT
HEALTH RESEARCH
SEC. 101. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR
MILITARY DEPLOYMENT HEALTH RESEARCH.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the
Department of Health and Human Services a center
to be known as the National Center for Military De-
ployment Health Research (hereinafter in this Act
referred to as the ‘‘Center’’).
(2) DIRECTOR.—The Center shall be headed by
a Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(3) PURPOSE.—The Center shall, in accordance
with this Act, conduct research on deployment-re-
lated health issues of members of the Armed Forces,
veterans, and their families and serve as the national
center for coordination of private and public re-
search on those issues.
(b) DEPLOYMENT-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES DE-
FINED.—For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘deployment-
related health issues’’ includes the following:
(1) Issues relating to injuries, diseases, dis-
orders, or other health conditions of members of the
Armed Forces arising or incurred during deployment
and resulting from combat, training, infectious dis-
eases, and environmental exposures.
(2) Conditions that emerge during or following
deployment, including—
(A) diagnosable conditions;
(B) medically unexplained symptoms (both
physical and mental);
(C) effects on health-related quality of life;
(D) family impacts; and
(E) sequelae of combat injuries.
(3) Conditions arising from inoculations before
deployment that are intended to provide protection
from conditions that could be encountered during
deployment.
SEC. 102. FUNCTIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The functions of the Center shall
be as follows:
(1) Development of a coordinated research plan
for deployment-related health issues.
(2) Conducting and supporting research relat-
ing to deployment-related health issues.
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and
other Federal officials.
(2) CONSULTATION.—The Center shall consult
with, and seek the advice of, other federally spon-
sored researchers in developing the Center’s research
agenda.
(c) CENTER-INITIATED RESEARCH.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Center shall conduct a
broad-based research program into deployment-re-
lated health issues. As part of that program, the
Center may, from funds appropriated for that pur-
pose, make grants for research into deployment-re-
lated health issues. Any such grant shall be made
based upon issuance of a request for applications or
a request for proposals. Applications and proposals
shall be assessed through a peer-review process,
which shall, to the extent possible, be carried out by
the National Institutes of Health.
(2) SOLICITATION
OF
PROPOSALS.—In con-
ducting such research, the Center shall solicit pro-
posals from other Federal agencies, from univer-
sities, and from other research entities.
(3) RESEARCH
NETWORK.—In awarding con-
tracts for research, the Center shall seek to establish
a network of research sites at academic medical cen-
ters, university-wide research facilities, and other ap-
propriate sources.
(d) CORE RESEARCH PRINCIPLES.—Center-initiated
research shall be conducted using the following core set
of principles:
(1) Use of a scientific peer-review process for
all research.
(2) Dissemination of research results to the sci-
entific community through conventional venues of
scientific communication.
(3) Encouragement of interagency, interdepart-
mental, and Federal-academic collaboration.
SEC. 104. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
The Center shall have an Advisory Committee on Military
Deployment Health Research. The Advisory Committee
shall advise the Secretary of Health and Human Services
and the Director of the Center on all aspects of the activi-
ties of the Center.
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Advisory Committee shall
consist of 21 members, appointed as follows:
(1) 12 members appointed by the President, of
whom—
(A) 6 shall be appointed from persons who,
by reason of training, experience, and edu-
cation, have qualifications in the fields of re-
search to be conducted by the Center; and
(B) 6 shall be appointed from the general
population, including persons representing the
interests of veterans and their families and the
general public.
(2) 3 members appointed by the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs from officers and employees of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
(3) 3 members appointed by the Secretary of
Defense from officers and employees of the Depart-
ment of Defense and members of the Armed Forces.
(4) 3 members appointed by the Secretary of
Health and Human Services from officers and em-
ployees of the Department of Health and Human
Services.
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS
BY
INDEPENDENT
SCI-
ENTIFIC ENTITY.—The President shall designate an inde-
pendent scientific entity to make recommendations for ap-
pointments under paragraph (1) of subsection (b). When
making such recommendations, the entity shall rec-
ommend twice the number of candidates as there are posi-
tions available.
(d) TERMS.—Persons appointed to the Advisory
Committee under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) shall
serve for a term of three years, except that—
(1) of the persons initially appointed pursuant
to subsection (b)(1)(A), two shall be appointed for a
term of one year and two shall be appointed for a
term of two years; and
(2) of the persons initially appointed pursuant
to subsection (b)(1)(B), two shall be appointed for
a term of one year and two shall be appointed for
a term of two years.
(e) PAY AND TRAVEL EXPENSES.—
(1) PAY.—Persons appointed to the Advisory
Committee under paragraph (1) of subsection (b)
shall receive pay at the daily equivalent of the rate
of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive
Schedule for each day engaged in functions for the
Advisory Committee. Persons appointed to the Advi-
sory Committee under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of
subsection (b) shall receive no additional compensa-
tion by reason of service on the Advisory Committee.
(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members of the Advi-
sory Committee shall be allowed travel expenses, in-
cluding per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates au-
thorized for employees of agencies under subchapter
I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while
away from their homes or regular places of business
in the performance of services for the Commission.
(f) CHAIR.—The President shall designate one of the
members of the Advisory Committee to chair the Advisory
Committee.
(g) MEETINGS.—The Advisory Committee shall meet
on the call of the chair or a majority of the members of
the Advisory Board.
(h) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT.—Section
14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply
to the Advisory Committee.
SEC. 105. ANNUAL REPORT.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
submit to Congress an annual report on the activities of
the Center. The report shall include—
(1) a description of the activities of the Center
during the preceding fiscal year and
(2) a detailed description of the proposed budg-
et for the Center for the next fiscal year.
SEC. 106. BUDGET.
In the President’s budget for any fiscal year sub-
mitted to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United
States Code, amounts requested for the activities of the
Center shall be set forth separately and distinctly, with
amounts requested for the core functions of the Center
and for Center-initiated research identified individually.
TITLE 
II—CENTERS 
FOR 
RE-
SEARCH 
ON 
POST-DEPLOY-
MENT ILLNESSES IN DEPART-
MENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
SEC. 201. ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS.
(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:
‘‘§ 7324. Centers for research on post-deployment ill-
nesses
‘‘(a)(1) The Secretary shall establish and operate
centers for research, education, and clinical activities re-
lated to post-deployment illnesses. Such centers shall be
known as ‘National Centers for Military Post-Deployment
Illness Research’. Such centers shall be established and
operated by collaborating Department facilities as pro-
vided in subsection (c)(1).
‘‘(2) For purposes of this section, term ‘post-deploy-
ment illness’ means any health condition being currently
studied or that will be studied that has (or that may have)
an association to or relation to a military deployment mis-
sion, including a peacekeeping mission.
‘‘(3) Each such center shall function as a center for—
‘‘(A) research on post-deployment illnesses;
‘‘(B) the use by the Department of specific models
for furnishing services to treat post-deployment ill-
nesses;
‘‘(C) education and training of health-care profes-
sionals of the Department; and
‘‘(D) the development and implementation of in-
novative clinical activities and systems of care with
respect to the delivery of such services by the De-
partment.
‘‘(4) The Secretary shall provide for the research con-
ducted by such centers to be compiled and transmitted to
a centrally located coordinating center.
‘‘(b)(1) The Secretary shall, upon the recommendation
of the Under Secretary for Health, the Secretary of De-
fense, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
designate not more than 25 centers under this section. In
making such designations, the Secretary shall ensure that
the centers designated are located in various geographic
regions of the United States.
‘‘(2) The authority of the Secretary to establish and op-
erate centers under this section is subject to the appro-
priation of funds for that purpose.
‘‘(c) The Secretary may not designate a health-care
facility as a location for a center under subsection (a) un-
less the peer review panel established under subsection (d)
has determined under that subsection that the proposal
submitted by such facility as a location for a new center
under subsection (a) is among those proposals which have
met the highest competitive standards of scientific and
clinical merit, and the Secretary (upon the recommenda-
tion of the Under Secretary for Health) determines that
the facility has (or may reasonably be anticipated to de-
velop) each of the following:
‘‘(1) An arrangement with an accredited med-
ical school which provides education and training in
post-deployment illnesses and with which such facil-
ity is affiliated under which residents receive edu-
cation and training in post-deployment illnesses.
‘‘(2) An arrangement under which nursing or
allied health personnel receive training and edu-
cation in post-deployment illnesses.
‘‘(3) The ability to attract the participation of
scientists who are capable of ingenuity and creativity
in health-care research efforts.
‘‘(4) A policymaking advisory committee com-
posed of appropriate health-care and research rep-
resentatives of the facility and of the affiliated
school or schools to advise the directors of such fa-
cility and such center on policy matters pertaining to
the activities of such center during the period of the
operation of such center.
‘‘(5) The capability to conduct effectively eval-
uations of the activities of such center.
‘‘(d)(1) In order to provide advice to assist the Sec-
retary and the Under Secretary for Health in carrying out
their responsibilities under this section, the Under Sec-
retary shall establish a panel to assess the scientific and
clinical merit of proposals that are submitted to the Sec-
retary for the establishment of new centers under this sec-
tion.
‘‘(2) The membership of the panel shall consist of ex-
perts in the fields of post-deployment illnesses research,
education, and clinical care. Members of the panel shall
serve as consultants to the Department for a period of
no longer than six months.
‘‘(3) The panel shall review each proposal submitted
to the panel by the Under Secretary and shall submit its
views on the relative scientific and clinical merit of each
such proposal to the Under Secretary.
‘‘(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act.
‘‘(e) There are authorized to be appropriated such
sums as may be necessary for the support of the research,
treatment, and education activities of the centers estab-
lished pursuant to subsection (a). The Under Secretary
for Health shall allocate to such centers from other funds
appropriated generally for the Department medical care
account and medical and prosthetics research account, as
appropriate, such amounts as the Under Secretary for
Health determines appropriate.
‘‘(f) Activities of clinical and scientific investigation
at each center established under subsection (a) shall be
eligible to compete for the award of funding from funds
appropriated for the Department medical and prosthetics
research account and shall receive priority in the award
of funding from such account insofar as funds are award-
ed to projects for research in post-deployment illnesses.’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting
after the item relating to section 7323 the following new
item:
‘‘7324. Centers for research on post-deployment illnesses.’’.
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