which have met the highest competitive standards of sci-
entific and clinical merit. 
‘‘(4) The panel shall not be subject to the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
‘‘(f) AWARD OF FUNDING.—Clinical and scientific in-
vestigation activities at each center established under this 
section— 
‘‘(1) may compete for the award of funding 
from amounts appropriated for the Department of 
Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research 
account; and 
‘‘(2) shall receive priority in the award of fund-
ing from such account insofar as funds are awarded 
to projects and activities relating to traumatic brain 
injury. 
‘‘(g) DISSEMINATION OF USEFUL INFORMATION.— 
The Under Secretary for Health shall ensure that infor-
mation produced by the research, education and training, 
and clinical activities of centers established under this sec-
tion that may be useful for other activities of the Veterans 
Health Administration is disseminated throughout the 
Veterans Health Administration. Such dissemination shall 
be made through publications, through programs of con-
tinuing medical and related education provided through 
regional medical education centers under subchapter VI 
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of chapter 74 of this title, and through other means. Such 
programs of continuing medical education shall receive 
priority in the award of funding. 
‘‘(h) SUPERVISION OF CENTERS.—The official within 
the central office of the Veterans Health Administration 
responsible for traumatic brain injury care shall be re-
sponsible for supervising the operation of the centers es-
tablished pursuant to this section and shall provide for 
ongoing evaluation of the centers and their compliance 
with the requirements of this section. 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—(1) 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs for the basic support of the re-
search and education and training activities of centers es-
tablished pursuant to this section such sums as may be 
necessary. 
‘‘(2) In addition to funds appropriated for a fiscal 
year pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in 
paragraph (1), the Under Secretary for Health shall allo-
cate to such centers from other funds appropriated for 
that fiscal year generally for the Department of Veterans 
Affairs medical services account and the Department of 
Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research account 
such amounts as the Under Secretary for Health deter-
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mines appropriate to carry out the purposes of this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(j) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than February 1 
of each year the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and 
House of Representatives a report on the status and ac-
tivities of the centers for traumatic brain injury research, 
education, and clinical activities during the preceding fis-
cal year. Each such report shall include the following: 
‘‘(1) A description of the activities carried out 
at each center and the funding provided by the De-
partment for such activities. 
‘‘(2) A description of the advances made at 
each of the participating facilities of the center in 
research, education and training, and clinical activi-
ties relating to traumatic brain injury care and 
treatment. 
‘‘(3) A description of the actions taken by the 
Under Secretary for Health pursuant to subsection 
(g) to disseminate information derived from such ac-
tivities throughout the Veterans Health Administra-
tion. 
‘‘(4) The evaluation of the Secretary as to the 
effectiveness of the centers in fulfilling the purposes 
of this section.’’. 
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(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 7320 the following new 
item: 
‘‘7320A. Centers for traumatic brain injury research, education, and clinical ac-
tivities.’’. 
Æ 
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