I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 984 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a task force on urotrauma. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 6, 2013 
Mr. GUTHRIE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ 
Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a task force 
on urotrauma. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON UROTRAUMA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a task force to be known as the ‘‘Task 
Force on Urotrauma’’ (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Task Force’’) to continue and expand the report of the 
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Secretary on urotrauma titled ‘‘Genitourinary Trauma in 
the Military’’ and dated December 27, 2011. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary of Defense shall consult with the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services. 
(c) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall conduct a study 
on urotrauma among members of the Armed Forces and 
veterans, including— 
(1) an analysis of the incidence, duration, mor-
bidity rate, and mortality rate of urotrauma; 
(2) an analysis of the social and economic costs 
and effects of urotrauma; 
(3) with respect to the Department of Defense 
and Department of Veterans Affairs, an evaluation 
of the facilities, access to private facilities, resources, 
personnel, and research activities that are related to 
the 
diagnosis, 
prevention, 
and 
treatment 
of 
urotrauma; 
(4) an evaluation of programs (including such 
biological, behavioral, environmental, and social pro-
grams) that improve the prevention or treatment of 
urotrauma; 
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(5) a long-term plan for the use and organiza-
tion of the resources of the Federal Government to 
improve the prevention and treatment of urotrauma; 
(6) an analysis of shortfalls in research, exper-
tise, and health care infrastructure for female vic-
tims of urotrauma; 
(7) an analysis of technical, administrative, and 
budgetary mechanisms to allow for enhanced repro-
ductive services for members who have been affected 
by urotrauma or who are at high risk of urotrauma; 
(8) an assessment of opportunities to enhance 
the coordination of— 
(A) Federal resources used to research, 
prevent, and continuously improve the manage-
ment of urotrauma; and 
(B) inter-agency efforts regarding the 
chronic physical, behavioral, and emotional care 
of victims of urotrauma; and 
(9) updates to the report referred to in sub-
section (a). 
(d) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) APPOINTED MEMBERS.—In addition to the 
ex officio members described in paragraph (2), the 
Task Force shall be composed of 19 members as fol-
lows: 
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(A) Sixteen members appointed by the Sec-
retary of Defense. 
(B) One member appointed by the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services from 
among officers or employees of the National In-
stitute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
Diseases whose primary interest is in the field 
of urotrauma. 
(C) The Chief of the Department of Sur-
gery of Walter Reed National Military Medical 
Center. 
(D) The Chief Medical Director of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
(2) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.—The nonvoting, ex 
officio members of the Task Force are as follows: 
(A) The Surgeon General of the Navy. 
(B) The Surgeon General of the Army. 
(C) The Surgeon General of the Air Force. 
(D) The Medical Officer of the Marine 
Corps. 
(E) The Director of the National Institutes 
of Health. 
(F) The Director of the National Institute 
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. 
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(G) The Director of the Division of Kid-
ney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases of the 
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive 
Kidney Diseases. 
(H) The Director of the National Institute 
of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. 
(3) QUALIFICATIONS.—In appointing members 
under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary of Defense 
shall appoint individuals with experience related to— 
(A) studying or researching urotrauma; 
(B) preventing or treating urotrauma; or 
(C) suffering from urotrauma. 
(4) TERM.—Each member shall be appointed 
for the life of the Task Force. 
(5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Task Force 
shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made. 
(6) PAY.— 
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph 
(C), members of the Task Force shall serve 
without pay. 
(B) Except as provided in subparagraph 
(C), members of the Task Force who are full- 
time officers or employees of the United States 
may not receive additional pay, allowances, or 
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benefits by reason of their service on the Task 
Force. 
(C) Each member shall receive travel ex-
penses, including per diem in lieu of subsist-
ence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(7) QUORUM.—A majority of members of the 
Task Force shall constitute a quorum but a lesser 
number may hold hearings. 
(8) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall designate a member as the chairperson of the 
Task Force. 
(9) MEETINGS.—The Task Force shall meet at 
the call of the chairperson. 
(e) STAFF.— 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The Task Force shall have a 
director who shall be appointed by the chairperson. 
(2) STAFF.—Subject to rules prescribed by the 
Task Force, the chairperson may appoint additional 
personnel as the chairperson considers appropriate. 
(3) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 
LAWS.—The director and staff of the Task Force 
shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 
5, United States Code, governing appointments in 
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the competitive service, and shall be paid in accord-
ance with the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates. 
(4) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—Subject to 
rules prescribed by the Task Force, the chairperson 
may procure temporary and intermittent services 
under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. 
(5) STAFF TO FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon re-
quest of the chairperson, the head of any Federal 
department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or 
agency to the Task Force to assist it in carrying out 
its duties under this section. 
(f) POWERS OF TASK FORCE.— 
(1) HEARINGS
AND
SESSIONS.—The Task 
Force may, for the purpose of carrying out this sec-
tion, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Task 
Force considers appropriate. The Task Force may 
administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses ap-
pearing before it. 
(2) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any 
member or agent of the Task Force may, if author-
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ized by the Task Force, take any action which the 
Task Force is authorized to take by this section. 
(3) OBTAINING
OFFICIAL
DATA.—The Task 
Force may secure directly from any department or 
agency of the United States information necessary 
to enable it to carry out this section. Upon request 
of the chairperson of the Task Force, the head of 
that department or agency shall furnish that infor-
mation to the Task Force. 
(4) MAILS.—The Task Force may use the 
United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as other departments and agen-
cies of the United States. 
(5) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT
SERVICES.— 
Upon the request of the Task Force, the Adminis-
trator of General Services shall provide to the Task 
Force, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 
support services necessary for the Task Force to 
carry out its responsibilities under this section. 
(g) REPORTS.— 
(1) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the date on which the members are appointed 
under subsection (d)(1), the Task Force shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees an in-
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terim report on the study conducted under sub-
section (c). 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 
after the date on which the members are appointed 
under subsection (d)(1), the Task Force shall submit 
to the appropriate congressional committees a final 
report on the study conducted under subsection (c), 
including any recommendations the Task Force con-
siders appropriate to improve the prevention and 
treatment of urotrauma among members of the 
Armed Forces and veterans. 
(h) TERMINATION.—The Task Force shall terminate 
on the date that is 60 days after the date on which the 
Task Force submits the final report under subsection 
(g)(2). 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committees on Armed Services of 
the House of Representatives and Senate; and 
(B) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and Senate. 
(2) The term ‘‘urotrauma’’ means injury to the 
urinary tract (including the kidneys, ureters, urinary 
bladder, urethra, and female and male genitalia) 
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from a penetrating, blunt, blast, thermal, chemical, 
or biological cause. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017. 
(2) OFFSET.—The amount otherwise author-
ized to be appropriated for operation and mainte-
nance, Defense-wide, for the Office of the Secretary 
of Defense for each of fiscal years 2014 through 
2017 is reduced by $1,000,000. 
Æ 
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