I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5484 
To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a national center for 
research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of the 
descendants of veterans exposed to toxic substances during service in 
the Armed Forces, to establish an advisory board on exposure to toxic 
substances, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 16, 2014 
Mr. BENISHEK (for himself, Mr. HONDA, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. CONYERS, and 
Mr. HIGGINS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on 
Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speak-
er, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the ju-
risdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish in the Department of Veterans Affairs a na-
tional center for research on the diagnosis and treatment 
of health conditions of the descendants of veterans ex-
posed to toxic substances during service in the Armed 
Forces, to establish an advisory board on exposure to 
toxic substances, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:13 Sep 23, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5484.IH
H5484
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Toxic Exposure Re-
search Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ARMED FORCE.—The term ‘‘Armed Force’’ 
means the United States Army, Navy, Marine 
Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, including the re-
serve components thereof. 
(2) DESCENDANT.—The term ‘‘descendant’’ 
means, with respect to an individual, the biological 
child, grandchild, or great-grandchild of that indi-
vidual. 
(3) TOXIC SUBSTANCE.—The term ‘‘toxic sub-
stance’’ shall have the meaning given that term by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and shall include 
all substances that have been proven by peer re-
viewed scientific research or a preponderance of 
opinion in the medical community to lead to disabil-
ities related to the exposure of an individual to those 
substances while serving as a member of the Armed 
Forces. 
(4) VETERAN.—The term ‘‘veteran’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, 
United States Code. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:13 Sep 23, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5484.IH
H5484
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 3. NATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH ON THE DIAG-
NOSIS AND TREATMENT OF HEALTH CONDI-
TIONS OF THE DESCENDANTS OF INDIVID-
UALS EXPOSED TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES DUR-
ING SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) NATIONAL CENTER.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with 
the advisory board established under section 4, select 
a medical center of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs to serve as the national center for research on 
the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of 
descendants of individuals exposed to toxic sub-
stances while serving as members of the Armed 
Forces that are related to that exposure (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘‘National Center’’). 
(2) CRITERIA FOR SELECTION.—The National 
Center shall be selected under paragraph (1) from 
among medical centers of the Department with ex-
pertise in diagnosing and treating functional and 
structural birth defects and caring for individuals 
exposed to toxic substances, or that are affiliated 
with research medical centers or teaching hospitals 
with such expertise, that seek to be selected under 
this section. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:13 Sep 23, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5484.IH
H5484
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(b) RESEARCH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The National Center may 
conduct research on the diagnosis and treatment of 
health conditions of descendants of individuals ex-
posed to toxic substances while serving as members 
of the Armed Forces that are related to that expo-
sure. 
(2) STUDIES.—In conducting research under 
paragraph (1), the National Center shall study indi-
viduals, at the election of the individual, for whom 
the Secretary has made one of the following deter-
minations: 
(A)(i) The individual is a descendant of an 
individual who served as a member of the 
Armed Forces; 
(ii) such member was exposed to a toxic 
substance while serving as a member of the 
Armed Forces; and 
(iii) such descendant is afflicted with a 
health condition that is determined by the advi-
sory board established in section 4 to be a 
health condition that results from the exposure 
of such member to such toxic substance. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:13 Sep 23, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5484.IH
H5484
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(B)(i) The individual was exposed to a 
toxic substance while serving as a member of 
the Armed Forces; and 
(ii) such individual is afflicted with a 
health condition that is determined by the advi-
sory board established in section 4 to be a 
health condition that results from the exposure 
of such individual to such toxic substance. 
(3) USE OF RECORDS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of De-
fense or the head of a Federal agency may 
make available to the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs for review records held by the Department 
of Defense, an Armed Force, or that Federal 
agency, as appropriate, that might assist the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs in making the de-
terminations required by paragraph (2). 
(B) MECHANISM.—The Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense or 
the head of the appropriate Federal agency may 
jointly establish a mechanism for the avail-
ability and review of records by the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs under subparagraph (A). 
(c) SOCIAL WORKERS.—The National Center shall 
employ not less than one licensed clinical social worker to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:13 Sep 23, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5484.IH
H5484
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
coordinate access of individuals to appropriate Federal, 
State, and local social and healthcare programs and to 
handle case management. 
(d) REIMBURSEMENT FOR NECESSARY TRAVEL AND 
ROOM AND BOARD.—The National Center shall reimburse 
any individual participating in a study pursuant to sub-
section (b), and any parent, guardian, spouse, or sibling 
who accompanies such individual, for the reasonable cost 
of— 
(1) travel to the National Center for participa-
tion in such study; and 
(2) room and board during the period in which 
such individual is participating in such study at the 
National Center. 
(e) REPORT.—Not less frequently than annually, the 
National Center shall submit a report to Congress on the 
functions of the National Center during the year preceding 
the submittal of the report that includes a summary of 
the research efforts of the National Center under this sec-
tion that have been completed during such year and that 
are ongoing as of the date of the submittal of the report. 
SEC. 4. ADVISORY BOARD. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:13 Sep 23, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5484.IH
H5484
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(II) Peer-reviewed articles from 
scientific journals relating to exposure 
to toxic substances. 
(III) Medical research conducted 
by the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs, the Department of Defense, or 
the medical community. 
(ii) Recommendations on the extent to 
which the Department of Veterans Affairs 
or the Department of Defense should pro-
vide health care, benefits, or other com-
pensation with respect to exposure to a 
toxic substance to the following individuals: 
(I) An individual exposed to a 
toxic substance as determined under 
subparagraph (C)(i). 
(II) A descendant of that indi-
vidual. 
(iii) Information on cost and attrib-
utable exposure, as defined in regulations 
prescribed pursuant to this Act. 
(E) PUBLICATION OF EVIDENCE.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clause (ii), the Secretary shall publish in 
the Federal Register the evidence described 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
02:13 Sep 23, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5484.IH
H5484
SSpencer on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS