110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2199
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs to provide certain improve-
ments in the treatment of individuals with traumatic 
brain injuries, 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 ‘‘Traumatic Brain In-
jury Health Enhancement and Long-Term Support Act of 
2007’’. 
SEC. 2. SCREENING, REHABILITATION, AND TREATMENT 
FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. 
(a) SCREENING, REHABILITATION, AND TREATMENT 
FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 17 of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new subchapter: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER IX—TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 
‘‘§ 1791. Screening for traumatic brain injuries 
‘‘(a) SCREENING PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a program to screen veterans who are eligible for 
hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care 
under section 1710(e)(1)(D) of this title for symptoms of 
traumatic brain injury. 
‘‘(b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this section, and annually there-
after, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report containing the following information: 
‘‘(1) The number of veterans screened under 
the program during the year preceding such report.
‘‘(2) The prevalence of traumatic brain injury 
symptoms among the veterans screened under the 
program. 
‘‘(3) Recommendations for improving care and 
services to veterans exhibiting symptoms of trau-
matic brain injury. 
‘‘§ 1792. Comprehensive program for long-term trau-
matic brain injury rehabilitation 
‘‘(a) COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.—The Secretary 
shall develop and carry out a comprehensive program of 
long-term care for post-acute traumatic brain injury reha-
bilitation that includes residential, community, and home-
based components utilizing interdisciplinary treatment 
teams. 
‘‘(b) LOCATION OF PROGRAM.—The Secretary shall 
carry out the program developed under subsection (a) in 
four geographically dispersed polytrauma network sites 
designated by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY.—A veteran is eligible for care 
under the program developed under subsection (a) if the 
veteran is otherwise eligible for care under this chapter 
and—
‘‘(1) served on active duty in a theater of com-
bat operations (as determined by the Secretary in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense) during a
period of war after the Persian Gulf War, or in com-
bat against a hostile force during a period of hos-
tilities (as defined in section 1712A(a)(2)(B) of this 
title) after November 11, 1998; 
‘‘(2) is diagnosed as suffering from moderate to 
severe traumatic brain injury; and 
‘‘(3) is unable to manage routine activities of 
daily living without supervision or assistance. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this section, and annually there-
after, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report containing the following information: 
‘‘(1) A description of the operation of the pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) The number of veterans provided care 
under the program during the year preceding such 
report. 
‘‘(3) The annual cost of operating the program. 
‘‘§ 1793. Traumatic brain injury transition offices 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a traumatic brain injury transition office at each De-
partment polytrauma network site for the purposes of co-
ordinating the provision of health-care and services to vet-
erans who suffer from moderate to severe traumatic brain
injuries and are in need of health-care and services not 
immediately offered by the Department. 
‘‘(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary, 
through each such office established under subsection (a), 
shall have the authority to arrange for the provision of 
health-care and services through cooperative agreements 
with appropriate public or private entities that have estab-
lished long-term neurobehavioral rehabilitation and recov-
ery programs. 
‘‘§ 1794. Traumatic brain injury registry 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
and maintain a registry to be known as the ‘Traumatic 
Brain Injury Veterans’ Health Registry’ (in this section 
referred to as the ‘Registry’). 
‘‘(b) DESCRIPTION.—The Registry shall include the 
following information: 
‘‘(1) A list containing the name of each indi-
vidual who served as a member of the Armed Forces 
in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi 
Freedom who exhibits symptoms associated with 
traumatic brain injury and who—
‘‘(A) applies for care and services from the 
Department under this chapter; or 
‘‘(B) files a claim for compensation under 
chapter 11 of this title on the basis of any dis-
ability which may be associated with such serv-
ice; and 
‘‘(2) any relevant medical data relating to the 
health status of an individual described in paragraph 
(1) and any other information the Secretary con-
siders relevant and appropriate with respect to such 
an individual if the individual—
‘‘(A) grants permission to the Secretary to 
include such information in the Registry; or 
‘‘(B) is deceased at the time such indi-
vidual is listed in the Registry. 
‘‘(c) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall notify indi-
viduals listed in the Registry of significant developments 
in research on the health consequences of military service 
in the Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi 
Freedom theaters of operations. 
‘‘§ 1795. Centers for traumatic brain injury research, 
education, and clinical activities 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to 
provide for the improvement of the provision of health care 
to eligible veterans with traumatic brain injuries 
through—
‘‘(1) the conduct of research (including research 
on improving facilities of the Department concen-
trating on traumatic brain injury care and on im-