‘‘(c) CONTENT
OF PROGRAMS.—The education and
training programs developed under the program shall be
modelled after programs established at the F. Edward
Hebe´rt School of Medicine of the Uniformed Services Uni-
versity of the Health Sciences and shall include, at a min-
imum, training for health care professionals in the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(1) Recognition of chemical, biological, radio-
logical, incendiary, or other explosive agents, weap-
ons, or devices that may be used in terrorist activi-
ties.
‘‘(2) Identification of the potential symptoms of
exposure to those agents.
‘‘(3) Understanding of the potential long-term
health consequences, including psychological effects,
resulting from exposure to those agents, weapons, or
devices.
‘‘(4) Emergency treatment for exposure to those
agents, weapons, or devices.
‘‘(5) An appropriate course of followup treat-
ment, supportive care, and referral.
‘‘(6) Actions that can be taken while providing
care for exposure to those agents, weapons, or devices
to protect against contamination, injury, or other
hazards from such exposure.
‘‘(7) Information on how to seek consultative
support and to report suspected or actual use of those
agents.
‘‘(d) POTENTIAL TRAINEES.—In designing the edu-
cation and training programs under this section, the Sec-
retary shall ensure that different programs are designed for
health-care professionals in Department medical centers.
The programs shall be designed to be disseminated to health
professions students, graduate health and medical education
trainees, and health practitioners in a variety of fields.
‘‘(e) CONSULTATION.—In establishing education and
training programs under this section, the Secretary shall
consult with appropriate representatives of accrediting, cer-
tifying, and coordinating organizations in the field of
health professions education.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chap-
ter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
7325, as added by section 2(a)(2), the following new item:
‘‘7326. Education and training programs on medical response to consequences of
terrorist activities.’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall implement section 7326 of title 38, United States
Code, as added by subsection (a), not later than the end
of the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment
of this Act.
SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO FURNISH HEALTH CARE DURING
MAJOR 
DISASTERS 
AND 
MEDICAL 
EMER-
GENCIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subchapter VIII of chapter 17
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
‘‘§ 1785. Care and services during certain disasters
and emergencies
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE HOSPITAL CARE AND
MEDICAL SERVICES.—During and immediately following a
disaster or emergency referred to in subsection (b), the Sec-
retary may furnish hospital care and medical services to
individuals responding to, involved in, or otherwise affected
by that disaster or emergency.
‘‘(b) COVERED DISASTERS
AND EMERGENCIES.—A
disaster or emergency referred to in this subsection is any
disaster or emergency as follows:
‘‘(1) A major disaster or emergency declared by
the President under the Robert B. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121
et seq.).
‘‘(2) A disaster or emergency in which the Na-
tional Disaster Medical System established pursuant
to section 2811(b) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 300hh–11(b)) is activated by the Secretary
of Health and Human Services under paragraph
(3)(A) of that section or as otherwise authorized by
law.
‘‘(c) APPLICABILITY TO ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE VETERANS.—The Secretary may furnish care and
services under this section to an individual described in
subsection (a) who is a veteran without regard to whether
that individual is enrolled in the system of patient enroll-
ment under section 1705 of this title.
‘‘(d) REIMBURSEMENT FROM OTHER FEDERAL DE-
PARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—(1) The cost of any care or
services furnished under this section to an officer or em-
ployee of a department or agency of the United States other
than the Department or to a member of the Armed Forces
shall be reimbursed at such rates as may be agreed upon
by the Secretary and the head of such department or agency
or the Secretary concerned, in the case of a member of the
Armed Forces, based on the cost of the care or service fur-
nished.
‘‘(2) Amounts received by the Department under this
subsection shall be credited to the Medical Care Collections
Fund under section 1729A of this title.
‘‘(e) REPORT
TO CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—
Within 60 days of the commencement of a disaster or emer-
gency referred to in subsection (b) in which the Secretary
furnishes care and services under this section (or as soon
thereafter as is practicable), the Secretary shall submit to
the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the
House of Representatives a report on the Secretary’s alloca-
tion of facilities and personnel in order to furnish such care
and services.
‘‘(f) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall prescribe reg-
ulations governing the exercise of the authority of the Sec-
retary under this section.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of that chap-
ter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:
‘‘1785. Care and services during certain disasters and emergencies.’’.
(b) MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES ON ACTIVE
DUTY.—Section 8111A(a) of such title is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para-
graph (4);
(2) by designating the second sentence of para-
graph (1) as paragraph (3); and
(3) by inserting between paragraph (1) and
paragraph (3), as designated by paragraph (2) of this
subsection, the following new paragraph:
‘‘(2)(A) During and immediately following a disaster
or emergency referred to in subparagraph (B), the Secretary
may furnish hospital care and medical services to members
of the Armed Forces on active duty responding to or in-
volved in that disaster or emergency.
‘‘(B) A disaster or emergency referred to in this sub-
paragraph is any disaster or emergency as follows:
‘‘(i) A major disaster or emergency declared by
the President under the Robert B. Stafford Disaster
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121
et seq.).
‘‘(ii) A disaster or emergency in which the Na-
tional Disaster Medical System established pursuant
to section 2811(b) of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 300hh–11(b)) is activated by the Secretary
of Health and Human Services under paragraph
(3)(A) of that section or as otherwise authorized by
law.’’.
SEC. 5. 10-YEAR EXTENSION OF EXPIRED AUTHORITY.
Effective September 30, 2002, subsection (d) of section
1722A of title 38, United States Code, is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘September 30, 2002’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30,
2012’’.
SEC. 6. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF ASSISTANT SECRETARIES
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) INCREASE.—Subsection (a) of section 308 of title
38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘six’’ in
the first sentence and inserting ‘‘seven’’.
(b) FUNCTIONS.—Subsection (b) of such section is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
‘‘(11) Operations, preparedness, security, and
law enforcement functions.’’.
(c) NUMBER OF DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARIES.—
Subsection (d)(1) of such section is amended by striking
‘‘18’’ and inserting ‘‘19’’.
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 5315 of title
5, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘(6)’’ after
‘‘Assistant Secretaries, Department of Veterans Affairs’’
and inserting ‘‘(7)’’.
SEC. 7. CODIFICATION OF DUTIES OF SECRETARY OF VET-
ERANS AFFAIRS RELATING TO EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subchapter I of chapter 81 of
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the
end the following new section:
‘‘§ 8117. Emergency preparedness
‘‘(a) READINESS
OF DEPARTMENT MEDICAL CEN-
TERS.—(1) The Secretary shall take appropriate actions to
provide for the readiness of Department medical centers to
protect the patients and staff of such centers from chemical
or biological attack or otherwise to respond to such an at-
tack so as to enable such centers to fulfill their obligations
as part of the Federal response to public health emergencies.
‘‘(2) Actions under paragraph (1) shall include—
‘‘(A) the provision of decontamination equip-
ment and personal protection equipment at Depart-
ment medical centers; and
‘‘(B) the provision of training in the use of such
equipment to staff of such centers.
‘‘(b) SECURITY AT DEPARTMENT MEDICAL AND RE-
SEARCH FACILITIES.—(1) The Secretary shall take appro-
priate actions to provide for the security of Department
medical centers and research facilities, including staff and
patients at such centers and facilities.
‘‘(2) In taking actions under paragraph (1), the Sec-
retary shall take into account the results of the evaluation
of the security needs at Department medical centers and
research facilities required by section 154(b)(1) of the Pub-
lic Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Re-
sponse Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–188; 116 Stat. 631),
including the results of such evaluation relating to the fol-
lowing needs:
‘‘(A) Needs for the protection of patients and
medical staff during emergencies, including a chem-
ical or biological attack or other terrorist attack.
‘‘(B) Needs, if any, for screening personnel en-
gaged in research relating to biological pathogens or
agents, including work associated with such research.
‘‘(C) Needs for securing laboratories or other fa-
cilities engaged in research relating to biological
pathogens or agents.
‘‘(c) TRACKING OF PHARMACEUTICALS AND MEDICAL
SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT.—The Secretary shall develop
and maintain a centralized system for tracking the current
location and availability of pharmaceuticals, medical sup-
plies, and medical equipment throughout the Department
health care system in order to permit the ready identifica-
tion and utilization of such pharmaceuticals, supplies, and
equipment for a variety of purposes, including response to
a chemical or biological attack or other terrorist attack.
‘‘(d) TRAINING.—The Secretary shall ensure that the
Department medical centers, in consultation with the ac-
credited medical school affiliates of such medical centers,
develop and implement curricula to train resident physi-
cians and health care personnel in medical matters relating
to biological, chemical, or radiological attacks or attacks
from an incendiary or other explosive weapon.
‘‘(e) PARTICIPATION IN NATIONAL DISASTER MEDICAL
SYSTEM.—(1) The Secretary shall establish and maintain
a training program to facilitate the participation of the
staff of Department medical centers, and of the community
partners of such centers, in the National Disaster Medical
System established pursuant to section 2811(b) of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300hh–11(b)).
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall establish and maintain the
training program under paragraph (1) in accordance with
the recommendations of the working group on the preven-
tion, preparedness, and response to bioterrorism and other
public health emergencies established under section 319F(a)
of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6(a)).
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall establish and maintain the
training program under paragraph (1) in consultation
with the following:
‘‘(A) The Secretary of Defense.
‘‘(B) The Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices.
‘‘(C) The Director of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
‘‘(f) MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING.—(1) With respect
to activities conducted by personnel serving at Department
medical centers, the Secretary shall develop and maintain
various strategies for providing mental health counseling
and assistance, including counseling and assistance for
post-traumatic stress disorder, following a bioterrorist at-
tack or other public health emergency to the following per-
sons:
‘‘(A) Veterans.
‘‘(B) Local and community emergency response
providers.
‘‘(C) Active duty military personnel.
‘‘(D) Individuals seeking care at Department
medical centers.
‘‘(2) The strategies under paragraph (1) shall include
the following:
‘‘(A) Training and certification of providers of
mental health counseling and assistance.
‘‘(B) Mechanisms for coordinating the provision
of mental health counseling and assistance to emer-
gency response providers referred to in paragraph (1).
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall develop and maintain the
strategies under paragraph (1) in consultation with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the American
Red Cross, and the working group referred to in subsection
(e)(2).’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chap-
ter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section
8116 the following new item:
‘‘8117. Emergency preparedness.’’.
(b) REPEAL OF CODIFIED PROVISIONS.—Subsections
(a), (b)(2), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of section 154 of the Public
Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Re-
sponse Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–188; 38 U.S.C. note
prec. 8101) are repealed.
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Subsection (g) of
such section is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘of section
8117 of title 38, United States Code’’ after ‘‘subsection
(a)’’; and
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘subsections
(b) through (f)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(1) of
this section and subsections (b) through (f) of section
8117 of title 38, United States Code’’.
Attest:
Clerk.