I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3254
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a partnership between
the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense
to develop and disseminate education and training programs on the
medical responses to the consequences of terrorist activities.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 8, 2001
Mr. BUYER (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr.
STEARNS, Mr. SNYDER, and Mr. MCHUGH) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a
partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs
and the Department of Defense to develop and dissemi-
nate education and training programs on the medical
responses to the consequences of terrorist activities.
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 ‘‘Medical Education for
National Defense in the 21st Century Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL EDU-
CATION PROGRAM.
(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) Subchapter II of chapter 73
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
‘‘§ 7323. Emergency medical education: joint program
with Department of Defense
‘‘(a) JOINT EDUCATION PROGRAM.—The Secretary
and the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a joint pro-
gram to develop and disseminate a series of model edu-
cation and training programs on the medical responses to
the consequences of terrorist activities. The Secretaries
shall enter into an agreement for a partnership to imple-
ment the joint program.
‘‘(b) IMPLEMENTING ENTITIES.—Within the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, the joint program shall be car-
ried out through the Under Secretary for Health. Within
the Department of Defense, the joint program shall be
carried out through the F. Edward Hebe´rt School of Medi-
cine of the Uniformed Services University of the Health
Sciences.
‘‘(c) CONTENT OF PROGRAMS.—The education and
training programs developed under the joint program shall
be based on programs established at the F. Edward
Hebe´rt School of Medicine and shall include, at a min-
imum, training for health care professionals in the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(1) Recognition of chemical, biological, and ra-
diological agents that may be used in terrorist activi-
ties.
‘‘(2) Identification of the potential symptoms of
those agents.
‘‘(3) Understanding of the potential long-term
health consequences, including psychological effects,
resulting from exposure to those agents.
‘‘(4) Emergency treatment for exposure to
those agents.
‘‘(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 to protect against
contamination.
‘‘(7) Information on how to seek to 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-
retaries shall ensure that different programs are designed
for health-care professionals at various levels. The pro-
grams shall be designed to be disseminated to health pro-
fessions students, graduate medical education trainees,
and health practitioners in a variety of fields.
‘‘(e) CONSULTATION.—In establishing the joint med-
ical education and training program under this section,
the two Secretaries shall consult with appropriate rep-
resentatives of accrediting, certifying, and coordinating or-
ganizations in the field of health professions education.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating
to section 7322 the following new item:
‘‘7323. Emergency medical education: joint program with Department of De-
fense.’’.
(b) INITIAL FUNDING.—Funds for fiscal year 2002
for the joint medical education and training program es-
tablished under section 7323 of title 38, United States
Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be provided from
funds made available under Public Law 107–38.
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The Secretary of Veterans
Affairs and the Secretary of Defense shall implement sec-
tion 7323 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.
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