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tion force in keeping with the ‘‘responsibility to 
protect’’ doctrine. 
(C) Recommendations as to the steps nec-
essary to allow the Secretary of Defense to pro-
vide more effective training and guidance to an 
international intervention force. 
(D) A summary of any assessments or 
studies of the Department of Defense or other 
Federal departments or agencies relating to 
‘‘Operation Artemis’’, the 2004 French military 
deployment and intervention in the eastern re-
gion of the Democratic Republic of Congo to 
protect civilians from local warring factions. 
(c) INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION FORCE.—For 
the purposes of this section, ‘‘international intervention 
force’’ means a military force that— 
(1) is authorized by the United Nations; and 
(2) has a mission that is narrowly focused on 
the protection of civilian life and the prevention of 
mass atrocities such as genocide. 
SEC. 1267. REPORT ON THREATS TO THE UNITED STATES 
FROM UNGOVERNED AREAS. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense and the Secretary of State, in coordination 
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with the Director of National Intelligence, shall jointly 
submit to the specified congressional committees a report 
on the threats posed to the United States from ungoverned 
areas, including the threats to the United States from ter-
rorist groups and individuals located in such areas who 
direct their activities against the national security inter-
ests of the United States and its allies. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following: 
(1) A description of those areas the United 
States Government considers ungoverned, includ-
ing— 
(A) a description of the geo-political and 
cultural influences exerted within such areas 
and by whom; 
(B) a description of the economic condi-
tions and prospects and the major social dy-
namics of such areas; and 
(C) a description of the United States Gov-
ernment’s relationships with entities located in 
such areas, including with relevant national or 
other governments and relevant tribal or other 
groups. 
(2) A description of the capabilities required by 
the United States Government to support United 
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States policy aimed at managing the threats de-
scribed in subsection (a), including, specifically, the 
technical, linguistic, and analytical capabilities re-
quired by the Department of Defense and the De-
partment of State. 
(3) An assessment of the extent to which the 
Department of Defense and the Department of State 
possess the capabilities described in paragraph (2) 
as well as the necessary resources and organization 
to support United States policy aimed at managing 
the threats described in subsection (a). 
(4) A description of the extent to which the im-
plementation of Department of Defense Directive 
3000.05, entitled ‘‘Military Support for Stability, 
Security, Transition, and Reconstruction Oper-
ations’’, will support United States policy for man-
aging such threats. 
(5) A description of the actions, if any, to be 
taken to improve the capabilities of the Department 
of Defense and the Department of State described in 
paragraph (2), and the schedule for implementing 
any actions so described. 
(c) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, to the maximum 
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extent practicable, but may contain a classified annex, if 
necessary. 
(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘specified 
congressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the Senate; and 
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee 
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. 
TITLE 
XIII—COOPERATIVE 
THREAT 
REDUCTION 
WITH 
STATES OF THE FORMER SO-
VIET UNION 
Sec. 1301. Specification of Cooperative Threat Reduction programs and funds. 
Sec. 1302. Funding allocations. 
Sec. 1303. Specification of Cooperative Threat Reduction programs in states 
outside the former Soviet Union. 
Sec. 1304. Repeal of restrictions on assistance to states of the former Soviet 
Union for Cooperative Threat Reduction. 
Sec. 1305. Modification of authority to use Cooperative Threat Reduction funds 
outside the former Soviet Union. 
Sec. 1306. New initiatives for the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program. 
Sec. 1307. Report relating to chemical weapons destruction at Shchuch’ye, Rus-
sia. 
Sec. 1308. National Academy of Sciences study of prevention of proliferation of 
biological weapons. 
SEC. 1301. SPECIFICATION OF COOPERATIVE THREAT RE-
DUCTION PROGRAMS AND FUNDS. 
(a) SPECIFICATION OF COOPERATIVE THREAT RE-
DUCTION PROGRAMS.—For purposes of section 301 and 
other provisions of this Act, Cooperative Threat Reduction 
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programs are the programs specified in section 1501(b) 
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
1997 (50 U.S.C. 2362 note), as amended by section 1303 
of this Act. 
(b) FISCAL YEAR 2008 COOPERATIVE THREAT RE-
DUCTION FUNDS DEFINED.—As used in this title, the 
term ‘‘fiscal year 2008 Cooperative Threat Reduction 
funds’’ means the funds appropriated pursuant to the au-
thorization of appropriations in section 301 for Coopera-
tive Threat Reduction programs. 
(c) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Funds appropriated 
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations in section 
301 for Cooperative Threat Reduction programs shall be 
available for obligation for three fiscal years. 
SEC. 1302. FUNDING ALLOCATIONS. 
(a) FUNDING
FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.—Of the 
$428,048,000 authorized to be appropriated to the De-
partment of Defense for fiscal year 2008 in section 
301(19) for Cooperative Threat Reduction programs, the 
following amounts may be obligated for the purposes spec-
ified: 
(1) For strategic offensive arms elimination in 
Russia, $92,885,000. 
(2) For nuclear weapons storage security in 
Russia, $47,640,000. 
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(3) For nuclear weapons transportation security 
in Russia, $37,700,000. 
(4) For weapons of mass destruction prolifera-
tion prevention in the states of the former Soviet 
Union, $47,986,000. 
(5) For biological weapons proliferation preven-
tion in the former Soviet Union, $158,489,000. 
(6) 
For 
chemical 
weapons 
destruction, 
$6,000,000. 
(7) 
For 
defense 
and 
military 
contacts, 
$8,000,000. 
(8) For new Cooperative Threat Reduction ini-
tiatives that are outside the former Soviet Union, 
$10,000,000. 
(9) For activities designated as Other Assess-
ments/Administrative Support, $19,348,000. 
(b) REPORT ON OBLIGATION OR EXPENDITURE OF 
FUNDS FOR OTHER PURPOSES.—No fiscal year 2008 Co-
operative Threat Reduction funds may be obligated or ex-
pended for a purpose other than a purpose listed in para-
graphs (1) through (9) of subsection (a) until 30 days 
after the date that the Secretary of Defense submits to 
Congress a report on the purpose for which the funds will 
be obligated or expended and the amount of funds to be 
obligated or expended. Nothing in the preceding sentence 
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shall be construed as authorizing the obligation or expend-
iture of fiscal year 2008 Cooperative Threat Reduction 
funds for a purpose for which the obligation or expendi-
ture of such funds is specifically prohibited under this title 
or any other provision of law. 
(c) LIMITED AUTHORITY TO VARY INDIVIDUAL 
AMOUNTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), in 
any case in which the Secretary of Defense deter-
mines that it is necessary to do so in the national 
interest, the Secretary may obligate amounts appro-
priated for fiscal year 2008 for a purpose listed in 
paragraphs (1) through (9) of subsection (a) in ex-
cess of the specific amount authorized for that pur-
pose. 
(2) NOTICE-AND-WAIT REQUIRED.—An obliga-
tion of funds for a purpose stated in paragraphs (1) 
through (9) of subsection (a) in excess of the specific 
amount authorized for such purpose may be made 
using the authority provided in paragraph (1) only 
after— 
(A) the Secretary submits to Congress no-
tification of the intent to do so together with a 
complete discussion of the justification for 
doing so; and 
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(B) 15 days have elapsed following the 
date of the notification. 
SEC. 1303. SPECIFICATION OF COOPERATIVE THREAT RE-
DUCTION PROGRAMS IN STATES OUTSIDE 
THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. 
Section 1501 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 1997 (50 U.S.C. 2362 note) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(b)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (b) and (c)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(c) SPECIFIED
PROGRAMS
WITH
RESPECT
TO 
STATES OUTSIDE THE FORMER SOVIET UNION.—The 
programs referred to in subsection (a) are the following 
programs with respect to states that are not states of the 
former Soviet Union: 
‘‘(1) Programs to facilitate the elimination, and 
the safe and secure transportation and storage, of 
chemical or biological weapons, weapons components, 
weapons-related materials, and their delivery vehi-
cles. 
‘‘(2) Programs to facilitate safe and secure 
transportation and storage of nuclear weapons, 
weapons components, and their delivery vehicles. 
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‘‘(3) Programs to prevent the proliferation of 
nuclear and chemical weapons, weapons components, 
and weapons-related military technology and exper-
tise. 
‘‘(4) Programs to prevent the proliferation of 
biological weapons, weapons components, and weap-
ons-related military technology and expertise, which 
may include activities that facilitate detection and 
reporting of highly pathogenic diseases or other dis-
eases that are associated with or that could be uti-
lized as an early warning mechanism for disease out-
breaks that could impact the Armed Forces of the 
United States or allies of the United States. 
‘‘(5) Programs to expand military-to-military 
and defense contacts.’’. 
SEC. 1304. REPEAL OF RESTRICTIONS ON ASSISTANCE TO 
STATES OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION FOR 
COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) SOVIET NUCLEAR THREAT REDUCTION ACT 
OF 1991.—The Soviet Nuclear Threat Reduction Act 
of 1991 (title II of Public Law 102–228; 22 U.S.C. 
2551 note) is amended— 
(A) by striking section 211; and 
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(B) in section 212, by striking ‘‘, con-
sistent with the findings stated in section 
211,’’. 
(2) COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION ACT OF 
1993.—Section 1203 of the Cooperative Threat Re-
duction Act of 1993 (22 U.S.C. 5952) is amended 
by striking subsection (d). 
(3) RUSSIAN
CHEMICAL
WEAPONS
DESTRUC-
TION FACILITIES.—Section 1305 of the National De-
fense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Pub-
lic Law 106–65; 22 U.S.C. 5952 note) is repealed. 
(4) CONFORMING
REPEAL.—Section 1303 of 
the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108–375; 
22 U.S.C. 5952 note) is repealed. 
(b) INAPPLICABILITY OF OTHER RESTRICTIONS.— 
Section 502 of the Freedom for Russia and Emerging 
Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act of 
1992 (22 U.S.C. 5852) shall not apply to any Cooperative 
Threat Reduction program. 
SEC. 1305. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO USE COOPER-
ATIVE THREAT REDUCTION FUNDS OUTSIDE 
THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. 
Section 1308 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (22 U.S.C. 5963) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Subject to’’ 
and all that follows through ‘‘the following:’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Subject to the provisions of this section, the 
Secretary of Defense may obligate and expend Coop-
erative Threat Reduction funds for a fiscal year, and 
any Cooperative Threat Reduction funds for a fiscal 
year before such fiscal year that remain available for 
obligation, for a proliferation threat reduction 
project or activity outside the states of the former 
Soviet Union if the Secretary of Defense, with the 
concurrence of the Secretary of State, determines 
each of the following:’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating 
subsections (d) and (e) as (c) and (d), respectively; 
and 
(3) by amending subsection (c) (as so redesig-
nated) to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) The Secretary of Defense may not obligate 
funds for a project or activity under the authority in 
subsection (a) of this section until the Secretary of 
Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of 
State, makes each determination specified in that 
subsection with respect to such project or activity. 
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‘‘(2) Not later than 10 days after obligating 
funds under the authority in subsection (a) of this 
section for a project or activity, the Secretary of De-
fense and the Secretary of State shall notify Con-
gress in writing of the determinations made under 
paragraph (1) with respect to such project or activ-
ity, together with— 
‘‘(A) a justification for such determina-
tions; and 
‘‘(B) a description of the scope and dura-
tion of such project or activity.’’. 
SEC. 1306. NEW INITIATIVES FOR THE COOPERATIVE 
THREAT REDUCTION PROGRAM. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) the Department of Defense Cooperative 
Threat Reduction (CTR) Program should be 
strengthened and expanded, in part by developing 
new CTR initiatives; 
(2) such new initiatives should— 
(A) be well-coordinated with the Depart-
ment of Energy, the Department of State, and 
any other relevant United States Government 
agency or department; 
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(B) include appropriate transparency and 
accountability mechanisms, and legal frame-
works and agreements between the United 
States and CTR partner countries; 
(C) reflect engagement with non-govern-
mental experts on possible new options for the 
CTR Program; 
(D) include work with the Russian Federa-
tion and other countries to establish strong 
CTR partnerships that, among other things— 
(i) increase the role of scientists and 
government officials of CTR partner coun-
tries in designing CTR programs and 
projects; and 
(ii) increase financial contributions 
and additional commitments to CTR pro-
grams and projects from Russia and other 
partner countries, as appropriate, as evi-
dence that the programs and projects re-
flect national priorities and will be sustain-
able; 
(E) include broader international coopera-
tion and partnerships, and increased inter-
national contributions; 
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(F) incorporate a strong focus on national 
programs and sustainability, which includes ac-
tions to address concerns raised and rec-
ommendations made by the Government Ac-
countability Office, in its report of February 
2007 titled ‘‘Progress Made in Improving Secu-
rity at Russian Nuclear Sites, but the Long- 
Term Sustainability of U.S. Funded Security 
Upgrades is Uncertain’’, which pertain to the 
Department of Defense; 
(G) continue to focus on the development 
of CTR programs and projects that secure nu-
clear weapons; secure and eliminate chemical 
and biological weapons and weapons-related 
materials; and eliminate nuclear, chemical, and 
biological weapons-related delivery vehicles and 
infrastructure at the source; and 
(H) include efforts to develop new CTR 
programs and projects in Russia and the former 
Soviet Union, and in countries and regions out-
side the former Soviet Union, as appropriate 
and in the interest of United States national se-
curity; and 
(3) such new initiatives could include— 
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(A) programs and projects in Asia and the 
Middle East; and 
(B) 
activities 
relating 
to 
the 
denuclearization of the Democratic People’s Re-
public of Korea. 
(b) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES STUDY.— 
(1) STUDY.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall enter into an arrangement with the 
National Academy of Sciences under which the 
Academy shall carry out a study to analyze options 
for strengthening and expanding the CTR Program. 
(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED IN STUDY.— 
The Secretary shall provide for the study under 
paragraph (1) to include— 
(A) an assessment of new CTR initiatives 
described in subsection (a); and 
(B) an identification of options and rec-
ommendations for strengthening and expanding 
the CTR Program. 
(3) SUBMISSION
OF
NATIONAL
ACADEMY
OF 
SCIENCES
REPORT.—The National Academy of 
Sciences shall submit to Congress a report on the 
study under this subsection at the same time that 
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such report is submitted to the Secretary of Defense 
pursuant to subsection (c). 
(c) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
receipt of the report under subsection (b), the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report 
on new CTR initiatives. The report shall include— 
(A) a summary of the results of the study 
carried out under subsection (b); 
(B) an assessment by the Secretary of the 
study; and 
(C) a statement of the actions, if any, to 
be undertaken by the Secretary to implement 
any recommendations in the study. 
(2) FORM.—The report shall be in unclassified 
form but may include a classified annex if necessary. 
(d) FUNDING.—Of the amounts appropriated pursu-
ant to the authorization of appropriations in section 
301(19) or otherwise made available for Cooperative 
Threat Reduction programs for fiscal year 2008, not more 
than $1,000,000 shall be obligated or expended to carry 
out this section. 
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SEC. 1307. REPORT RELATING TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS DE-
STRUCTION AT SHCHUCH’YE, RUSSIA. 
(a) 
DEFINITION.—In 
this 
section, 
the 
terms 
‘‘Shchuch’ye project’’ and ‘‘project’’ mean the Cooperative 
Threat Reduction Program chemical weapons destruction 
project located in the area of Shchuch’ye in the Russian 
Federation. 
(b) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense com-
mittees a report on the Shchuch’ye project. The report 
shall include— 
(1) a current and detailed cost estimate for 
completion of the project, to include costs that will 
be borne by the United States and Russia, respec-
tively; and 
(2) a specific strategic and operating plan for 
completion of the project, which includes— 
(A) the Department’s plans to ensure ro-
bust project management and oversight, includ-
ing management and oversight with respect to 
the performance of any contractors; 
(B) project quality assurance and sustain-
ability measures; 
(C) metrics for measuring project progress 
with a timetable for achieving goals, including 
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initial systems integration and start-up testing; 
and 
(D) a projected project completion date. 
SEC. 1308. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES STUDY OF 
PREVENTION OF PROLIFERATION OF BIO-
LOGICAL WEAPONS. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense shall enter into an arrangement with the National 
Academy of Sciences under which the Academy shall carry 
out a study to identify areas for cooperation with states 
other than states of the former Soviet Union under the 
Cooperative Threat Reduction Program of the Depart-
ment of Defense in the prevention of proliferation of bio-
logical weapons. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED IN STUDY.—The 
Secretary shall provide for the study under subsection (a) 
to include the following: 
(1) An assessment of the capabilities and ca-
pacity of governments of developing countries to 
control the containment and use of dual-use tech-
nologies of potential interest to terrorist organiza-
tions or individuals with hostile intentions. 
(2) An assessment of the approaches to cooper-
ative threat reduction used by the states of the 
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former Soviet Union that are of special relevance in 
preventing the proliferation of biological weapons in 
other areas of the world. 
(3) A brief review of programs of the United 
States Government and other governments, inter-
national organizations, foundations, and other pri-
vate sector entities that may contribute to the pre-
vention of the proliferation of biological weapons. 
(4) Recommendations on steps for integrating 
activities of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Pro-
gram relating to biological weapons proliferation pre-
vention with activities of other departments and 
agencies of the United States, as appropriate, in 
states outside of the former Soviet Union. 
(c) SUBMISSION
OF
NATIONAL
ACADEMY
OF 
SCIENCES REPORT.—The National Academy of Sciences 
shall submit to Congress a report on the study under sub-
section (a) at the same time that such report is submitted 
to the Secretary of Defense pursuant to subsection (d). 
(d) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
receipt of the report required by subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report on 
the study carried out under subsection (a). 
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(2) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report 
under paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A summary of the results of the study 
carried out under subsection (a). 
(B) An assessment by the Secretary of the 
study. 
(C) A statement of the actions, if any, to 
be undertaken by the Secretary to implement 
any recommendations in the study. 
(3) FORM.—The report under paragraph (1) 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
(e) FUNDING.—Of the amounts appropriated pursu-
ant to the authorization of appropriations in section 
301(19) or otherwise made available for Cooperative 
Threat Reduction programs for fiscal year 2008, not more 
than $1,000,000 may be obligated or expended to carry 
out this section. 
TITLE XIV—OTHER 
AUTHORIZATIONS 
Subtitle A—Military Programs 
Sec. 1401. Working capital funds. 
Sec. 1402. National Defense Sealift Fund. 
Sec. 1403. Defense Health Program. 
Sec. 1404. Chemical agents and munitions destruction, Defense. 
Sec. 1405. Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense-wide. 
Sec. 1406. Defense Inspector General. 
Subtitle B—National Defense Stockpile 
Sec. 1411. Authorized uses of National Defense Stockpile funds. 
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Sec. 1412. Revisions to required receipt objectives for previously authorized dis-
posals from the National Defense Stockpile. 
Sec. 1413. Disposal of ferromanganese. 
Sec. 1414. Disposal of chrome metal. 
Subtitle C—Armed Forces Retirement Home 
Sec. 1421. Authorization of appropriations for Armed Forces Retirement 
Home. 
Sec. 1422. Administration and oversight of the Armed Forces Retirement 
Home. 
Subtitle A—Military Programs 
SEC. 1401. WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for the use of the Armed Forces and other 
activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for 
providing capital for working capital and revolving funds 
in amounts as follows: 
(1) For the Defense Working Capital Funds, 
$102,446,000. 
(2) For the Defense Working Capital Fund, 
Defense Commissary, $1,250,300,000. 
SEC. 1402. NATIONAL DEFENSE SEALIFT FUND. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for the National Defense Sealift Fund 
in the amount of $1,349,094,000. 
SEC. 1403. DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2008 for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for the Defense Health 
Program, in the amount of $23,080,384,000, of which— 
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(1) $22,583,641,000 is for Operation and 
Maintenance; 
(2) $134,482,000 is for Research, Development, 
Test, and Evaluation; and 
(3) $362,261,000 is for Procurement. 
SEC. 1404. CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUC-
TION, DEFENSE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 
are hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Depart-
ment of Defense for fiscal year 2008 for expenses, not oth-
erwise provided for, for Chemical Agents and Munitions 
Destruction, Defense, in the amount of $1,512,724,000, 
of which— 
(1) $1,181,500,000 is for Operation and Main-
tenance; 
(2) $312,800,000 is for Research, Development, 
Test, and Evaluation; and 
(3) $18,424,000 is for Procurement. 
(b) USE.—Amounts authorized to be appropriated 
under subsection (a) are authorized for— 
(1) the destruction of lethal chemical agents 
and munitions in accordance with section 1412 of 
the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 1986 
(50 U.S.C. 1521); and 
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(2) the destruction of chemical warfare materiel 
of the United States that is not covered by section 
1412 of such Act. 
SEC. 1405. DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG AC-
TIVITIES, DEFENSE-WIDE. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2008 for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for Drug Interdiction 
and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense-wide, in the amount 
of $938,022,000. 
SEC. 1406. DEFENSE INSPECTOR GENERAL. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2008 for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for the Office of the 
Inspector General of the Department of Defense, in the 
amount of $225,995,000, of which— 
(1) $224,995,000 is for Operation and Mainte-
nance; and 
(2) $1,000,000 is for Procurement. 
Subtitle B—National Defense 
Stockpile 
SEC. 1411. AUTHORIZED USES OF NATIONAL DEFENSE 
STOCKPILE FUNDS. 
(a) OBLIGATION OF STOCKPILE FUNDS.—During fis-
cal year 2008, the National Defense Stockpile Manager 
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may obligate up to $44,825,000 of the funds in the Na-
tional Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund established 
under subsection (a) of section 9 of the Strategic and Crit-
ical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98h) for the 
authorized uses of such funds under subsection (b)(2) of 
such section, including the disposal of hazardous materials 
that are environmentally sensitive. 
(b) ADDITIONAL OBLIGATIONS.—The National De-
fense Stockpile Manager may obligate amounts in excess 
of the amount specified in subsection (a) if the National 
Defense Stockpile Manager notifies Congress that extraor-
dinary or emergency conditions necessitate the additional 
obligations. The National Defense Stockpile Manager may 
make the additional obligations described in the notifica-
tion after the end of the 45-day period beginning on the 
date on which Congress receives the notification. 
(c) LIMITATIONS.—The authorities provided by this 
section shall be subject to such limitations as may be pro-
vided in appropriations Acts. 
SEC. 1412. REVISIONS TO REQUIRED RECEIPT OBJECTIVES 
FOR PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED DISPOSALS 
FROM THE NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE. 
(a) FISCAL YEAR 2000 DISPOSAL AUTHORITY.—Sec-
tion 3402(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2000 (50 U.S.C. 98d note), as amended 
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by section 3302 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Law 108–136; 117 Stat. 
1788) and section 3302 of the National Defense Author-
ization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109–163; 
119 Stat. 3545), is amended by striking ‘‘$600,000,000 
before’’ in paragraph (5) and inserting ‘‘$710,000,000 
by’’. 
(b) FISCAL YEAR 1999 DISPOSAL AUTHORITY.—Sec-
tion 3303(a) of the Strom Thurmond National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (Public Law 105– 
261; 50 U.S.C. 98d note), as amended by section 3302 
of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization 
Act for Year 2005 (Public Law 108–375; 118 Stat. 2193), 
section 3302 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109–163; 119 Stat. 
3545), and section 3302(a) of the John Warner National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public 
Law 109–364; 120 Stat. 2513), is amended by striking 
‘‘$1,016,000,000 by the end of fiscal year 2014’’ in para-
graph (7) and inserting ‘‘$1,066,000,000 by the end of 
fiscal year 2015’’. 
SEC. 1413. DISPOSAL OF FERROMANGANESE. 
(a) DISPOSAL AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of De-
fense may dispose of up to 50,000 tons of ferromanganese 
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from the National Defense Stockpile during fiscal year 
2008. 
(b) CONTINGENT AUTHORITY FOR ADDITIONAL DIS-
POSAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary of Defense 
enters into a contract for the disposal of the total 
quantity of ferromanganese authorized for disposal 
by subsection (a) before September 30, 2008, the 
Secretary of Defense may dispose of up to an addi-
tional 25,000 tons of ferromanganese from the Na-
tional Defense Stockpile before that date. 
(2) ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS.—If the Secretary 
enters into a contract for the disposal of the total 
quantity of additional ferromanganese authorized for 
disposal by paragraph (1) before September 30, 
2008, the Secretary may dispose of up to an addi-
tional 25,000 tons of ferromanganese from the Na-
tional Defense Stockpile before that date. 
(c) CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary of Defense may 
dispose of ferromanganese under the authority of para-
graph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) only if the Secretary 
submits to the Committee on Armed Services of the Sen-
ate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House 
of Representatives, written certification that— 
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(1) 
the 
disposal 
of 
the 
additional 
ferromanganese from the National Defense Stockpile 
under such paragraph is in the interest of national 
defense; 
(2) 
the 
disposal 
of 
the 
additional 
ferromanganese under such paragraph will not cause 
disruption to the usual markets of producers and 
processors of ferromanganese in the United States; 
and 
(3) 
the 
disposal 
of 
the 
additional 
ferromanganese under such paragraph is consistent 
with the requirements and purpose of the National 
Defense Stockpile. 
(d) NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘National Defense Stockpile’’ means 
the stockpile provided for in section 4 of the Strategic and 
Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98c). 
SEC. 1414. DISPOSAL OF CHROME METAL. 
(a) DISPOSAL AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary of De-
fense may dispose of up to 500 short tons of chrome metal 
from the National Defense Stockpile during fiscal year 
2008. 
(b) CONTINGENT AUTHORITY FOR ADDITIONAL DIS-
POSAL.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—If the Secretary of Defense 
completes the disposal of the total quantity of 
chrome metal authorized for disposal by subsection 
(a) before September 30, 2008, the Secretary of De-
fense may dispose of up to an additional 250 short 
tons of chrome metal from the National Defense 
Stockpile before that date. 
(2) ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS.—If the Secretary 
completes the disposal of the total quantity of addi-
tional chrome metal authorized for disposal by para-
graph (1) before September 30, 2008, the Secretary 
may dispose of up to an additional 250 short tons 
of chrome metal from the National Defense Stock-
pile before that date. 
(c) CERTIFICATION.—The Secretary of Defense may 
dispose of chrome metal under the authority of paragraph 
(1) or (2) of subsection (b) only if the Secretary submits 
to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Rep-
resentatives, not later than 30 days before the commence-
ment of disposal under the applicable paragraph, written 
certification that— 
(1) the disposal of the additional chrome metal 
from the National Defense Stockpile is in the inter-
est of national defense; 
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(2) the disposal of the additional chrome metal 
will not cause disruption to the usual markets of 
producers and processors of chrome metal in the 
United States; and 
(3) the disposal of the additional chrome metal 
is consistent with the requirements and purpose of 
the National Defense Stockpile. 
(d) NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE DEFINED.—In 
this section, the term ‘‘National Defense Stockpile’’ means 
the stockpile provided for in section 4 of the Strategic and 
Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98c). 
Subtitle C—Armed Forces 
Retirement Home 
SEC. 1421. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME. 
There is authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
2008 from the Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust 
Fund the sum of $61,624,000 for the operation of the 
Armed Forces Retirement Home. 
SEC. 1422. ADMINISTRATION AND OVERSIGHT OF THE 
ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME. 
(a) ROLE
OF SECRETARY
OF DEFENSE.—Section 
1511 of the Armed Forces Retirement Home Act of 1991 
(24 U.S.C. 411) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (d), by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The administration of the Retirement Home (in-
cluding administration for the provision of health care and 
medical care for residents) shall remain under the direct 
authority, control, and administration of the Secretary of 
Defense.’’; and 
(2) in subsection (h), by adding at the end the 
following new sentence: ‘‘The annual report shall in-
clude an assessment of all aspects of each facility of 
the Retirement Home, including the quality of care 
at the facility.’’. 
(b) ACCREDITATION.—Subsection (g) of section 1511 
of the Armed Forces Retirement Home Act of 1991 (24 
U.S.C. 411) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(g) ACCREDITATION.—The Chief Operating Officer 
shall secure and maintain accreditation by a nationally 
recognized civilian accrediting organization for each aspect 
of each facility of the Retirement Home, including medical 
and dental care, pharmacy, independent living, and as-
sisted living and nursing care.’’. 
(c) SPECTRUM OF CARE.—Section 1513(b) of the 
Armed Forces Retirement Home Act of 1991 (24 U.S.C. 
413(b)) is amended by inserting after the first sentence 
the following new sentence: ‘‘The services provided resi-
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dents of the Retirement Home shall include appropriate 
nonacute medical and dental services, pharmaceutical 
services, and transportation of residents, which shall be 
provided at no cost to residents.’’. 
(d) SENIOR MEDICAL ADVISOR FOR RETIREMENT 
HOME.— 
(1) DESIGNATION
AND
DUTIES
OF
SENIOR 
MEDICAL ADVISOR.—The Armed Forces Retirement 
Home Act of 1991 is amended by inserting after 
section 1513 (24 U.S.C. 413) the following new sec-
tion: 
‘‘SEC. 1513A. IMPROVED HEALTH CARE 
OVERSIGHT OF RETIREMENT HOME. 
‘‘(a) DESIGNATION OF SENIOR MEDICAL ADVISOR.— 
(1) The Secretary of Defense shall designate the Deputy 
Director of the TRICARE Management Activity to serve 
as the Senior Medical Advisor for the Retirement Home. 
‘‘(2) The Deputy Director of the TRICARE Manage-
ment Activity shall serve as Senior Medical Advisor for 
the Retirement Home in addition to performing all other 
duties and responsibilities assigned to the Deputy Director 
of the TRICARE Management Activity at the time of the 
designation under paragraph (1) or afterward. 
‘‘(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—(1) The Senior Medical 
Advisor shall provide advice to the Secretary of Defense, 
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the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readi-
ness, and the Chief Operating Officer regarding the direc-
tion and oversight of the provision of medical, preventive 
mental health, and dental care services at each facility of 
the Retirement Home. 
‘‘(2) The Senior Medical Advisor shall also provide 
advice to the Local Board for a facility of the Retirement 
Home regarding all medical and medical administrative 
matters of the facility. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES.—In carrying out the responsibilities set 
forth in subsection (b), the Senior Medical Advisor shall 
perform the following duties: 
‘‘(1) Ensure the timely availability to residents 
of the Retirement Home, at locations other than the 
Retirement Home, of such acute medical, mental 
health, and dental care as such resident may require 
that is not available at the applicable facility of the 
Retirement Home. 
‘‘(2) Ensure compliance by the facilities of the 
Retirement Home with accreditation standards, ap-
plicable health care standards of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, or any other applicable health care 
standards and requirements (including requirements 
identified in applicable reports of the Inspector Gen-
eral of the Department of Defense). 
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‘‘(3) Periodically visit and inspect the medical 
facilities and medical operations of each facility of 
the Retirement Home. 
‘‘(4) Periodically examine and audit the medical 
records and administration of the Retirement Home. 
‘‘(5) Consult with the Local Board for each fa-
cility of the Retirement Home not less frequently 
than once each year. 
‘‘(d) ADVISORY BODIES.—In carrying out the respon-
sibilities set forth in subsection (b) and the duties set forth 
in subsection (c), the Senior Medical Advisor may estab-
lish and seek the advice of such advisory bodies as the 
Senior Medical Advisor considers appropriate.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents in section 1501(b) of the Armed Forces Retire-
ment Home Act of 1991 (24 U.S.C. 401 note) is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 1513 the following new item: 
‘‘1513A. Improved health care oversight of Retirement Home.’’. 
(e) LOCAL BOARDS OF TRUSTEES.— 
(1) DUTIES.—Subsection (b) of section 1516 of 
the Armed Forces Retirement Home Act of 1991 
(24 U.S.C. 416) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) DUTIES.—(1) The Local Board for a facility 
shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Director of the 
facility and to the Chief Operating Officer. 
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‘‘(2) The Local Board for a facility shall provide to 
the Chief Operating Officer and the Director of the facility 
such guidance and recommendations on the administra-
tion of the facility as the Local Board considers appro-
priate. 
‘‘(3) Not less often than annually, the Local Board 
for a facility shall provide to the Under Secretary of De-
fense for Personnel and Readiness an assessment of all 
aspects of the facility, including the quality of care at the 
facility.’’. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—Subparagraph (K) of sub-
section (c) of such section is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(K) One senior representative of one of the 
chief personnel officers of the Armed Forces, who 
shall be a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces 
serving on active duty in the grade of brigadier gen-
eral, or in the case of the Navy or Coast Guard, rear 
admiral (lower half).’’. 
(f) INSPECTION OF RETIREMENT HOME.—Section 
1518 of the Armed Forces Retirement Home Act of 1991 
(24 U.S.C. 418) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 1518. INSPECTION OF RETIREMENT HOME. 
‘‘(a) DUTY OF INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE.—The Inspector General of the 
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Department of Defense shall have the duty to inspect the 
Retirement Home. 
‘‘(b) INSPECTIONS BY INSPECTOR GENERAL.—(1) In 
any year in which a facility of the Retirement Home is 
not inspected by a nationally recognized civilian accred-
iting organization, the Inspector General of the Depart-
ment of Defense shall perform a comprehensive inspection 
of all aspects of that facility, including independent living, 
assisted living, medical and dental care, pharmacy, finan-
cial and contracting records, and any aspect of either facil-
ity on which the Local Board for the facility or the resi-
dent advisory committee or council of the facility rec-
ommends inspection. 
‘‘(2) The Inspector General shall be assisted in in-
spections under this subsection by a medical inspector 
general of a military department designated for purposes 
of this subsection by the Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(3) In conducting the inspection of a facility of the 
Retirement Home under this subsection, the Inspector 
General shall solicit concerns, observations, and rec-
ommendations from the Local Board for the facility, the 
resident advisory committee or council of the facility, and 
the residents of the facility. Any concerns, observations, 
and recommendations solicited from residents shall be so-
licited on a not-for-attribution basis. 
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‘‘(4) The Chief Operating Officer and the Director 
of each facility of the Retirement Home shall make all 
staff, other personnel, and records of each facility avail-
able to the Inspector General in a timely manner for pur-
poses of inspections under this subsection. 
‘‘(c) REPORTS ON INSPECTIONS BY INSPECTOR GEN-
ERAL.—(1) The Inspector General shall prepare a report 
describing the results of each inspection conducted of a 
facility of the Retirement Home under subsection (b), and 
include in the report such recommendations as the Inspec-
tor General considers appropriate in light of the inspec-
tion. Not later than 45 days after completing the inspec-
tion of the facility, the Inspector General shall submit the 
report to Congress and the Secretary of Defense, the 
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, 
the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of the facility, 
the Senior Medical Advisor, and the Local Board for the 
facility. 
‘‘(2) Not later than 45 days after receiving a report 
of the Inspector General under paragraph (1), the Direc-
tor of the facility concerned shall submit to the Secretary 
of Defense, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel 
and Readiness, the Chief Operating Officer, and the Local 
Board for the facility, and to Congress, a plan to address 
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the recommendations and other matters set forth in the 
report. 
‘‘(d) ADDITIONAL INSPECTIONS.—(1) The Chief Op-
erating Officer shall request the inspection of each facility 
of the Retirement Home by a nationally recognized civilian 
accrediting organization in accordance with section 
1511(g). 
‘‘(2) The Chief Operating Officer and the Director 
of a facility being inspected under this subsection shall 
make all staff, other personnel, and records of the facility 
available to the civilian accrediting organization in a time-
ly manner for purposes of inspections under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(e) REPORTS ON ADDITIONAL INSPECTIONS.—(1) 
Not later than 45 days after receiving a report of an in-
spection from the civilian accrediting organization under 
subsection (d), the Director of the facility concerned shall 
submit to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel 
and Readiness, the Chief Operating Officer, and the Local 
Board for the facility a report containing— 
‘‘(A) the results of the inspection; and 
‘‘(B) a plan to address any recommendations 
and other matters set forth in the report. 
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‘‘(2) Not later than 45 days after receiving a report 
and plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit the report and plan to Congress.’’. 
(g) ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME TRUST 
FUND.—Section 1519 of the Armed Forces Retirement 
Home Act of 1991 (24 U.S.C. 419) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.—The Chief Fi-
nancial Officer of the Armed Forces Retirement Home 
shall comply with the reporting requirements of sub-
chapter II of chapter 35 of title 31, United States Code.’’. 
TITLE XV—AUTHORIZATION OF 
ADDITIONAL 
APPROPRIA-
TIONS FOR OPERATION IRAQI 
FREEDOM 
AND 
OPERATION 
ENDURING FREEDOM 
Sec. 1501. Purpose. 
Sec. 1502. Army procurement. 
Sec. 1503. Navy and Marine Corps procurement. 
Sec. 1504. Air Force procurement. 
Sec. 1505. Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund. 
Sec. 1506. Defense-wide activities procurement. 
Sec. 1507. Research, development, test, and evaluation. 
Sec. 1508. Operation and maintenance. 
Sec. 1509. Working capital funds. 
Sec. 1510. Other Department of Defense programs. 
Sec. 1511. Iraq Freedom Fund. 
Sec. 1512. Iraq Security Forces Fund. 
Sec. 1513. Afghanistan Security Forces Fund. 
Sec. 1514. Military personnel. 
Sec. 1515. Strategic Readiness Fund. 
Sec. 1516. Treatment as additional authorizations. 
Sec. 1517. Special transfer authority. 
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SEC. 1501. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this title is to authorize appropria-
tions for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2008 
to provide additional funds for Operation Iraqi Freedom 
and Operation Enduring Freedom. 
SEC. 1502. ARMY PROCUREMENT. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for procurement accounts for the Army 
in amounts as follows: 
(1) For aircraft procurement, $2,086,864,000. 
(2) 
For 
ammunition 
procurement, 
$513,600,000. 
(3) For weapons and tracked combat vehicles 
procurement, $7,289,697,000. 
(4) For missile procurement, $641,764,000. 
(5) For other procurement, $32,478,568,000. 
SEC. 1503. NAVY AND MARINE CORPS PROCUREMENT. 
(a) NAVY.—Funds are hereby authorized to be appro-
priated for fiscal year 2008 for procurement accounts for 
the Navy in amounts as follows: 
(1) For aircraft procurement, $3,908,458,000. 
(2) For weapons procurement, $318,281,000. 
(3) For other procurement, $1,870,597,000. 
(b) MARINE CORPS.—Funds are hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for fiscal year 2008 for the procurement 
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account for the Marine Corps in the amount of 
$5,519,740,000. 
(c) NAVY AND MARINE CORPS AMMUNITION.—Funds 
are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
2008 for the procurement account for ammunition for the 
Navy and the Marine Corps in the amount of 
$609,890,000. 
SEC. 1504. AIR FORCE PROCUREMENT. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for procurement accounts for the Air 
Force in amounts as follows: 
(1) For aircraft procurement, $5,828,239,000. 
(2) 
For 
ammunition 
procurement, 
$104,405,000. 
(3) For missile procurement, $1,800,000. 
(4) For other procurement, $4,528,126,000. 
SEC. 1505. JOINT IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE DEFEAT 
FUND. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 
are hereby authorized for fiscal year 2008 for the Joint 
Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund in the amount 
of $4,541,000,000. 
(b) USE AND TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—Subsections 
(b) and (c) of section 1514 of the John Warner National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public 
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Law 109–364; 120 Stat. 2439) shall apply to the funds 
appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropria-
tions in subsection (a). 
(c) REVISION OF MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The Sec-
retary of Defense shall revise the management plan re-
quired by section 1514(d) of the John Warner National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 to iden-
tify projected transfers and obligations through September 
30, 2008. 
(d) DURATION OF AUTHORITY.—Section 1514(f) of 
the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2007 is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 
2009’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2010’’. 
SEC. 1506. DEFENSE-WIDE ACTIVITIES PROCUREMENT. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for the procurement account for Defense- 
wide activities in the amount of $768,157,000. 
SEC. 1507. RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUA-
TION. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for the use of the Department of Defense 
for research, development, test, and evaluation as follows: 
(1) For the Army, $183,299,000. 
(2) For the Navy, $695,996,000. 
(3) For the Air Force, $1,457,710,000. 
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(4) 
For 
Defense-wide 
activities, 
$1,320,088,000. 
SEC. 1508. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for the use of the Armed Forces for ex-
penses, not otherwise provided for, for operation and 
maintenance, in amounts as follows: 
(1) For the Army, $54,929,551,000. 
(2) For the Navy, $6,249,793,000. 
(3) For the Marine Corps, $4,674,688,000. 
(4) For the Air Force, $10,798,473,000. 
(5) 
For 
Defense-wide 
activities, 
$6,424,085,000. 
(6) For the Army Reserve, $196,694,000. 
(7) For the Navy Reserve, $83,407,000. 
(8) 
For 
the 
Marine 
Corps 
Reserve, 
$68,193,000. 
(9) 
For 
the 
Army 
National 
Guard, 
$757,008,000. 
(10) For the Air Force Reserve, $24,266,000. 
(11) 
For 
the 
Air 
National 
Guard, 
$103,267,000. 
SEC. 1509. WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS. 
Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2008 for the use of the Armed Forces and other 
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activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for 
providing capital for working capital and revolving funds 
in amounts as follows: 
(1) For the Defense Working Capital Funds, 
$1,957,675,000. 
(2) For the National Defense Sealift Fund, 
$5,110,000. 
SEC. 1510. OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS. 
(a) DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM.—Funds are here-
by authorized to be appropriated for the Department of 
Defense for fiscal year 2008 for expenses, not otherwise 
provided for, for the Defense Health Program in the 
amount of $1,137,442,000 for operation and maintenance. 
(b) DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG AC-
TIVITIES, DEFENSE-WIDE.—Funds are hereby authorized 
to be appropriated for the Department of Defense for fis-
cal year 2008 for expenses, not otherwise provided for, for 
Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense- 
wide in the amount of $257,618,000. 
(c) DEFENSE INSPECTOR GENERAL.—Funds are 
hereby authorized to be appropriated for the Department 
of Defense for fiscal year 2008 for expenses, not otherwise 
provided for, for the Office of the Inspector General of 
the Department of Defense in the amount of $4,394,000 
for operation and maintenance. 
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SEC. 1511. IRAQ FREEDOM FUND. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Funds are hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for fiscal year 2008 for the Iraq Freedom 
Fund in the amount of $207,500,000. 
(b) TRANSFER.— 
(1) TRANSFER AUTHORIZED.—Subject to para-
graph (2), amounts authorized to be appropriated by 
subsection (a) may be transferred from the Iraq 
Freedom Fund to any accounts as follows: 
(A) Operation and maintenance accounts 
of the Armed Forces. 
(B) Military personnel accounts. 
(C) Research, development, test, and eval-
uation accounts of the Department of Defense. 
(D) Procurement accounts of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(E) Accounts providing funding for classi-
fied programs. 
(F) The operating expenses account of the 
Coast Guard. 
(2) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.—A transfer may not 
be made under the authority in paragraph (1) until 
five days after the date on which the Secretary of 
Defense notifies the congressional defense commit-
tees in writing of the transfer. 
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(3) TREATMENT OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS.— 
Amounts transferred to an account under the au-
thority in paragraph (1) shall be merged with 
amounts in such account and shall be made available 
for the same purposes, and subject to the same con-
ditions and limitations, as amounts in such account. 
(4) EFFECT ON AUTHORIZATION AMOUNTS.—A 
transfer of an amount to an account under the au-
thority in paragraph (1) shall be deemed to increase 
the amount authorized for such account by an 
amount equal to the amount transferred. 
SEC. 1512. IRAQ SECURITY FORCES FUND. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 
are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
2008 for the Iraq Security Forces Fund in the amount 
of $3,000,000,000. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds appropriated pursu-
ant to subsection (a) shall be available to the Sec-
retary of Defense for the purpose of allowing the 
Commander, Multi-National Security Transition 
Command–Iraq, to provide assistance to the security 
forces of Iraq. 
(2) TYPES OF ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED.—As-
sistance provided under this section may include the 
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provision of equipment, supplies, services, training, 
facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, con-
struction, and funding. 
(3) SECRETARY OF STATE CONCURRENCE.—As-
sistance may be provided under this section only 
with the concurrence of the Secretary of State. 
(c) AUTHORITY IN ADDITION TO OTHER AUTHORI-
TIES.—The authority to provide assistance under this sec-
tion is in addition to any other authority to provide assist-
ance to foreign nations. 
(d) TRANSFER AUTHORITY.— 
(1) 
TRANSFERS
AUTHORIZED.—Subject 
to 
paragraph (2), amounts authorized to be appro-
priated by subsection (a) may be transferred from 
the Iraq Security Forces Fund to any of the fol-
lowing accounts and funds of the Department of De-
fense to accomplish the purposes provided in sub-
section (b): 
(A) Military personnel accounts. 
(B) Operation and maintenance accounts. 
(C) Procurement accounts. 
(D) Research, development, test, and eval-
uation accounts. 
(E) Defense working capital funds. 
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(F) Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and 
Civic Aid account. 
(2) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.—The transfer au-
thority provided by paragraph (1) is in addition to 
any other transfer authority available to the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(3) TRANSFERS BACK TO THE FUND.—Upon 
determination that all or part of the funds trans-
ferred from the Iraq Security Forces Fund under 
paragraph (1) are not necessary for the purpose pro-
vided, such funds may be transferred back to the 
Iraq Security Forces Fund. 
(4) EFFECT ON AUTHORIZATION AMOUNTS.—A 
transfer of an amount to an account under the au-
thority in paragraph (1) shall be deemed to increase 
the amount authorized for such account by an 
amount equal to the amount transferred. 
(e) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.—Funds may not be obli-
gated from the Iraq Security Forces Fund, or transferred 
under the authority provided in subsection (d)(1), until 
five days after the date on which the Secretary of Defense 
notifies the congressional defense committees in writing 
of the details of the proposed obligation or transfer. 
(f) CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
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(1) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense 
may accept contributions of amounts to the Iraq Se-
curity Forces Fund for the purposes provided in 
subsection (b) from any person, foreign government, 
or international organization. Any amounts so ac-
cepted shall be credited to the Iraq Security Forces 
Fund. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not ac-
cept a contribution under this subsection if the ac-
ceptance of the contribution would compromise or 
appear to compromise the integrity of any program 
of the Department of Defense. 
(3) USE.—Amounts accepted under this sub-
section shall be available for assistance authorized 
by subsection (b), including transfer under sub-
section (d) for that purpose. 
(4) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall notify 
the congressional defense committees, the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives, in writing, upon the acceptance, and 
upon the transfer under subsection (d), of any con-
tribution under this subsection. Such notice shall 
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specify the source and amount of any amount so ac-
cepted and the use of any amount so accepted. 
(g) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days 
after the end of each fiscal-year quarter, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report summarizing the details of any obligation 
or transfer of funds from the Iraq Security Forces Fund 
during such fiscal-year quarter. 
(h) DURATION OF AUTHORITY.—Amounts authorized 
to be appropriated or contributed to the Iraq Security 
Forces Fund during fiscal year 2008 are available for obli-
gation or transfer from the Iraq Security Forces Fund in 
accordance with this section until September 30, 2009. 
SEC. 1513. AFGHANISTAN SECURITY FORCES FUND. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Funds 
are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 
2008 for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund in the 
amount of $2,700,000,000. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds authorized to be ap-
propriated by subsection (a) shall be available to the 
Secretary of Defense to provide assistance to the se-
curity forces of Afghanistan. 
(2) TYPES OF ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED.—As-
sistance provided under this section may include the 
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provision of equipment, supplies, services, training, 
facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, con-
struction, and funds. 
(3) SECRETARY OF STATE CONCURRENCE.—As-
sistance may be provided under this section only 
with the concurrence of the Secretary of State. 
(c) AUTHORITY IN ADDITION TO OTHER AUTHORI-
TIES.—The authority to provide assistance under this sec-
tion is in addition to any other authority to provide assist-
ance to foreign nations. 
(d) TRANSFER AUTHORITY.— 
(1) 
TRANSFERS
AUTHORIZED.—Subject 
to 
paragraph (2), amounts authorized to be appro-
priated by subsection (a) may be transferred from 
the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund to any of the 
following accounts and funds of the Department of 
Defense to accomplish the purposes provided in sub-
section (b): 
(A) Military personnel accounts. 
(B) Operation and maintenance accounts. 
(C) Procurement accounts. 
(D) Research, development, test, and eval-
uation accounts. 
(E) Defense working capital funds. 
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(F) Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and 
Civic Aid. 
(2) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.—The transfer au-
thority provided by paragraph (1) is in addition to 
any other transfer authority available to the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(3) TRANSFERS BACK TO FUND.—Upon a de-
termination that all or part of the funds transferred 
from the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund under 
paragraph (1) are not necessary for the purpose for 
which transferred, such funds may be transferred 
back to the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund. 
(4) EFFECT ON AUTHORIZATION AMOUNTS.—A 
transfer of an amount to an account under the au-
thority in paragraph (1) shall be deemed to increase 
the amount authorized for such account by an 
amount equal to the amount transferred. 
(e) PRIOR NOTICE TO CONGRESS OF OBLIGATION OR 
TRANSFER.—Funds may not be obligated from the Af-
ghanistan Security Forces Fund, or transferred under 
subsection (d)(1), until five days after the date on which 
the Secretary of Defense notifies the congressional defense 
committees in writing of the details of the proposed obliga-
tion or transfer. 
(f) CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
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(1) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CONTRIBUTIONS.— 
Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense 
may accept contributions of amounts to the Afghani-
stan Security Forces Fund for the purposes provided 
in subsection (b) from any person, foreign govern-
ment, or international organization. Any amounts so 
accepted shall be credited to the Afghanistan Secu-
rity Forces Fund. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not ac-
cept a contribution under this subsection if the ac-
ceptance of the contribution would compromise or 
appear to compromise the integrity of any program 
of the Department of Defense. 
(3) USE.—Amounts accepted under this sub-
section shall be available for assistance authorized 
by subsection (b), including transfer under sub-
section (d) for that purpose. 
(4) NOTIFICATION.—The Secretary shall notify 
the congressional defense committees, the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives, in writing, upon the acceptance, and 
upon the transfer under subsection (d), of any con-
tribution under this subsection. Such notice shall 
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specify the source and amount of any amount so ac-
cepted and the use of any amount so accepted. 
(g) QUARTERLY REPORTS.—Not later than 30 days 
after the end of each fiscal-year quarter, the Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to the congressional defense commit-
tees a report summarizing the details of any obligation 
or transfer of funds from the Afghanistan Security Forces 
Fund during such fiscal-year quarter. 
(h) DURATION OF AUTHORITY.—Amounts authorized 
to be appropriated or contributed to the Afghanistan Secu-
rity Forces Fund during fiscal year 2008 are available for 
obligation or transfer from the Afghanistan Security 
Forces Fund in accordance with this section until Sep-
tember 30, 2009. 
SEC. 1514. MILITARY PERSONNEL. 
There is hereby authorized to be appropriated to the 
Department of Defense for military personnel accounts for 
fiscal year 2008 a total of $17,912,510,000. 
SEC. 1515. STRATEGIC READINESS FUND. 
There 
is 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
$1,000,000,000 to the Strategic Readiness Fund. 
SEC. 1516. TREATMENT AS ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATIONS. 
The amounts authorized to be appropriated by this 
title are in addition to amounts otherwise authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act. 
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SEC. 1517. SPECIAL TRANSFER AUTHORITY. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO TRANSFER AUTHORIZATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—Upon determination by the 
Secretary of Defense that such action is necessary in 
the national interest, the Secretary may transfer 
amounts of authorizations made available to the De-
partment of Defense in this title for fiscal year 2008 
between any such authorizations for that fiscal year 
(or any subdivisions thereof). Amounts of authoriza-
tions so transferred shall be merged with and be 
available for the same purposes as the authorization 
to which transferred. 
(2) LIMITATION.—The total amount of author-
izations that the Secretary may transfer under the 
authority 
of 
this 
section 
may 
not 
exceed 
$3,500,000,000. 
(b) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.—Transfers under this 
section shall be subject to the same terms and conditions 
as transfers under section 1001. 
(c) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.—The transfer author-
ity provided by this section is in addition to the transfer 
authority provided under section 1001. 
TITLE XVI—WOUNDED WARRIOR 
MATTERS 
Sec. 1601. Short title. 
Sec. 1602. General definitions. 
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Sec. 1603. Consideration of gender-specific needs of recovering service members 
and veterans. 
Subtitle A—Policy on Improvements to Care, Management, and Transition of 
Recovering Service Members 
Sec. 1611. Comprehensive policy on improvements to care, management, and 
transition of recovering service members. 
Sec. 1612. Medical evaluations and physical disability evaluations of recovering 
service members. 
Sec. 1613. Return of recovering service members to active duty in the Armed 
Forces. 
Sec. 1614. Transition of recovering service members from care and treatment 
through the Department of Defense to care, treatment, and re-
habilitation through the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 1615. Reports. 
Sec. 1616. Establishment of a wounded warrior resource center. 
Sec. 1617. Notification to Congress of hospitalization of combat wounded serv-
ice members. 
Sec. 1618. Comprehensive plan on prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, 
and rehabilitation of, and research on, traumatic brain injury, 
post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health condi-
tions in members of the Armed Forces. 
Subtitle B—Centers of Excellence in the Prevention, Diagnosis, Mitigation, 
Treatment, and Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury, Post-Traumatic 
Stress Disorder, and Eye Injuries 
Sec. 1621. Center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treat-
ment, and rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury. 
Sec. 1622. Center of excellence in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, 
and rehabilitation of post-traumatic stress disorder and other 
mental health conditions. 
Sec. 1623. Center of excellence in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, 
and rehabilitation of military eye injuries. 
Sec. 1624. Report on establishment of centers of excellence. 
Subtitle C—Health Care Matters 
Sec. 1631. Medical care and other benefits for members and former members 
of the Armed Forces with severe injuries or illnesses. 
Sec. 1632. Reimbursement of travel expenses of retired members with combat- 
related disabilities for follow-on specialty care, services, and 
supplies. 
Sec. 1633. Respite care and other extended care benefits for members of the 
uniformed services who incur a serious injury or illness on ac-
tive duty. 
Sec. 1634. Reports. 
Sec. 1635. Fully interoperable electronic personal health information for the 
Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Sec. 1636. Enhanced personnel authorities for the Department of Defense for 
health care professionals for care and treatment of wounded 
and injured members of the Armed Forces. 
Sec. 1637. Continuation of transitional health benefits for members of the 
Armed Forces pending resolution of service-related medical 
conditions. 
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Subtitle D—Disability Matters 
Sec. 1641. Utilization of veterans’ presumption of sound condition in estab-
lishing eligibility of members of the Armed Forces for retire-
ment for disability. 
Sec. 1642. Requirements and limitations on Department of Defense determina-
tions of disability with respect to members of the Armed 
Forces. 
Sec. 1643. Review of separation of members of the Armed Forces separated 
from service with a disability rating of 20 percent disabled or 
less. 
Sec. 1644. Authorization of pilot programs to improve the disability evaluation 
system for members of the Armed Forces. 
Sec. 1645. Reports on Army action plan in response to deficiencies in the Army 
physical disability evaluation system. 
Sec. 1646. Enhancement of disability severance pay for members of the Armed 
Forces. 
Sec. 1647. Assessments of continuing utility and future role of temporary dis-
ability retired list. 
Sec. 1648. Standards for military medical treatment facilities, specialty medical 
care facilities, and military quarters housing patients and an-
nual report on such facilities. 
Sec. 1649. Reports on Army Medical Action Plan in response to deficiencies 
identified at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Co-
lumbia. 
Sec. 1650. Required certifications in connection with closure of Walter Reed 
Army Medical Center, District of Columbia. 
Sec. 1651. Handbook for members of the Armed Forces on compensation and 
benefits available for serious injuries and illnesses. 
Subtitle E—Studies and Reports 
Sec. 1661. Study on physical and mental health and other readjustment needs 
of members and former members of the Armed Forces who de-
ployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring 
Freedom and their families. 
Sec. 1662. Access of recovering service members to adequate outpatient resi-
dential facilities. 
Sec. 1663. Study and report on support services for families of recovering serv-
ice members. 
Sec. 1664. Report on traumatic brain injury classifications. 
Sec. 1665. Evaluation of the Polytrauma Liaison Officer/Non-Commissioned 
Officer program. 
Subtitle F—Other Matters 
Sec. 1671. Prohibition on transfer of resources from medical care. 
Sec. 1672. Medical care for families of members of the Armed Forces recov-
ering from serious injuries or illnesses. 
Sec. 1673. Improvement of medical tracking system for members of the Armed 
Forces deployed overseas. 
Sec. 1674. Guaranteed funding for Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District 
of Columbia. 
Sec. 1675. Use of leave transfer program by wounded veterans who are Federal 
employees. 
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Sec. 1676. Moratorium on conversion to contractor performance of Department 
of Defense functions at military medical facilities. 
SEC. 1601. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Wounded Warrior 
Act’’. 
SEC. 1602. GENERAL DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ means— 
(A) the Committees on Armed Services, 
Veterans’ Affairs, and Appropriations of the 
Senate; and 
(B) the Committees on Armed Services, 
Veterans’ Affairs, and Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives. 
(2) BENEFITS DELIVERY AT DISCHARGE PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘‘Benefits Delivery at Discharge 
Program’’ means a program administered jointly by 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs to provide information and assistance 
on available benefits and other transition assistance 
to members of the Armed Forces who are separating 
from the Armed Forces, including assistance to ob-
tain any disability benefits for which such members 
may be eligible. 
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(3) DISABILITY
EVALUATION
SYSTEM.—The 
term ‘‘Disability Evaluation System’’ means the fol-
lowing: 
(A) A system or process of the Department 
of Defense for evaluating the nature and extent 
of disabilities affecting members of the Armed 
Forces that is operated by the Secretaries of 
the military departments and is comprised of 
medical evaluation boards, physical evaluation 
boards, counseling of members, and mecha-
nisms for the final disposition of disability eval-
uations by appropriate personnel. 
(B) A system or process of the Coast 
Guard for evaluating the nature and extent of 
disabilities affecting members of the Coast 
Guard that is operated by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security and is similar to the system 
or process of the Department of Defense de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
(4) ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBER.—The term ‘‘el-
igible family member’’, with respect to a recovering 
service member, means a family member (as defined 
in section 411 h(b) of title 37, United States Code) 
who is on invitational travel orders or serving as a 
non-medical attendee while caring for the recovering 
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service member for more than 45 days during a one- 
year period. 
(5) MEDICAL CARE.—The term ‘‘medical care’’ 
includes mental health care. 
(6) OUTPATIENT
STATUS.—The term ‘‘out-
patient status’’, with respect to a recovering service 
member, means the status of a recovering service 
member assigned to— 
(A) a military medical treatment facility as 
an outpatient; or 
(B) a unit established for the purpose of 
providing command and control of members of 
the Armed Forces receiving medical care as 
outpatients. 
(7) RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBER.—The term 
‘‘recovering service member’’ means a member of the 
Armed Forces, including a member of the National 
Guard or a Reserve, who is undergoing medical 
treatment, recuperation, or therapy and is in an out-
patient status while recovering from a serious injury 
or illness related to the member’s military service. 
(8) SERIOUS INJURY OR ILLNESS.—The term 
‘‘serious injury or illness’’, in the case of a member 
of the Armed Forces, means an injury or illness in-
curred by the member in line of duty on active duty 
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in the Armed Forces that may render the member 
medically unfit to perform the duties of the mem-
ber’s office, grade, rank, or rating. 
(9) 
TRICARE 
PROGRAM.—The 
term 
‘‘TRICARE program’’ has the meaning given that 
term in section 1072(7) of title 10, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 1603. CONSIDERATION OF GENDER-SPECIFIC NEEDS 
OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS AND 
VETERANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In developing and implementing 
the policy required by section 1611(a), and in otherwise 
carrying out any other provision of this title or any amend-
ment made by this title, the Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take into account and 
fully address any unique gender-specific needs of recov-
ering service members and veterans under such policy or 
other provision. 
(b) REPORTS.—In submitting any report required by 
this title or an amendment made by this title, the Sec-
retary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall, to the extent applicable, include a description of the 
manner in which the matters covered by such report ad-
dress the unique gender-specific needs of recovering serv-
ice members and veterans. 
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Subtitle 
A—Policy 
on 
Improve-
ments to Care, Management, 
and Transition of Recovering 
Service Members 
SEC. 1611. COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON IMPROVEMENTS 
TO CARE, MANAGEMENT, AND TRANSITION 
OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS. 
(a) COMPREHENSIVE POLICY REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than July 1, 2008, 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall, to the extent feasible, jointly de-
velop and implement a comprehensive policy on im-
provements to the care, management, and transition 
of recovering service members. 
(2) SCOPE OF POLICY.—The policy shall cover 
each of the following: 
(A) The care and management of recov-
ering service members. 
(B) The medical evaluation and disability 
evaluation of recovering service members. 
(C) The return of service members who 
have recovered to active duty when appropriate. 
(D) The transition of recovering service 
members from receipt of care and services 
through the Department of Defense to receipt 
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of care and services through the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. 
(3) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop 
the policy in consultation with the heads of other ap-
propriate departments and agencies of the Federal 
Government and with appropriate non-governmental 
organizations having an expertise in matters relating 
to the policy. 
(4) UPDATE.—The Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly update 
the policy on a periodic basis, but not less often than 
annually, in order to incorporate in the policy, as ap-
propriate, the following: 
(A) The results of the reviews required 
under subsections (b) and (c). 
(B) Best practices identified through pilot 
programs carried out under this title. 
(C) Improvements to matters under the 
policy otherwise identified and agreed upon by 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs. 
(b) REVIEW OF CURRENT POLICIES AND PROCE-
DURES.— 
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(1) REVIEW REQUIRED.—In developing the pol-
icy required by subsection (a), the Secretary of De-
fense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, to 
the extent necessary, jointly and separately conduct 
a review of all policies and procedures of the Depart-
ment of Defense and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs that apply to, or shall be covered by, the pol-
icy. 
(2) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the review shall 
be to identify the most effective and patient-oriented 
approaches to care and management of recovering 
service members for purposes of— 
(A) incorporating such approaches into the 
policy; and 
(B) extending such approaches, where ap-
plicable, to the care and management of other 
injured or ill members of the Armed Forces and 
veterans. 
(3) ELEMENTS.—In conducting the review, the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall— 
(A) identify among the policies and proce-
dures described in paragraph (1) best practices 
in approaches to the care and management of 
recovering service members; 
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(B) identify among such policies and pro-
cedures existing and potential shortfalls in the 
care and management of recovering service 
members (including care and management of 
recovering service members on the temporary 
disability retired list), and determine means of 
addressing any shortfalls so identified; 
(C) determine potential modifications of 
such policies and procedures in order to ensure 
consistency and uniformity, where appropriate, 
in the application of such policies and proce-
dures— 
(i) among the military departments; 
(ii) among the Veterans Integrated 
Services Networks (VISNs) of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs; and 
(iii) between the military departments 
and the Veterans Integrated Services Net-
works; and 
(D) develop recommendations for legisla-
tive and administrative action necessary to im-
plement the results of the review. 
(4) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION.—The review 
shall be completed not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
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(c) CONSIDERATION OF EXISTING FINDINGS, REC-
OMMENDATIONS, AND PRACTICES.—In developing the pol-
icy required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall take into ac-
count the following: 
(1) The findings and recommendations of appli-
cable studies, reviews, reports, and evaluations that 
address matters relating to the policy, including, but 
not limited, to the following: 
(A) The Independent Review Group on Re-
habilitative Care and Administrative Processes 
at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Na-
tional Naval Medical Center, appointed by the 
Secretary of Defense. 
(B) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
Task Force on Returning Global War on Terror 
Heroes, appointed by the President. 
(C) The President’s Commission on Care 
for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors. 
(D) The Veterans’ Disability Benefits 
Commission established by title XV of the Na-
tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
Year 2004 (Public Law 108–136; 117 Stat. 
1676; 38 U.S.C. 1101 note). 
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(E) The President’s Task Force to Im-
prove Health Care Delivery for Our Nation’s 
Veterans, of March 2003. 
(F) The Report of the Congressional Com-
mission on Servicemembers and Veterans Tran-
sition Assistance, of 1999, chaired by Anthony 
J. Principi. 
(G) The President’s Commission on Vet-
erans’ Pensions, of 1956, chaired by General 
Omar N. Bradley. 
(2) The experience and best practices of the 
Department of Defense and the military depart-
ments on matters relating to the policy. 
(3) The experience and best practices of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs on matters relating 
to the policy. 
(4) Such other matters as the Secretary of De-
fense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs consider 
appropriate. 
(d) TRAINING AND SKILLS OF HEALTH CARE PRO-
FESSIONALS, RECOVERY CARE COORDINATORS, MEDICAL 
CARE CASE MANAGERS, AND NON-MEDICAL CARE MAN-
AGERS FOR RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The policy required by sub-
section (a) shall provide for uniform standards 
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among the military departments for the training and 
skills of health care professionals, recovery care co-
ordinators, medical care case managers, and non- 
medical care managers for recovering service mem-
bers under subsection (e) in order to ensure that 
such personnel are able to— 
(A) detect early warning signs of post- 
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal or 
homicidal thoughts or behaviors, and other be-
havioral health concerns among recovering serv-
ice members; and 
(B) promptly notify appropriate health 
care professionals following detection of such 
signs. 
(2) TRACKING
OF
NOTIFICATIONS.—In pro-
viding for uniform standards under paragraph (1), 
the policy shall include a mechanism or system to 
track the number of notifications made by recovery 
care coordinators, medical care case managers, and 
non-medical care managers to health care profes-
sionals under paragraph (1)(A) regarding early 
warning signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and 
suicide in recovering service members. 
(e) SERVICES
FOR RECOVERING SERVICE MEM-
BERS.—The policy required by subsection (a) shall provide 
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partment of Veterans Affairs, the Department 
of Labor, and the Social Security Administra-
tion. 
(C) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF SERVICE 
MEMBERS MANAGED BY COORDINATORS.—The 
maximum number of recovering service mem-
bers whose cases may be assigned to a recovery 
care coordinator under the program at any one 
time shall be such number as the policy shall 
specify, except that the Secretary of the mili-
tary department concerned may waive such lim-
itation with respect to a given coordinator for 
not more than 120 days in the event of unfore-
seen circumstances (as specified in the policy). 
(D) TRAINING.—The policy shall specify 
standard training requirements and curricula 
for recovery care coordinators under the pro-
gram, including a requirement for successful 
completion of the training program before a 
person may assume the duties of such a coordi-
nator. 
(E) RESOURCES.—The policy shall include 
mechanisms to ensure that recovery care coordi-
nators under the program have the resources 
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necessary to expeditiously carry out the duties 
of such coordinators under the program. 
(F) SUPERVISION.—The policy shall speci-
fy requirements for the appropriate rank or 
grade, and appropriate occupation, for persons 
appointed to head and supervise recovery care 
coordinators. 
(3) MEDICAL CARE CASE MANAGERS FOR RE-
COVERING SERVICE MEMBERS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The policy shall provide 
for a uniform program among the military de-
partments for the assignment to recovering 
service members of medical care case managers 
having the duties specified in subparagraph 
(B). 
(B) DUTIES.—The duties under the pro-
gram of a medical care case manager for a re-
covering service member (or the service mem-
ber’s immediate family or other designee if the 
service member is incapable of making judg-
ments about personal medical care) shall in-
clude, at a minimum, the following: 
(i) Assisting in understanding the 
service member’s medical status during the 
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care, recovery, and transition of the service 
member. 
(ii) Assisting in the receipt by the 
service member of prescribed medical care 
during the care, recovery, and transition of 
the service member. 
(iii) Conducting a periodic review of 
the medical status of the service member, 
which review shall be conducted, to the ex-
tent practicable, in person with the service 
member, or, whenever the conduct of the 
review in person is not practicable, with 
the medical care case manager submitting 
to the manager’s supervisor a written ex-
planation why the review in person was not 
practicable (if the Secretary of the military 
department concerned elects to require 
such written explanations for purposes of 
the program). 
(C) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF SERVICE 
MEMBERS MANAGED BY MANAGERS.—The max-
imum number of recovering service members 
whose cases may be assigned to a medical care 
case manager under the program at any one 
time shall be such number as the policy shall 
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specify, except that the Secretary of the mili-
tary department concerned may waive such lim-
itation with respect to a given manager for not 
more than 120 days in the event of unforeseen 
circumstances (as specified in the policy). 
(D) TRAINING.—The policy shall specify 
standard training requirements and curricula 
for medical care case managers under the pro-
gram, including a requirement for successful 
completion of the training program before a 
person may assume the duties of such a man-
ager. 
(E) RESOURCES.—The policy shall include 
mechanisms to ensure that medical care case 
managers under the program have the re-
sources necessary to expeditiously carry out the 
duties of such managers under the program. 
(F) SUPERVISION AT ARMED FORCES MED-
ICAL FACILITIES.—The policy shall specify re-
quirements for the appropriate rank or grade, 
and appropriate occupation, for persons ap-
pointed to head and supervise the medical care 
case managers at each medical facility of the 
Armed Forces. Persons so appointed may be 
appointed from the Army Medical Corps, Army 
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Medical Service Corps, Army Nurse Corps, 
Navy Medical Corps, Navy Medical Service 
Corps, Navy Nurse Corps, Air Force Medical 
Service, or other corps or civilian health care 
professional, as applicable, at the discretion of 
the Secretary of Defense. 
(4) NON-MEDICAL
CARE
MANAGERS
FOR
RE-
COVERING SERVICE MEMBERS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The policy shall provide 
for a uniform program among the military de-
partments for the assignment to recovering 
service members of non-medical care managers 
having the duties specified in subparagraph 
(B). 
(B) DUTIES.—The duties under the pro-
gram of a non-medical care manager for a re-
covering service member shall include, at a min-
imum, the following: 
(i) Communicating with the service 
member and with the service member’s 
family or other individuals designated by 
the service member regarding non-medical 
matters that arise during the care, recov-
ery, and transition of the service member. 
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(ii) Assisting with oversight of the 
service member’s welfare and quality of 
life. 
(iii) Assisting the service member in 
resolving problems involving financial, ad-
ministrative, personnel, transitional, and 
other matters that arise during the care, 
recovery, and transition of the service 
member. 
(C) DURATION
OF
DUTIES.—The policy 
shall provide that a non-medical care manager 
shall perform duties under the program for a 
recovering service member until the service 
member is returned to active duty or retired or 
separated from the Armed Forces. 
(D) LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF SERVICE 
MEMBERS MANAGED BY MANAGERS.—The max-
imum number of recovering service members 
whose cases may be assigned to a non-medical 
care manager under the program at any one 
time shall be such number as the policy shall 
specify, except that the Secretary of the mili-
tary department concerned may waive such lim-
itation with respect to a given manager for not 
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more than 120 days in the event of unforeseen 
circumstances (as specified in the policy). 
(E) TRAINING.—The policy shall specify 
standard training requirements and curricula 
among the military departments for non-med-
ical care managers under the program, includ-
ing a requirement for successful completion of 
the training program before a person may as-
sume the duties of such a manager. 
(F) RESOURCES.—The policy shall include 
mechanisms to ensure that non-medical care 
managers under the program have the re-
sources necessary to expeditiously carry out the 
duties of such managers under the program. 
(G) SUPERVISION AT ARMED FORCES MED-
ICAL FACILITIES.—The policy shall specify re-
quirements for the appropriate rank and occu-
pational speciality for persons appointed to 
head and supervise the non-medical care man-
agers at each medical facility of the Armed 
Forces. 
(5) ACCESS OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS 
TO NON-URGENT HEALTH CARE FROM THE DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE OR OTHER PROVIDERS UNDER 
TRICARE.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The policy shall provide 
for appropriate minimum standards for access 
of recovering service members to non-urgent 
medical care and other health care services as 
follows: 
(i) In medical facilities of the Depart-
ment of Defense. 
(ii) Through the TRICARE program. 
(B) MAXIMUM WAITING TIMES FOR CER-
TAIN CARE.—The standards for access under 
subparagraph (A) shall include such standards 
on maximum waiting times of recovering service 
members as the policy shall specify for care 
that includes, but is not limited to, the fol-
lowing: 
(i) Follow-up care. 
(ii) Specialty care. 
(iii) Diagnostic referrals and studies. 
(iv) Surgery based on a physician’s 
determination of medical necessity. 
(C) WAIVER
BY
RECOVERING
SERVICE 
MEMBERS.—The policy shall permit any recov-
ering service member to waive a standard for 
access under this paragraph under such cir-
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cumstances and conditions as the policy shall 
specify. 
(6) ASSIGNMENT
OF
RECOVERING
SERVICE 
MEMBERS TO LOCATIONS OF CARE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The policy shall provide 
for uniform guidelines among the military de-
partments for the assignment of recovering 
service members to a location of care, including 
guidelines that provide for the assignment of re-
covering service members, when medically ap-
propriate, to care and residential facilities clos-
est to their duty station or home of record or 
the location of their designated care giver at the 
earliest possible time. 
(B) REASSIGNMENT FROM DEFICIENT FA-
CILITIES.—The policy shall provide for uniform 
guidelines and procedures among the military 
departments for the reassignment of recovering 
service members from a medical or medical-re-
lated support facility determined by the Sec-
retary of Defense to violate the standards re-
quired by section 1648 to another appropriate 
medical or medical-related support facility until 
the correction of violations of such standards at 
the medical or medical-related support facility 
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from which such service members are reas-
signed. 
(7) TRANSPORTATION AND SUBSISTENCE FOR 
RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS.—The policy shall 
provide for uniform standards among the military 
departments on the availability of appropriate trans-
portation and subsistence for recovering service 
members to facilitate their obtaining needed medical 
care and services. 
(8) WORK AND DUTY ASSIGNMENTS FOR RE-
COVERING
SERVICE
MEMBERS.—The policy shall 
provide for uniform criteria among the military de-
partments for the assignment of recovering service 
members to work and duty assignments that are 
compatible with their medical conditions. 
(9) ACCESS OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS 
TO EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND 
REHABILITATION.—The policy shall provide for uni-
form standards among the military departments on 
the provision of educational and vocational training 
and rehabilitation opportunities for recovering serv-
ice members at the earliest possible point in their re-
covery. 
(10) TRACKING OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEM-
BERS.—The policy shall provide for uniform proce-
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dures among the military departments on tracking 
recovering service members to facilitate— 
(A) locating each recovering service mem-
ber; and 
(B) tracking medical care appointments of 
recovering service members to ensure timeliness 
and compliance of recovering service members 
with appointments, and other physical and eval-
uation timelines, and to provide any other infor-
mation needed to conduct oversight of the care, 
management, and transition of recovering serv-
ice members. 
(11) REFERRALS
OF
RECOVERING
SERVICE 
MEMBERS
TO
OTHER
CARE
AND
SERVICES
PRO-
VIDERS.—The policy shall provide for uniform poli-
cies, procedures, and criteria among the military de-
partments on the referral of recovering service mem-
bers to the Department of Veterans Affairs and 
other private and public entities (including univer-
sities and rehabilitation hospitals, centers, and clin-
ics) in order to secure the most appropriate care for 
recovering service members, which policies, proce-
dures, and criteria shall take into account, but not 
be limited to, the medical needs of recovering service 
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members and the geographic location of available 
necessary recovery care services. 
(f) SERVICES FOR FAMILIES OF RECOVERING SERV-
ICE MEMBERS.—The policy required by subsection (a) 
shall provide for improvements as follows with respect to 
services for families of recovering service members: 
(1) SUPPORT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF RECOV-
ERING SERVICE MEMBERS.—The policy shall provide 
for uniform guidelines among the military depart-
ments on the provision by the military departments 
of support for family members of recovering service 
members who are not otherwise eligible for care 
under section 1672 in caring for such service mem-
bers during their recovery. 
(2) ADVICE AND TRAINING FOR FAMILY MEM-
BERS
OF
RECOVERING
SERVICE
MEMBERS.—The 
policy shall provide for uniform requirements and 
standards among the military departments on the 
provision by the military departments of advice and 
training, as appropriate, to family members of recov-
ering service members with respect to care for such 
service members during their recovery. 
(3) MEASUREMENT OF SATISFACTION OF FAM-
ILY MEMBERS OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS 
WITH QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES.—The 
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policy shall provide for uniform procedures among 
the military departments on the measurement of the 
satisfaction of family members of recovering service 
members with the quality of health care services pro-
vided to such service members during their recovery. 
(4) JOB
PLACEMENT
SERVICES
FOR
FAMILY 
MEMBERS
OF
RECOVERING
SERVICE
MEMBERS.— 
The policy shall provide for procedures for applica-
tion by eligible family members during a one-year 
period for job placement services otherwise offered 
by the Department of Defense. 
(g) OUTREACH TO RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS 
AND THEIR FAMILIES ON COMPREHENSIVE POLICY.— 
The policy required by subsection (a) shall include proce-
dures and mechanisms to ensure that recovering service 
members and their families are fully informed of the poli-
cies required by this section, including policies on medical 
care for recovering service members, on the management 
and transition of recovering service members, and on the 
responsibilities of recovering service members and their 
family members throughout the continuum of care and 
services for recovering service members under this section. 
(h) APPLICABILITY OF COMPREHENSIVE POLICY TO 
RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS ON TEMPORARY DIS-
ABILITY RETIRED LIST.—Appropriate elements of the pol-
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icy required by this section shall apply to recovering serv-
ice members whose names are placed on the temporary 
disability retired list in such manner, and subject to such 
terms and conditions, as the Secretary of Defense shall 
prescribe in regulations for purposes of this subsection. 
SEC. 1612. MEDICAL EVALUATIONS AND PHYSICAL DIS-
ABILITY 
EVALUATIONS 
OF 
RECOVERING 
SERVICE MEMBERS. 
(a) MEDICAL EVALUATIONS OF RECOVERING SERV-
ICE MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than July 1, 2008, 
the Secretary of Defense shall develop a policy on 
improvements to the processes, procedures, and 
standards for the conduct by the military depart-
ments of medical evaluations of recovering service 
members. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The policy on improvements 
to processes, procedures, and standards required 
under this subsection shall include and address the 
following: 
(A) Processes for medical evaluations of 
recovering service members that— 
(i) apply uniformly throughout the 
military departments; and 
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(ii) apply uniformly with respect to re-
covering service members who are members 
of the regular components of the Armed 
Forces and recovering service members 
who are members of the National Guard 
and Reserve. 
(B) Standard criteria and definitions for 
determining the achievement for recovering 
service members of the maximum medical ben-
efit from treatment and rehabilitation. 
(C) Standard timelines for each of the fol-
lowing: 
(i) Determinations of fitness for duty 
of recovering service members. 
(ii) Specialty care consultations for re-
covering service members. 
(iii) Preparation of medical documents 
for recovering service members. 
(iv) Appeals by recovering service 
members of medical evaluation determina-
tions, including determinations of fitness 
for duty. 
(D) Procedures for ensuring that— 
(i) upon request of a recovering serv-
ice member being considered by a medical 
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evaluation board, a physician or other ap-
propriate health care professional who is 
independent of the medical evaluation 
board is assigned to the service member; 
and 
(ii) the physician or other health care 
professional assigned to a recovering serv-
ice member under clause (i)— 
(I) serves as an independent 
source for review of the findings and 
recommendations of the medical eval-
uation board; 
(II) provides the service member 
with advice and counsel regarding the 
findings and recommendations of the 
medical evaluation board; and 
(III) advises the service member 
on whether the findings of the medical 
evaluation board adequately reflect 
the complete spectrum of injuries and 
illness of the service member. 
(E) Standards for qualifications and train-
ing of medical evaluation board personnel, in-
cluding physicians, case workers, and physical 
disability evaluation board liaison officers, in 
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conducting medical evaluations of recovering 
service members. 
(F) Standards for the maximum number of 
medical evaluation cases of recovering service 
members that are pending before a medical 
evaluation board at any one time, and require-
ments for the establishment of additional med-
ical evaluation boards in the event such number 
is exceeded. 
(G) Standards for information for recov-
ering service members, and their families, on 
the medical evaluation board process and the 
rights and responsibilities of recovering service 
members under that process, including a stand-
ard handbook on such information (which hand-
book shall also be available electronically). 
(b) PHYSICAL DISABILITY EVALUATIONS OF RECOV-
ERING SERVICE MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than July 1, 2008, 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs shall develop a policy on improvements 
to the processes, procedures, and standards for the 
conduct of physical disability evaluations of recov-
ering service members by the military departments 
and by the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
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(2) ELEMENTS.—The policy on improvements 
to processes, procedures, and standards required 
under this subsection shall include and address the 
following: 
(A) A clearly-defined process of the De-
partment of Defense and the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for disability determinations of 
recovering service members. 
(B) To the extent feasible, procedures to 
eliminate unacceptable discrepancies and im-
prove consistency among disability ratings as-
signed by the military departments and the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs, particularly in 
the disability evaluation of recovering service 
members, which procedures shall be subject to 
the following requirements and limitations: 
(i) Such procedures shall apply uni-
formly with respect to recovering service 
members who are members of the regular 
components of the Armed Forces and re-
covering service members who are members 
of the National Guard and Reserve. 
(ii) Under such procedures, each Sec-
retary of a military department shall, to 
the extent feasible, utilize the standard 
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schedule for rating disabilities in use by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs, in-
cluding any applicable interpretation of 
such schedule by the United States Court 
of Appeals for Veterans Claims, in making 
any determination of disability of a recov-
ering service member, except as otherwise 
authorized by section 1216a of title 10, 
United States Code (as added by section 
1642 of this Act). 
(C) Uniform timelines among the military 
departments for appeals of determinations of 
disability of recovering service members, includ-
ing timelines for presentation, consideration, 
and disposition of appeals. 
(D) Uniform standards among the military 
departments for qualifications and training of 
physical disability evaluation board personnel, 
including physical evaluation board liaison per-
sonnel, in conducting physical disability evalua-
tions of recovering service members. 
(E) Uniform standards among the military 
departments for the maximum number of phys-
ical disability evaluation cases of recovering 
service members that are pending before a 
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physical disability evaluation board at any one 
time, and requirements for the establishment of 
additional physical disability evaluation boards 
in the event such number is exceeded. 
(F) Uniform standards and procedures 
among the military departments for the provi-
sion of legal counsel to recovering service mem-
bers while undergoing evaluation by a physical 
disability evaluation board. 
(G) Uniform standards among the military 
departments on the roles and responsibilities of 
non-medical 
care 
managers 
under 
section 
1611(e)(4) and judge advocates assigned to re-
covering service members undergoing evaluation 
by a physical disability board, and uniform 
standards on the maximum number of cases in-
volving such service members that are to be as-
signed to judge advocates at any one time. 
(c) ASSESSMENT OF CONSOLIDATION OF DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE AND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEMS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report on the feasability and advisability of consoli-
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dating the disability evaluation systems of the mili-
tary departments and the disability evaluation sys-
tem of the Department of Veterans Affairs into a 
single disability evaluation system. The report shall 
be submitted together with the report required by 
section 1611(a). 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The report required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) An assessment of the feasability and 
advisability of consolidating the disability eval-
uation systems described in paragraph (1) as 
specified in that paragraph. 
(B) If the consolidation of the systems is 
considered feasible and advisable— 
(i) recommendations for various op-
tions for consolidating the systems as spec-
ified in paragraph (1); and 
(ii) recommendations for mechanisms 
to evaluate and assess any progress made 
in consolidating the systems as specified in 
that paragraph. 
SEC. 1613. RETURN OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEMBERS TO 
ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMED FORCES. 
The Secretary of Defense shall establish standards 
for determinations by the military departments on the re-
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turn of recovering service members to active duty in the 
Armed Forces. 
SEC. 1614. TRANSITION OF RECOVERING SERVICE MEM-
BERS 
FROM 
CARE 
AND 
TREATMENT 
THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
TO CARE, TREATMENT, AND REHABILITATION 
THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than July 1, 2008, the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall jointly develop and implement processes, proce-
dures, and standards for the transition of recovering serv-
ice members from care and treatment through the Depart-
ment of Defense to care, treatment, and rehabilitation 
through the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The processes, procedures, and 
standards required under this section shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(1) Uniform, patient-focused procedures to en-
sure that the transition described in subsection (a) 
occurs without gaps in medical care and in the qual-
ity of medical care, benefits, and services. 
(2) Procedures for the identification and track-
ing of recovering service members during the transi-
tion, and for the coordination of care and treatment 
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of recovering service members during the transition, 
including a system of cooperative case management 
of recovering service members by the Department of 
Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs 
during the transition. 
(3) Procedures for the notification of Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs liaison personnel of the 
commencement by recovering service members of the 
medical evaluation process and the physical dis-
ability evaluation process. 
(4) Procedures and timelines for the enrollment 
of recovering service members in applicable enroll-
ment or application systems of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs with respect to health care, dis-
ability, education, vocational rehabilitation, or other 
benefits. 
(5) Procedures to ensure the access of recov-
ering service members during the transition to voca-
tional, educational, and rehabilitation benefits avail-
able through the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(6) Standards for the optimal location of De-
partment of Defense and Department of Veterans 
Affairs liaison and case management personnel at 
military medical treatment facilities, medical centers, 
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and other medical facilities of the Department of 
Defense. 
(7) Standards and procedures for integrated 
medical care and management of recovering service 
members during the transition, including procedures 
for the assignment of medical personnel of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs to Department of De-
fense facilities to participate in the needs assess-
ments of recovering service members before, during, 
and after their separation from military service. 
(8) Standards for the preparation of detailed 
plans for the transition of recovering service mem-
bers from care and treatment by the Department of 
Defense to care, treatment, and rehabilitation by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, which plans shall— 
(A) be based on standardized elements 
with respect to care and treatment require-
ments and other applicable requirements; and 
(B) take into account the comprehensive 
recovery plan for the recovering service member 
concerned 
as 
developed 
under 
section 
1611(e)(1). 
(9) Procedures to ensure that each recovering 
service member who is being retired or separated 
under chapter 61 of title 10, United States Code, re-
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ceives a written transition plan, prior to the time of 
retirement or separation, that— 
(A) specifies the recommended schedule 
and milestones for the transition of the service 
member from military service; 
(B) provides for a coordinated transition of 
the service member from the Department of 
Defense disability evaluation system to the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs disability system; 
and 
(C) includes information and guidance de-
signed to assist the service member in under-
standing and meeting the schedule and mile-
stones specified under subparagraph (A) for the 
service member’s transition. 
(10) Procedures for the transmittal from the 
Department of Defense to the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs of records and any other required in-
formation on each recovering service member de-
scribed in paragraph (9), which procedures shall 
provide for the transmission from the Department of 
Defense to the Department of Veterans Affairs of 
records and information on the service member as 
follows: 
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(A) The address and contact information 
of the service member. 
(B) The DD–214 discharge form of the 
service member, which shall be transmitted 
under such procedures electronically. 
(C) A copy of the military service record of 
the service member, including medical records 
and any results of a physical evaluation board. 
(D) Information on whether the service 
member is entitled to transitional health care, a 
conversion health policy, or other health bene-
fits through the Department of Defense under 
section 1145 of title 10, United States Code. 
(E) A copy of any request of the service 
member for assistance in enrolling in, or com-
pleted applications for enrollment in, the health 
care system of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs for health care benefits for which the serv-
ice member may be eligible under laws adminis-
tered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(F) A copy of any request by the service 
member for assistance in applying for, or com-
pleted applications for, compensation and voca-
tional rehabilitation benefits to which the serv-
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ice member may be entitled under laws admin-
istered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(11) A process to ensure that, before trans-
mittal of medical records of a recovering service 
member to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 
Secretary of Defense ensures that the service mem-
ber (or an individual legally recognized to make 
medical decisions on behalf of the service member) 
authorizes the transfer of the medical records of the 
service member from the Department of Defense to 
the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to the 
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 
of 1996. 
(12) Procedures to ensure that, with the con-
sent of the recovering service member concerned, the 
address and contact information of the service mem-
ber is transmitted to the department or agency for 
veterans affairs of the State in which the service 
member intends to reside after the retirement or 
separation of the service member from the Armed 
Forces. 
(13) Procedures to ensure that, before the 
transmittal of records and other information with re-
spect to a recovering service member under this sec-
tion, a meeting regarding the transmittal of such 
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records and other information occurs among the 
service member, appropriate family members of the 
service member, representatives of the Secretary of 
the military department concerned, and representa-
tives of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with at 
least 30 days advance notice of the meeting being 
given to the service member unless the service mem-
ber waives the advance notice requirement in order 
to accelerate transmission of the service member’s 
records and other information to the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. 
(14) Procedures to ensure that the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs gives appropriate consideration to a 
written statement submitted to the Secretary by a 
recovering service member regarding the transition. 
(15) Procedures to provide access for the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs to the military health 
records of recovering service members who are re-
ceiving care and treatment, or are anticipating re-
ceipt of care and treatment, in Department of Vet-
erans Affairs health care facilities, which procedures 
shall be consistent with the procedures and require-
ments in paragraphs (11) and (13). 
(16) A process for the utilization of a joint sep-
aration and evaluation physical examination that 
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are separated or discharged from the Armed 
Forces; and 
(D) in the case of a member on the tem-
porary disability retired list under section 1202 
or 1205 of title 10, United States Code, who is 
being retired under another provision of such 
title or is being discharged, at a location rea-
sonably convenient to the member. 
SEC. 1615. REPORTS. 
(a) REPORT ON POLICY.—Upon the development of 
the policy required by subsection (a) of section 1611 but 
not later than July 1, 2008, the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
policy, including a comprehensive and detailed description 
of the policy and of the manner in which the policy ad-
dresses the detailed elements of the policy specified in sub-
sections (d) through (h) of section 1611, and the findings 
and recommendations of the reviews under subsections (b) 
and (c) of section 1611. 
(b) INTERIM REPORT ON POLICY.—Not later than 
February 1, 2008, the Secretary of Defense and the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the ap-
propriate committees of Congress an interim report on the 
policy, which shall include a comprehensive and detailed 
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description of the matters specified in subsection (a) cur-
rent as of the date of such interim report. 
(c) REPORT ON UPDATE OF POLICY.—Upon updat-
ing the policy under section 1611(a)(4), the Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
on the update of the policy, including a comprehensive and 
detailed description of such update and of the reasons for 
such update. 
(d) COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF IM-
PLEMENTATION OF POLICY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than six months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and every 
year thereafter through 2010, the Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report setting forth 
the assessment of the Comptroller General of the 
progress of the Secretary of Defense and the Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs in developing and imple-
menting the policy required by section 1611(a). 
Each report shall include a certification by the 
Comptroller General as to whether the Comptroller 
General has had timely access to sufficient informa-
tion to enable the Comptroller General to make in-
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formed judgments on the matters covered by the re-
port. 
(2) ACCESS INFORMATION.—The Secretary of 
Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
facilitate the ability of the Comptroller General to 
conduct any review required for a report under this 
subsection within the time period required for such 
report, including prompt and complete access to 
such information as the Comptroller General con-
siders necessary to perform such review. 
(e) REPORT ON REDUCTION IN DISABILITY RATINGS 
BY
THE DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE.—Not later than 
February 1, 2009, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
House of Representatives a report on the number of in-
stances during the period beginning on October 7, 2001, 
and ending on September 30, 2006, in which a disability 
rating assigned to a member of the Armed Forces by an 
informal physical evaluation board of the Department of 
Defense was reduced upon appeal, and the reasons for 
such reduction. 
SEC. 1616. ESTABLISHMENT OF A WOUNDED WARRIOR RE-
SOURCE CENTER. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a wounded warrior resource center (in this 
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section referred to as the ‘‘center’’) to provide wounded 
warriors, their families, and their primary caregivers with 
a single point of contact for assistance with reporting defi-
ciencies in covered military facilities, obtaining health care 
services, receiving benefits information, and any other dif-
ficulties encountered while supporting wounded warriors. 
The Secretary shall widely disseminate information re-
garding the existence and availability of the center, includ-
ing contact information, to members of the Armed Forces 
and their dependents. In carrying out this subsection, the 
Secretary may use existing infrastructure and organiza-
tions but shall ensure that the center has the ability to 
separately keep track of calls from wounded warriors. 
(b) ACCESS.—The center shall provide multiple meth-
ods of access, including at a minimum an Internet website 
and a toll-free telephone number (commonly referred to 
as a ‘‘hot line’’) at which personnel are accessible at all 
times to receive reports of deficiencies or provide informa-
tion about covered military facilities, health care services, 
or military benefits. 
(c) CONFIDENTIALITY.— 
(1) NOTIFICATION.—Individuals who seek to 
provide information through the center under sub-
section (a) shall be notified, immediately before they 
provide such information, of their option to elect, at 
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their discretion, to have their identity remain con-
fidential. 
(2) PROHIBITION ON FURTHER DISCLOSURE.— 
In the case of information provided through use of 
the toll-free telephone number by an individual who 
elects to maintain the confidentiality of his or her 
identity, any individual who, by necessity, has had 
access to such information for purposes of inves-
tigating or responding to the call as required under 
subsection (d) may not disclose the identity of the 
individual who provided the information. 
(d) FUNCTIONS.—The center shall perform the fol-
lowing functions: 
(1) CALL TRACKING.—The center shall be re-
sponsible for documenting receipt of a call, referring 
the call to the appropriate office within a military 
department for answer or investigation, and tracking 
the formulation and notification of the response to 
the call. 
(2) INVESTIGATION AND RESPONSE.—The cen-
ter shall be responsible for ensuring that, not later 
than 96 hours after a call— 
(A) if a report of deficiencies is received in 
a call— 
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(i) any deficiencies referred to in the 
call are investigated; 
(ii) if substantiated, a plan of action 
for remediation of the deficiencies is devel-
oped and implemented; and 
(iii) if requested, the individual who 
made the report is notified of the current 
status of the report; or 
(B) if a request for information is received 
in a call— 
(i) the information requested by the 
caller is provided by the center; 
(ii) all requests for information from 
the call are referred to the appropriate of-
fice or offices of a military department for 
response; and 
(iii) the individual who made the re-
port is notified, at a minimum, of the cur-
rent status of the query. 
(3) FINAL NOTIFICATION.—The center shall be 
responsible for ensuring that, if requested, the caller 
is notified when the deficiency has been corrected or 
when the request for information has been fulfilled 
to the maximum extent practicable, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
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(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED MILITARY FACILITY.—The term 
‘‘covered military facility’’ has the meaning provided 
in section 1648(b) of this Act. 
(2) CALL.—The term ‘‘call’’ means any query 
or report that is received by the center by means of 
the toll-free telephone number or other source. 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATES.— 
(1) TOLL-FREE
TELEPHONE
NUMBER.—The 
toll-free telephone number required to be established 
by subsection (a), shall be fully operational not later 
than April 1, 2008. 
(2) INTERNET WEBSITE.—The Internet website 
required to be established by subsection (a), shall be 
fully operational not later than July 1, 2008. 
SEC. 1617. NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS OF HOSPITALIZA-
TION OF COMBAT WOUNDED SERVICE MEM-
BERS. 
(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 55 of title 10, 
United States Code, is further amended by inserting 
after section 1074k the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 1074l. Notification to Congress of hospitalization of 
combat wounded members 
‘‘(a) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary con-
cerned shall provide notification of the hospitalization of 
any member of the armed forces evacuated from a theater 
of combat and admitted to a military treatment facility 
within the United States to the appropriate Members of 
Congress. 
‘‘(b) APPROPRIATE MEMBERS.—In this section, the 
term ‘appropriate Members of Congress’, with respect to 
the member of the armed forces about whom notification 
is being made, means the Senators representing the State, 
and the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner of 
the House of Representatives representing the district, 
that includes the member’s home of record or a different 
location as provided by the member. 
‘‘(c) CONSENT OF MEMBER REQUIRED.—The notifi-
cation under subsection (a) may be provided only with the 
consent of the member of the armed forces about whom 
notification is to be made. In the case of a member who 
is unable to provide consent, information and consent may 
be provided by next of kin.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The notification re-
quirement under section 1074l(a) of title 10, United 
States Code, as added by paragraph (1), shall apply 
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beginning 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding 
at the end the following new item: 
‘‘1074l. Notification to Congress of hospitalization of combat wounded mem-
bers.’’. 
SEC. 1618. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON PREVENTION, DIAG-
NOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHA-
BILITATION OF, AND RESEARCH ON, TRAU-
MATIC 
BRAIN 
INJURY, 
POST-TRAUMATIC 
STRESS DISORDER, AND OTHER MENTAL 
HEALTH CONDITIONS IN MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES. 
(a) COMPREHENSIVE STATEMENT OF POLICY.—The 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall direct joint planning among the Department of 
Defense, the military departments, and the Department 
of Veterans Affairs for the prevention, diagnosis, mitiga-
tion, treatment, and rehabilitation of, and research on, 
traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and 
other mental health conditions in members of the Armed 
Forces, including planning for the seamless transition of 
such members from care through the Department of De-
fense to care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
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(b) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REQUIRED.—Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs, submit to the congressional 
defense committees a comprehensive plan for programs 
and activities of the Department of Defense to prevent, 
diagnose, mitigate, treat, research, and otherwise respond 
to traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, 
and other mental health conditions in members of the 
Armed Forces, including— 
(1) an assessment of the current capabilities of 
the Department for the prevention, diagnosis, miti-
gation, treatment, and rehabilitation of, and re-
search on, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic 
stress disorder, and other mental health conditions 
in members of the Armed Forces; 
(2) the identification of gaps in current capa-
bilities of the Department for the prevention, diag-
nosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of, 
and research on, traumatic brain injury, post-trau-
matic stress disorder, and other mental health condi-
tions in members of the Armed Forces; and 
(3) the identification of the resources required 
for the Department in fiscal years 2009 through 
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2013 to address the gaps in capabilities identified 
under paragraph (2). 
(c) PROGRAM REQUIRED.—One of the programs con-
tained in the comprehensive plan submitted under sub-
section (b) shall be a Department of Defense program, de-
veloped in collaboration with the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, under which each member of the Armed Forces 
who incurs a traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic 
stress disorder during service in the Armed Forces— 
(1) is enrolled in the program; and 
(2) receives treatment and rehabilitation meet-
ing a standard of care such that each individual who 
qualifies for care under the program shall— 
(A) be provided the highest quality, evi-
dence-based care in facilities that most appro-
priately meet the specific needs of the indi-
vidual; and 
(B) be rehabilitated to the fullest extent 
possible using up-to-date evidence-based med-
ical technology, and physical and medical reha-
bilitation practices and expertise. 
(d) PROVISION OF INFORMATION REQUIRED.—The 
comprehensive plan submitted under subsection (b) shall 
require the provision of information by the Secretary of 
Defense to members of the Armed Forces with traumatic 
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brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other men-
tal health conditions and their families about their options 
with respect to the following: 
(1) The receipt of medical and mental health 
care from the Department of Defense and the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
(2) Additional options available to such mem-
bers for treatment and rehabilitation of traumatic 
brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and 
other mental health conditions. 
(3) The options available, including obtaining a 
second opinion, to such members for a referral to an 
authorized provider under chapter 55 of title 10, 
United States Code, as determined under regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. 
(e) ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS OF PLAN.—The com-
prehensive plan submitted under subsection (b) shall in-
clude comprehensive proposals of the Department on the 
following: 
(1) LEAD AGENT.—The designation by the Sec-
retary of Defense of a lead agent or executive agent 
for the Department to coordinate development and 
implementation of the plan. 
(2) DETECTION
AND
TREATMENT.—The im-
provement of methods and mechanisms for the de-
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of the Armed Forces, including, but not limited to, 
traumatic brain injury. 
(12) GENDER- AND
ETHNIC
GROUP-SPECIFIC 
SERVICES
AND
TREATMENT.—The development of 
requirements, as appropriate, for gender- and ethnic 
group-specific medical care services and treatment 
for members of the Armed Forces who experience 
mental health problems and conditions, including 
post-traumatic stress disorder, with specific regard 
to the availability of, access to, and research and de-
velopment requirements of such needs. 
(f) COORDINATION
IN DEVELOPMENT.—The com-
prehensive plan submitted under subsection (b) shall be 
developed in coordination with the Secretary of the Army 
(who was designated by the Secretary of Defense as execu-
tive agent for the prevention, mitigation, and treatment 
of blast injuries under section 256 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109– 
163; 119 Stat. 3181; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note)). 
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Subtitle B—Centers of Excellence 
in the Prevention, Diagnosis, 
Mitigation, Treatment, and Re-
habilitation of Traumatic Brain 
Injury, 
Post-Traumatic 
Stress 
Disorder, and Eye Injuries 
SEC. 1621. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN THE PREVENTION, 
DIAGNOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND 
REHABILITATION OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN IN-
JURY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish within the Department of Defense a center of ex-
cellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treat-
ment, and rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury, includ-
ing mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injury, to 
carry out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c). 
(b) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the Center collaborates to the maximum extent practicable 
with the Department of Veterans Affairs, institutions of 
higher education, and other appropriate public and private 
entities (including international entities) to carry out the 
responsibilities specified in subsection (c). 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Center shall have re-
sponsibilities as follows: 
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(1) To implement the comprehensive plan and 
strategy for the Department of Defense, required by 
section 1618 of this Act, for the prevention, diag-
nosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of 
traumatic brain injury, including research on gender 
and ethnic group-specific health needs related to 
traumatic brain injury. 
(2) To provide for the development, testing, and 
dissemination within the Department of best prac-
tices for the treatment of traumatic brain injury. 
(3) To provide guidance for the mental health 
system of the Department in determining the mental 
health and neurological health personnel required to 
provide quality mental health care for members of 
the Armed Forces with traumatic brain injury. 
(4) To establish, implement, and oversee a com-
prehensive program to train mental health and neu-
rological health professionals of the Department in 
the treatment of traumatic brain injury. 
(5) To facilitate advancements in the study of 
the short-term and long-term psychological effects of 
traumatic brain injury. 
(6) To disseminate within the military medical 
treatment facilities of the Department best practices 
for training mental health professionals, including 
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neurological health professionals, with respect to 
traumatic brain injury. 
(7) To conduct basic science and translational 
research on traumatic brain injury for the purposes 
of understanding the etiology of traumatic brain in-
jury and developing preventive interventions and new 
treatments. 
(8) To develop programs and outreach strate-
gies for families of members of the Armed Forces 
with traumatic brain injury in order to mitigate the 
negative impacts of traumatic brain injury on such 
family members and to support the recovery of such 
members from traumatic brain injury. 
(9) To conduct research on the mental health 
needs of families of members of the Armed Forces 
with traumatic brain injury and develop protocols to 
address any needs identified through such research. 
(10) To conduct longitudinal studies (using im-
aging technology and other proven research meth-
ods) on members of the Armed Forces with trau-
matic brain injury to identify early signs of Alz-
heimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or other mani-
festations of neurodegeneration, as well as epilepsy, 
in such members, in coordination with the studies 
authorized by section 721 of the John Warner Na-
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tional Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2007 (Public Law 109–364; 120 Stat. 2294) and 
other studies of the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs that address the 
connection between exposure to combat and the de-
velopment of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s dis-
ease, and other neurodegenerative disorders, as well 
as epilepsy. 
(11) To develop and oversee a long-term plan to 
increase the number of mental health and neuro-
logical health professionals within the Department in 
order to facilitate the meeting by the Department of 
the needs of members of the Armed Forces with 
traumatic brain injury until their transition to care 
and treatment from the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
(12) To develop a program on comprehensive 
pain management, including management of acute 
and chronic pain, to utilize current and develop new 
treatments for pain, and to identify and disseminate 
best practices on pain management related to trau-
matic brain injury. 
(13) Such other responsibilities as the Secretary 
shall specify. 
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SEC. 1622. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAG-
NOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHA-
BILITATION 
OF 
POST-TRAUMATIC 
STRESS 
DISORDER AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH 
CONDITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish within the Department of Defense a center of ex-
cellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treat-
ment, and rehabilitation of post-traumatic stress disorder 
(PTSD) and other mental health conditions, including 
mild, moderate, and severe post-traumatic stress disorder 
and other mental health conditions, to carry out the re-
sponsibilities specified in subsection (c). 
(b) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the center collaborates to the maximum extent practicable 
with the National Center on Post-Traumatic Stress Dis-
order of the Department of Veterans Affairs, institutions 
of higher education, and other appropriate public and pri-
vate entities (including international entities) to carry out 
the responsibilities specified in subsection (c). 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The center shall have re-
sponsibilities as follows: 
(1) To implement the comprehensive plan and 
strategy for the Department of Defense, required by 
section 1618 of this Act, for the prevention, diag-
nosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of 
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(10) To develop and oversee a long-term plan to 
increase the number of mental health and neuro-
logical health professionals within the Department in 
order to facilitate the meeting by the Department of 
the needs of members of the Armed Forces with 
post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental 
health conditions until their transition to care and 
treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 1623. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN PREVENTION, DIAG-
NOSIS, MITIGATION, TREATMENT, AND REHA-
BILITATION OF MILITARY EYE INJURIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense shall es-
tablish within the Department of Defense a center of ex-
cellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treat-
ment, and rehabilitation of military eye injuries to carry 
out the responsibilities specified in subsection (c). 
(b) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretary shall ensure that 
the center collaborates to the maximum extent practicable 
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, institutions of 
higher education, and other appropriate public and private 
entities (including international entities) to carry out the 
responsibilities specified in subsection (c). 
(c) RESPONSIBILITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The center shall— 
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(A) implement a comprehensive plan and 
strategy for the Department of Defense, as de-
veloped by the Secretary of Defense, for a reg-
istry of information for the tracking of the di-
agnosis, surgical intervention or other operative 
procedure, other treatment, and follow up for 
each case of significant eye injury incurred by 
a member of the Armed Forces while serving on 
active duty; 
(B) ensure the electronic exchange with 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of information 
obtained through tracking under subparagraph 
(A); and 
(C) enable the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs to access the registry and add information 
pertaining to additional treatments or surgical 
procedures and eventual visual outcomes for 
veterans who were entered into the registry and 
subsequently received treatment through the 
Veterans Health Administration. 
(2) DESIGNATION OF REGISTRY.—The registry 
under this subsection shall be known as the ‘‘Mili-
tary Eye Injury Registry’’ (hereinafter referred to as 
the ‘‘Registry’’). 
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(3) CONSULTATION
IN
DEVELOPMENT.—The 
center shall develop the Registry in consultation with 
the ophthalmological specialist personnel and opto-
metric specialist personnel of the Department of De-
fense and the ophthalmological specialist personnel 
and optometric specialist personnel of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. The mechanisms and pro-
cedures of the Registry shall reflect applicable expert 
research on military and other eye injuries. 
(4) MECHANISMS.—The mechanisms of the 
Registry for tracking under paragraph (1)(A) shall 
ensure that each military medical treatment facility 
or other medical facility shall submit to the center 
for inclusion in the Registry information on the di-
agnosis, surgical intervention or other operative pro-
cedure, other treatment, and follow up for each case 
of eye injury described in that paragraph as follows 
(to the extent applicable): 
(A) Not later than 30 days after surgery 
or other operative intervention, including a sur-
gery or other operative intervention carried out 
as a result of a follow-up examination. 
(B) Not later than 180 days after the sig-
nificant eye injury is reported or recorded in 
the medical record. 
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(5) COORDINATION OF CARE AND BENEFITS.— 
(A) The center shall provide notice to the Blind Re-
habilitation Service of the Department of Veterans 
Affairs and to the eye care services of the Veterans 
Health Administration on each member of the 
Armed Forces described in subparagraph (B) for 
purposes of ensuring the coordination of the provi-
sion of ongoing eye care and visual rehabilitation 
benefits and services by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs after the separation or release of such mem-
ber from the Armed Forces. 
(B) A member of the Armed Forces described 
in this subparagraph is a member of the Armed 
Forces as follows: 
(i) A member with a significant eye injury 
incurred while serving on active duty, including 
a member with visual dysfunction related to 
traumatic brain injury. 
(ii) A member with an eye injury incurred 
while serving on active duty who has a visual 
acuity of 20/200 or less in the injured eye. 
(iii) A member with an eye injury incurred 
while serving on active duty who has a loss of 
peripheral vision resulting in 20 degrees or less 
of visual field in the injured eye. 
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(d) UTILIZATION OF REGISTRY INFORMATION.—The 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall jointly ensure that information in the Registry 
is available to appropriate ophthalmological and opto-
metric personnel of the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs for purposes of encour-
aging and facilitating the conduct of research, and the de-
velopment of best practices and clinical education, on eye 
injuries incurred by members of the Armed Forces in com-
bat. 
(e) INCLUSION
OF RECORDS
OF OIF/OEF VET-
ERANS.—The Secretary of Defense shall take appropriate 
actions to include in the Registry such records of members 
of the Armed Forces who incurred an eye injury while 
serving on active duty on or after September 11, 2001, 
but before the establishment of the Registry, as the Sec-
retary considers appropriate for purposes of the Registry. 
(f) TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY POST TRAUMATIC 
VISUAL SYNDROME.—In carrying out the program at 
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, District of Columbia, 
on traumatic brain injury post traumatic visual syndrome, 
the Secretary of Defense and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs shall jointly provide for the conduct of a coopera-
tive program for members of the Armed Forces and vet-
erans with traumatic brain injury by military medical 
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treatment facilities of the Department of Defense and 
medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs se-
lected for purposes of this subsection for purposes of vi-
sion screening, diagnosis, rehabilitative management, and 
vision research, including research on prevention, on visual 
dysfunction related to traumatic brain injury. 
SEC. 1624. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTERS OF 
EXCELLENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall submit to Congress a report on— 
(1) the establishment of the center of excellence 
in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and 
rehabilitation of traumatic brain injury under sec-
tion 1621; 
(2) the establishment of the center of excellence 
in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and 
rehabilitation of post-traumatic stress disorder and 
other mental health conditions under section 1622; 
and 
(3) the establishment of the center of excellence 
in prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and 
rehabilitation of military eye injuries under section 
1623. 
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(b) MATTERS COVERED.—The report shall, for each 
such center— 
(1) describe in detail the activities and proposed 
activities of such center; and 
(2) assess the progress of such center in dis-
charging the responsibilities of such center. 
Subtitle C—Health Care Matters 
SEC. 1631. MEDICAL CARE AND OTHER BENEFITS FOR 
MEMBERS AND FORMER MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES WITH SEVERE INJURIES OR 
ILLNESSES. 
(a) MEDICAL
AND DENTAL CARE
FOR FORMER 
MEMBERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Effective as of the date of 
the enactment of this Act and subject to regulations 
prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Sec-
retary may authorize that any former member of the 
Armed Forces with a serious injury or illness may 
receive the same medical and dental care as a mem-
ber of the Armed Forces on active duty for medical 
and dental care not reasonably available to such 
former member in the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs. 
(2) SUNSET.—The Secretary of Defense may 
not provide medical or dental care to a former mem-
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ber of the Armed Forces under this subsection after 
December 31, 2012, if the Secretary has not pro-
vided medical or dental care to the former member 
under this subsection before that date. 
(b) REHABILITATION AND VOCATIONAL BENEFITS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Effective as of the date of 
the enactment of this Act, a member of the Armed 
Forces with a severe injury or illness is entitled to 
such benefits (including rehabilitation and vocational 
benefits, but not including compensation) from the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to facilitate the recov-
ery and rehabilitation of such member as the Sec-
retary otherwise provides to veterans of the Armed 
Forces receiving medical care in medical facilities of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in 
order to facilitate the recovery and rehabilitation of 
such members. 
(2) SUNSET.—The Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs may not provide benefits to a member of the 
Armed Forces under this subsection after December 
31, 2012, if the Secretary has not provided benefits 
to the member under this subsection before that 
date. 
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SEC. 1632. REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES OF RE-
TIRED MEMBERS WITH COMBAT-RELATED 
DISABILITIES FOR FOLLOW-ON SPECIALTY 
CARE, SERVICES, AND SUPPLIES. 
(a) TRAVEL.—Section 1074i of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (c); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing new subsection (b): 
‘‘(b) OUTREACH
PROGRAM
AND
TRAVEL
REIM-
BURSEMENT FOR FOLLOW-ON SPECIALTY CARE AND RE-
LATED SERVICES.—The Secretary concerned shall ensure 
that an outreach program is implemented for each mem-
ber of the uniformed services who incurred a combat-re-
lated disability and is entitled to retired or retainer pay, 
or equivalent pay, so that— 
‘‘(1) the progress of the member is closely mon-
itored; and 
‘‘(2) the member receives the travel reimburse-
ment authorized by subsection (a) whenever the 
member requires follow-on specialty care, services, or 
supplies.’’. 
(b) COMBAT-RELATED DISABILITY DEFINED.—Sub-
section (c) of such section, as redesignated by subsection 
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(a)(1), is amended by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The term ‘combat-related disability’ has 
the meaning given that term in section 1413a of this 
title.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Subsection (b) of section 
1074i of title 10, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a)(2), shall apply with respect to travel described 
in subsection (a) of such section that occurs on or after 
January 1, 2008, for follow-on specialty care, services, or 
supplies. 
SEC. 1633. RESPITE CARE AND OTHER EXTENDED CARE 
BENEFITS 
FOR 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
UNI-
FORMED SERVICES WHO INCUR A SERIOUS 
INJURY OR ILLNESS ON ACTIVE DUTY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1074(c) of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4)(A) Subject to such terms and conditions as the 
Secretary of Defense considers appropriate, coverage com-
parable to that provided by the Secretary under sub-
sections (d) and (e) of section 1079 of this title shall be 
provided under this subsection to members of the uni-
formed services who incur a serious injury or illness on 
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active duty as defined by regulations prescribed by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe in reg-
ulations— 
‘‘(i) the individuals who shall be treated as the 
primary caregivers of a member of the uniformed 
services for purposes of this paragraph; and 
‘‘(ii) the definition of serious injury or illness 
for the purposes of this paragraph.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2008. 
SEC. 1634. REPORTS. 
(a) REPORTS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN RE-
QUIREMENTS.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
describing the progress in implementing the requirements 
as follows: 
(1) The requirements of section 721 of the 
John Warner National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109–364; 120 
Stat. 2294), relating to a longitudinal study on trau-
matic brain injury incurred by members of the 
Armed Forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Op-
eration Enduring Freedom. 
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(2) The requirements of section 741 of the 
John Warner National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2007 (120 Stat. 2304), relating to 
pilot projects on early diagnosis and treatment of 
post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental 
health conditions. 
(b) ANNUAL REPORTS ON EXPENDITURES FOR AC-
TIVITIES ON TBI AND PTSD.— 
(1) REPORTS
REQUIRED.—Not later than 
March 1, 2008, and each year thereafter through 
2013, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a report setting 
forth the amounts expended by the Department of 
Defense during the preceding calendar year on ac-
tivities described in paragraph (2), including the 
amount allocated during such calendar year to the 
Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center of the 
Department. 
(2) COVERED
ACTIVITIES.—The activities de-
scribed in this paragraph are activities as follows: 
(A) Activities relating to the improved di-
agnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of mem-
bers of the Armed Forces with traumatic brain 
injury (TBI). 
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(E) an assessment of the progress made 
toward achieving the priorities stated in sub-
paragraphs (C) and (D) in the report under 
paragraph (1) in the previous year, and a de-
scription of any actions planned during the year 
in which such report is submitted to achieve 
any unfulfilled priorities during such year. 
SEC. 1635. FULLY INTEROPERABLE ELECTRONIC PER-
SONAL HEALTH INFORMATION FOR THE DE-
PARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense and the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly— 
(1) develop and implement electronic health 
record systems or capabilities that allow for full 
interoperability of personal health care information 
between the Department of Defense and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs; and 
(2) accelerate the exchange of health care infor-
mation between the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs in order to support 
the delivery of health care by both Departments. 
(b) DEPARTMENT
OF DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT
OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS INTERAGENCY PROGRAM OFFICE.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established 
an interagency program office of the Department of 
Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs (in 
this section referred to as the ‘‘Office’’) for the pur-
poses described in paragraph (2). 
(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the Office 
shall be as follows: 
(A) To act as a single point of account-
ability for the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs in the rapid de-
velopment and implementation of electronic 
health record systems or capabilities that allow 
for full interoperability of personal health care 
information between the Department of Defense 
and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(B) To accelerate the exchange of health 
care information between the Department of 
Defense and the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs in order to support the delivery of health 
care by both Departments. 
(c) LEADERSHIP.— 
(1) DIRECTOR.—The Director of the Office 
shall be the head of the Office. 
(2) DEPUTY DIRECTOR.—The Deputy Director 
of the Office shall be the deputy head of the Office 
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and shall assist the Director in carrying out the du-
ties of the Director. 
(3) APPOINTMENTS.—(A) The Director shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Defense, with the con-
currence of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, from 
among persons who are qualified to direct the devel-
opment, acquisition, and integration of major infor-
mation technology capabilities. 
(B) The Deputy Director shall be appointed by 
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, with the concur-
rence of the Secretary of Defense, from among em-
ployees of the Department of Defense and the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs in the Senior Execu-
tive Service who are qualified to direct the develop-
ment, acquisition, and integration of major informa-
tion technology capabilities. 
(4) ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE.—In addition to the 
direction, supervision, and control provided by the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, the Office shall also receive guidance from 
the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of 
Defense Joint Executive Committee under section 
320 of title 38, United States Code, in the discharge 
of the functions of the Office under this section. 
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(5) TESTIMONY.—Upon request by any of the 
appropriate committees of Congress, the Director 
and the Deputy Director shall testify before such 
committee regarding the discharge of the functions 
of the Office under this section. 
(d) FUNCTION.—The function of the Office shall be 
to implement, by not later than September 30, 2009, elec-
tronic health record systems or capabilities that allow for 
full interoperability of personal health care information be-
tween the Department of Defense and the Department of 
Veterans Affairs, which health records shall comply with 
applicable interoperability standards, implementation 
specifications, and certification criteria (including for the 
reporting of quality measures) of the Federal Government. 
(e) SCHEDULES AND BENCHMARKS.—Not later than 
30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall jointly establish a schedule and benchmarks for 
the discharge by the Office of its function under this sec-
tion, including each of the following: 
(1) A schedule for the establishment of the Of-
fice. 
(2) A schedule and deadline for the establish-
ment of the requirements for electronic health record 
systems or capabilities described in subsection (d), 
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including coordination with the Office of the Na-
tional Coordinator for Health Information Tech-
nology in the development of a nationwide interoper-
able health information technology infrastructure. 
(3) A schedule and associated deadlines for any 
acquisition and testing required in the implementa-
tion of electronic health record systems or capabili-
ties that allow for full interoperability of personal 
health care information between the Department of 
Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(4) A schedule and associated deadlines and re-
quirements for the implementation of electronic 
health record systems or capabilities that allow for 
full interoperability of personal health care informa-
tion between the Department of Defense and the 
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
(f) PILOT PROJECTS.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—In order to assist the Office 
in the discharge of its function under this section, 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Vet-
erans Affairs may, acting jointly, carry out one or 
more pilot projects to assess the feasibility and ad-
visability of various technological approaches to the 
achievement of the electronic health record systems 
or capabilities described in subsection (d). 
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(2) SHARING OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFOR-
MATION.—For purposes of each pilot project carried 
out under this subsection, the Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, for pur-
poses of the regulations promulgated under section 
264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Ac-
countability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d–2 note), 
ensure the effective sharing of protected health in-
formation between the health care system of the De-
partment of Defense and the health care system of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs as needed to 
provide all health care services and other benefits al-
lowed by law. 
(g) STAFF AND OTHER RESOURCES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall assign to 
the Office such personnel and other resources of the 
Department of Defense and the Department of Vet-
erans Affairs as are required for the discharge of its 
function under this section. 
(2) ADDITIONAL SERVICES.—Subject to the ap-
proval of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, the Director may utilize the 
services of private individuals and entities as con-
sultants to the Office in the discharge of its function 
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under this section. Amounts available to the Office 
shall be available for payment for such services. 
(h) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 
2009, and each year thereafter through 2014, the 
Director shall submit to the Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and to the 
appropriate committees of Congress, a report on the 
activities of the Office during the preceding calendar 
year. Each report shall include, for the year covered 
by such report, the following: 
(A) A detailed description of the activities 
of the Office, including a detailed description of 
the amounts expended and the purposes for 
which expended. 
(B) An assessment of the progress made 
by the Department of Defense and the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs in the full implemen-
tation of electronic health record systems or ca-
pabilities described in subsection (d). 
(2) AVAILABILITY TO PUBLIC.—The Secretary 
of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
shall make available to the public each report sub-
mitted under paragraph (1), including by posting 
such report on the Internet website of the Depart-
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ment of Defense and the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, respectively, that is available to the public. 
(i) COMPTROLLER GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF IM-
PLEMENTATION.—Not later than six months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act and every six months 
thereafter until the completion of the implementation of 
electronic health record systems or capabilities described 
in subsection (d), the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a report setting forth the assessment of the Comp-
troller General of the progress of the Department of De-
fense and the Department of Veterans Affairs in imple-
menting electronic health record systems or capabilities 
described in subsection (d). 
SEC. 1636. ENHANCED PERSONNEL AUTHORITIES FOR THE 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR HEALTH 
CARE 
PROFESSIONALS 
FOR 
CARE 
AND 
TREATMENT OF WOUNDED AND INJURED 
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1599c of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘§ 1599c. Health care professionals: enhanced ap-
pointment and compensation authority 
for personnel for care and treatment of 
wounded and injured members of the 
armed forces 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense may, 
at the discretion of the Secretary, exercise any authority 
for the appointment and pay of health care personnel 
under chapter 74 of title 38 for purposes of the recruit-
ment, employment, and retention of civilian health care 
professionals for the Department of Defense if the Sec-
retary determines that the exercise of such authority is 
necessary in order to provide or enhance the capacity of 
the Department to provide care and treatment for mem-
bers of the armed forces who are wounded or injured on 
active duty in the armed forces and to support the ongoing 
patient care and medical readiness, education, and train-
ing requirements of the Department of Defense. 
‘‘(b) RECRUITMENT OF PERSONNEL.—(1) The Secre-
taries of the military departments shall each develop and 
implement a strategy to disseminate among appropriate 
personnel of the military departments authorities and best 
practices for the recruitment of medical and health profes-
sionals, including the authorities under subsection (a). 
‘‘(2) Each strategy under paragraph (1) shall— 
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‘‘(A) assess current recruitment policies, proce-
dures, and practices of the military department con-
cerned to assure that such strategy facilitates the 
implementation of efficiencies which reduce the time 
required to fill vacant positions for medical and 
health professionals; and 
‘‘(B) clearly identify processes and actions that 
will be used to inform and educate military and civil-
ian personnel responsible for the recruitment of 
medical and health professionals. 
‘‘(c) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority 
of the Secretary of Defense to exercise authorities avail-
able under chapter 74 of title 38 for purposes of the re-
cruitment, employment, and retention of civilian health 
care professionals for the Department of Defense expires 
September 30, 2010.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 81 of such title is amended 
by striking the item relating to section 1599c and insert-
ing the following new item: 
‘‘1599c. Health care professionals: enhanced appointment and compensation au-
thority for personnel for care and treatment of wounded and 
injured members of the armed forces.’’. 
(c) REPORTS ON STRATEGIES ON RECRUITMENT OF 
MEDICAL AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.—Not later than 
six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
each Secretary of a military department shall submit to 
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the congressional defense committees a report setting 
forth the strategy developed by such Secretary under sec-
tion 1599c(b) of title 10, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a). 
SEC. 1637. CONTINUATION OF TRANSITIONAL HEALTH BEN-
EFITS 
FOR 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES PENDING RESOLUTION OF SERVICE- 
RELATED MEDICAL CONDITIONS. 
Section 1145(a) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘Transitional 
health care’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in 
paragraph (6), transitional health care’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(6)(A) A member who has a medical condition relat-
ing to service on active duty that warrants further medical 
care that has been identified during the member’s 180- 
day transition period, which condition can be resolved 
within 180 days as determined by a Department of De-
fense physician, shall be entitled to receive medical and 
dental care for that medical condition, and that medical 
condition only, as if the member were a member of the 
armed forces on active duty for 180 days following the 
diagnosis of the condition. 
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‘‘(B) The Secretary concerned shall ensure that the 
Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System 
(DEERS) is continually updated in order to reflect the 
continuing entitlement of members covered by subpara-
graph (A) to the medical and dental care referred to in 
that subparagraph.’’. 
Subtitle D—Disability Matters 
SEC. 1641. UTILIZATION OF VETERANS’ PRESUMPTION OF 
SOUND CONDITION IN ESTABLISHING ELIGI-
BILITY OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
FOR RETIREMENT FOR DISABILITY. 
(a) RETIREMENT OF REGULARS AND MEMBERS ON 
ACTIVE DUTY FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS.—Clause (i) of 
section 1201(b)(3)(B) of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(i) the member has six months or 
more of active military service and the dis-
ability was not noted at the time of the 
member’s entrance on active duty (unless 
compelling evidence or medical judgment is 
such to warrant a finding that the dis-
ability existed before the member’s en-
trance on active duty);’’. 
(b) SEPARATION OF REGULARS AND MEMBERS ON 
ACTIVE DUTY
FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS.—Section 
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1203(b)(4)(B) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘and 
the member has at least eight years of service computed 
under section 1208 of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘, the mem-
ber has six months or more of active military service, and 
the disability was not noted at the time of the member’s 
entrance on active duty (unless evidence or medical judg-
ment is such to warrant a finding that the disability ex-
isted before the member’s entrance on active duty)’’. 
SEC. 1642. REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS ON DEPART-
MENT OF DEFENSE DETERMINATIONS OF 
DISABILITY WITH RESPECT TO MEMBERS OF 
THE ARMED FORCES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 61 of title 10, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1216 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1216a. Determinations of disability: requirements 
and limitations on determinations 
‘‘(a) UTILIZATION OF VA SCHEDULE FOR RATING 
DISABILITIES IN DETERMINATIONS OF DISABILITY.—(1) 
In making a determination of disability of a member of 
the armed forces for purposes of this chapter, the Sec-
retary concerned— 
‘‘(A) shall, to the extent feasible, utilize the 
schedule for rating disabilities in use by the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, including any applicable 
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interpretation of the schedule by the United States 
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; and 
‘‘(B) except as provided in paragraph (2), may 
not deviate from the schedule or any such interpre-
tation of the schedule. 
‘‘(2) In making a determination described in para-
graph (1), the Secretary concerned may utilize in lieu of 
the schedule described in that paragraph such criteria as 
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs may jointly prescribe for purposes of this sub-
section if the utilization of such criteria will result in a 
determination of a greater percentage of disability than 
would be otherwise determined through the utilization of 
the schedule. 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATION
OF ALL MEDICAL CONDI-
TIONS.—In making a determination of the rating of dis-
ability of a member of the armed forces for purposes of 
this chapter, the Secretary concerned shall take into ac-
count all medical conditions, whether individually or collec-
tively, that render the member unfit to perform the duties 
of the member’s office, grade, rank, or rating.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 61 of such title is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 1216 the 
following new item: 
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‘‘1216a. Determinations of disability: requirements and limitations on deter-
minations.’’. 
SEC. 1643. REVIEW OF SEPARATION OF MEMBERS OF THE 
ARMED FORCES SEPARATED FROM SERVICE 
WITH A DISABILITY RATING OF 20 PERCENT 
DISABLED OR LESS. 
(a) BOARD REQUIRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 79 of title 10, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
section 1554 the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1554a. Review of separation with disability rating 
of 20 percent disabled or less 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—(1) The Secretary of Defense 
shall establish within the Office of the Secretary of De-
fense a board of review to review the disability determina-
tions of covered individuals by Physical Evaluation 
Boards. The board shall be known as the ‘Physical Dis-
ability Board of Review’. 
‘‘(2) The Physical Disability Board of Review shall 
consist of not less than three members appointed by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(b) COVERED INDIVIDUALS.—For purposes of this 
section, covered individuals are members and former mem-
bers of the armed forces who, during the period beginning 
on September 11, 2001, and ending on December 31, 
2009— 
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‘‘(1) are separated from the armed forces due 
to unfitness for duty due to a medical condition with 
a disability rating of 20 percent disabled or less; and 
‘‘(2) are found to be not eligible for retirement. 
‘‘(c) REVIEW.—(1) Upon the request of a covered in-
dividual, or a surviving spouse, next of kin, or legal rep-
resentative of a covered individual, the Physical Disability 
Board of Review shall review the findings and decisions 
of the Physical Evaluation Board with respect to such cov-
ered individual. Subject to paragraph (3), upon its own 
motion, the Physical Disability Board of Review may re-
view the findings and decisions of the Physical Evaluation 
Board with respect to a covered individual. 
‘‘(2) The review by the Physical Disability Board of 
Review under paragraph (1) shall be based on the records 
of the armed force concerned and such other evidence as 
may be presented to the Physical Disability Board of Re-
view. A witness may present evidence to the Board by affi-
davit or by any other means considered acceptable by the 
Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(3) If the Physical Disability Board of Review pro-
poses to review, upon its own motion, the findings and 
decisions of the Physical Evaluation Board with respect 
to a covered individual, the Physical Disability Board of 
Review shall notify the covered individual, or a surviving 
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spouse, next of kin, or legal representative of the covered 
individual, of the proposed review and obtain the consent 
of the covered individual or a surviving spouse, next of 
kin, or legal representative of the covered individual before 
proceeding with the review. 
‘‘(4) With respect to any review by the Physical Dis-
ability Board of Review of the findings and decisions of 
the Physical Evaluation Board with respect to a covered 
individual, whether initiated at the request of the covered 
individual or a surviving spouse, next of kin, or legal rep-
resentative of the covered individual or initiated by the 
Physical Disability Board of Review, the Physical Dis-
ability Board of Review shall notify the covered individual 
or a surviving spouse, next of kin, or legal representative 
of the covered individual that, as a result of the request 
or consent, the covered individual or a surviving spouse, 
next of kin, or legal representative of the covered indi-
vidual may not seek relief from the Board for Correction 
of Military Records operated by the Secretary concerned. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZED RECOMMENDATIONS.—The Phys-
ical Disability Board of Review may, as a result of its find-
ings under a review under subsection (c), recommend to 
the Secretary concerned the following (as applicable) with 
respect to a covered individual: 
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‘‘(1) No recharacterization of the separation of 
such individual or modification of the disability rat-
ing previously assigned such individual. 
‘‘(2) The recharacterization of the separation of 
such individual to retirement for disability. 
‘‘(3) The modification of the disability rating 
previously assigned such individual by the Physical 
Evaluation Board concerned, which modified dis-
ability rating may not be a reduction of the dis-
ability rating previously assigned such individual by 
that Physical Evaluation Board. 
‘‘(4) The issuance of a new disability rating for 
such individual. 
‘‘(e) CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS.—(1) The 
Secretary concerned may correct the military records of 
a covered individual in accordance with a recommendation 
made by the Physical Disability Board of Review under 
subsection (d). Any such correction may be made effective 
as of the effective date of the action taken on the report 
of the Physical Evaluation Board to which such rec-
ommendation relates. 
‘‘(2) In the case of a member previously separated 
pursuant to the findings and decision of a Physical Eval-
uation Board together with a lump-sum or other payment 
of back pay and allowances at separation, the amount of 
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(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘his years 
of service, but not more than 12, computed under 
section 1208 of this title’’ in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A) and inserting ‘‘the member’s years 
of service computed under section 1208 of this title 
(subject to the minimum and maximum years of 
service provided for in subsection (c))’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (d); and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing new subsection (c): 
‘‘(c)(1) The minimum years of service of a member 
for purposes of subsection (a)(1) shall be as follows: 
‘‘(A) Six years in the case of a member sepa-
rated from the armed forces for a disability incurred 
in line of duty in a combat zone (as designated by 
the Secretary of Defense for purposes of this sub-
section) or incurred during the performance of duty 
in combat-related operations as designated by the 
Secretary of Defense. 
‘‘(B) Three years in the case of any other mem-
ber. 
‘‘(2) The maximum years of service of a member for 
purposes of subsection (a)(1) shall be 19 years.’’. 
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