I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1612 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a commission on urotrauma. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 15, 2011 
Mr. GUTHRIE (for himself, Mr. STIVERS, and Mr. KING of New York) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, for a 
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a commission 
on urotrauma. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. COMMISSION ON UROTRAUMA. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—In order to continue and ex-
pand the study of urotrauma conducted by the Secretary 
of Defense in 2011, subject to the availability of appro-
priations for such purpose, the Secretary shall establish 
a commission to be known as the ‘‘Commission on 
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Urotrauma’’ (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’). 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out this section, 
the Secretary of Defense shall consult with the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services. 
(c) DUTIES.—The Commission shall conduct a study 
on urotrauma among members of the Armed Forces and 
veterans, including— 
(1) an analysis of the incidence, duration, mor-
bidity rate, and mortality rate of urotrauma; 
(2) an analysis of the social and economic costs 
and effects of urotrauma; 
(3) with respect to the Department of Defense 
and Department of Veterans Affairs, an evaluation 
of the facilities, access to private facilities, resources, 
personnel, and research activities that are related to 
the 
diagnosis, 
prevention, 
and 
treatment 
of 
urotrauma; 
(4) an evaluation of programs (including such 
biological, behavioral, environmental, and social pro-
grams) that improve the prevention or treatment of 
urotrauma; 
(5) a long-term plan for the use and organiza-
tion of the resources of the Federal Government to 
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improve the prevention and treatment of urotrauma; 
and 
(6) updates to any study on urotrauma con-
ducted by the Secretary of Defense in 2011. 
(d) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) APPOINTED MEMBERS.—In addition to the 
ex officio members described in paragraph (2), the 
Committee shall be composed of 19 members as fol-
lows: 
(A) Sixteen members appointed by the Sec-
retary of Defense. 
(B) One member appointed by the Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services from 
among officers or employees of the National In-
stitute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney 
Diseases whose primary interest is in the field 
of urotrauma. 
(C) The Chief of the Department of Sur-
gery of Walter Reed National Military Medical 
Center. 
(D) The Chief Medical Director of the De-
partment of Veterans Affairs. 
(2) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS.—The nonvoting, ex 
officio members of the Commission are as follows: 
(A) The Surgeon General of the Navy. 
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(B) The Surgeon General of the Army. 
(C) The Surgeon General of the Air Force. 
(D) The Medical Officer of the Marine 
Corps. 
(E) The Director of the National Institutes 
of Health. 
(F) The Director of the National Institute 
of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. 
(G) The Director of the Division of Kid-
ney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases of the 
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive 
Kidney Diseases. 
(H) The Director of the National Institute 
of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. 
(3) QUALIFICATIONS.—In appointing members 
under paragraph (1)(A), the Secretary of Defense 
shall appoint individuals with experience related to— 
(A) studying or researching urotrauma; 
(B) preventing or treating urotrauma; or 
(C) suffering from urotrauma. 
(4) TERM.—Each member shall be appointed 
for the life of the Commission. 
(5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission 
shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made. 
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(6) PAY.— 
(A) Except as provided in subparagraph 
(C), members of the Commission shall serve 
without pay. 
(B) Except as provided in subparagraph 
(C), members of the Commission who are full- 
time officers or employees of the United States 
may not receive additional pay, allowances, or 
benefits by reason of their service on the Com-
mission. 
(C) Each member shall receive travel ex-
penses, including per diem in lieu of subsist-
ence, in accordance with applicable provisions 
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(7) QUORUM.—A majority of members of the 
Commission shall constitute a quorum but a lesser 
number may hold hearings. 
(8) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary of Defense 
shall designate a member as the chairperson of the 
Committee. 
(9) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at 
the call of the chairperson. 
(e) STAFF.— 
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(1) DIRECTOR.—The Commission shall have a 
director who shall be appointed by the chairperson. 
(2) STAFF.—Subject to rules prescribed by the 
Commission, the chairperson may appoint additional 
personnel as the chairperson considers appropriate. 
(3) APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 
LAWS.—The director and staff of the Commission 
shall be appointed subject to the provisions of title 
5, United States Code, governing appointments in 
the competitive service, and shall be paid in accord-
ance with the provisions of chapter 51 and sub-
chapter III of chapter 53 of that title relating to 
classification and General Schedule pay rates. 
(4) EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS.—Subject to 
rules prescribed by the Commission, the chairperson 
may procure temporary and intermittent services 
under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code. 
(5) STAFF TO FEDERAL AGENCIES.—Upon re-
quest of the chairperson, the head of any Federal 
department or agency may detail, on a reimbursable 
basis, any of the personnel of that department or 
agency to the Commission to assist it in carrying out 
its duties under this section. 
(f) POWERS OF COMMISSION.— 
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(1) HEARINGS AND SESSIONS.—The Commis-
sion may, for the purpose of carrying out this sec-
tion, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the Commis-
sion considers appropriate. The Commission may ad-
minister oaths or affirmations to witnesses appear-
ing before it. 
(2) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any 
member or agent of the Commission may, if author-
ized by the Commission, take any action which the 
Commission is authorized to take by this section. 
(3) OBTAINING OFFICIAL DATA.—The Commis-
sion may secure directly from any department or 
agency of the United States information necessary 
to enable it to carry out this section. Upon request 
of the chairperson of the Commission, the head of 
that department or agency shall furnish that infor-
mation to the Commission. 
(4) MAILS.—The Commission may use the 
United States mails in the same manner and under 
the same conditions as other departments and agen-
cies of the United States. 
(5) ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT
SERVICES.— 
Upon the request of the Commission, the Adminis-
trator of General Services shall provide to the Com-
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mission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative 
support services necessary for the Commission to 
carry out its responsibilities under this section. 
(g) REPORTS.— 
(1) INTERIM REPORT.—Not later than one year 
after the date on which the members are appointed 
under subsection (d)(1), the Commission shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees an 
interim report on the study conducted under sub-
section (c). 
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Not later than two years 
after the date on which the members are appointed 
under subsection (d)(1), the Commission shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
final report on the study conducted under subsection 
(c), including any recommendations the Commission 
considers appropriate to improve the prevention and 
treatment of urotrauma among members of the 
Armed Forces and veterans. 
(h) TERMINATION.—The Commission shall terminate 
on the date that is 60 days after the date on which the 
Commission submits the final report under subsection 
(g)(2). 
(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committees on Armed Services of 
the House of Representatives and Senate; and 
(B) the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and Senate. 
(2) The term ‘‘urotrauma’’ means injury to the 
urinary tract (including the kidneys, ureters, urinary 
bladder, urethra, and female and male genitalia) 
from a penetrating, blunt, blast, thermal, chemical, 
or biological cause. 
(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION.—There is authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2015. 
(2) OFFSET.—The amount otherwise author-
ized to be appropriated for operation and mainte-
nance, Defense-wide, for the Office of the Secretary 
of Defense for each of fiscal years 2012 through 
2015 is reduced by $1,000,000. 
Æ 
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