Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act
Bill: S.2102 | Sponsor: Sen. Boozman, John (R-AR)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act or the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act
This bill expands eligibility for Veterans Health Administration mammography screenings to veterans who served in certain locations during specified periods, including those who were exposed to toxic substances at such locations.
The specified locations and corresponding time periods include
The bill specifies that the listed locations do not include bodies of water around or airspace above such locations.

[117th Congress Public Law 133]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 1237]]

  DR. KATE HENDRICKS THOMAS SUPPORTING EXPANDED REVIEW FOR VETERANS IN 
                         COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS ACT

[[Page 136 STAT. 1238]]

Public Law 117-133
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Under Secretary for 
  Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mammography 
  screening for veterans who served in locations associated with toxic 
             exposure. <<NOTE: June 7, 2022 -  [S. 2102]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Dr. Kate 
Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat 
Environments Act.>> 
SECTION 1. <<NOTE: 38 USC 101 note.>>  SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting 
Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act'' or the ``Dr. 
Kate Hendricks Thomas SERVICE Act''.
SEC. 2. REVISION OF BREAST CANCER MAMMOGRAPHY POLICY OF DEPARTMENT 
                    OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE MAMMOGRAPHY 
                    SCREENING FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN LOCATIONS 
                    ASSOCIATED WITH TOXIC EXPOSURE.

    (a) In General.--Section 7322 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``The'' and inserting 
        ``In General.--The'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``The'' and inserting ``Standards 
                for Screening.--The''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``a record of 
                service in a location and during a period specified in 
                subsection (d),'' after ``risk factors,''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new subsections:

    ``(c) Eligibility for Screening for Veterans Exposed to Toxic 
Substances.--The Under Secretary for Health shall ensure that, under the 
policy developed under subsection (a), any veteran who, during active 
military, naval, or air service, was deployed in support of a 
contingency operation in a location and during a period specified in 
subsection (d), is eligible for a mammography screening by a health care 
provider of the Department.
    ``(d) <<NOTE: Country listing. Determinations.>>  Locations and 
Periods Specified.--(1) The locations and periods specified in this 
subsection are the following:
            ``(A) Iraq during following periods:
                    ``(i) The period beginning on August 2, 1990, and 
                ending on February 28, 1991.
                    ``(ii) The period beginning on March 19, 2003, and 
                ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn 
                pits are no longer used in Iraq.
            ``(B) The Southwest Asia theater of operations, other than 
        Iraq, during the period beginning on August 2, 1990, and ending

[[Page 131 STAT. 1239]]

        on such date as the Secretary determines burn pits are no longer 
        used in such location, including the following locations:
                    ``(i) Kuwait.
                    ``(ii) Saudi Arabia.
                    ``(iii) Oman.
                    ``(iv) Qatar.
            ``(C) Afghanistan during the period beginning on September 
        11, 2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines 
        burn pits are no longer used in Afghanistan.
            ``(D) Djibouti during the period beginning on September 11, 
        2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn 
        pits are no longer used in Djibouti.
            ``(E) Syria during the period beginning on September 11, 
        2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn 
        pits are no longer used in Syria.
            ``(F) Jordan during the period beginning on September 11, 
        2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn 
        pits are no longer used in Jordan.
            ``(G) Egypt during the period beginning on September 11, 
        2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn 
        pits are no longer used in Egypt.
            ``(H) Lebanon during the period beginning on September 11, 
        2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn 
        pits are no longer used in Lebanon.
            ``(I) Yemen during the period beginning on September 11, 
        2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn 
        pits are no longer used in Yemen.
            ``(J) Such other locations and corresponding periods as set 
        forth by the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry 
        established under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other 
        Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-260; 
        38 U.S.C. 527 note).
            ``(K) Such other locations and corresponding periods as the 
        Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, may 
        determine appropriate in a report submitted under paragraph (2).

    ``(2) <<NOTE: Time period. Reports.>>  Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas 
Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act, and 
not less frequently than once every two years thereafter, the Secretary 
of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, 
shall submit to Congress a report specifying other locations and 
corresponding periods for purposes of paragraph (1)(K).

    ``(3) A location under this subsection shall not include any body of 
water around or any airspace above such location.
    ``(4) <<NOTE: Definition.>>  In this subsection, the term `burn pit' 
means an area of land that--
            ``(A) is used for disposal of solid waste by burning in the 
        outdoor air; and
            ``(B) does not contain a commercially manufactured 
        incinerator or other equipment specifically designed and 
        manufactured for the burning of solid waste.''.

    (b) Report on Breast Cancer Rates for Veterans Deployed to Certain 
Areas.--Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of Representatives

[[Page 131 STAT. 1240]]

a report that compares the rates of breast cancer among members of the 
Armed Forces deployed to the locations and during the periods specified 
in section 7322(d) of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
subsection (a), as compared to members of the Armed Forces who were not 
deployed to those locations during those periods and to the civilian 
population.

    Approved June 7, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 2102:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
            Mar. 24, considered and passed Senate.
            May 18, considered and passed House.
DAILY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS (2022):
            June 7, Presidential remarks.

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