SERVICE Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.4571 | Sponsor: Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette (R-IA)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act of 2021 or the SERVICE Act of 2021
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.

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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Expanded Review for 
Veterans In Combat Environments Act of 2021'' or the ``SERVICE Act of 
2021''.

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) 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 
        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) Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of 
the Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act 
of 2021, 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) In this subsection, the term `burn pit' means an area of land 
that is used for disposal of solid waste by burning in the outdoor 
air.''.
    (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 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.
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