Title: Blast Exposure and Brain Injury Prevention Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Blast Exposure and Brain Injury Prevention Act
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit to Congress a report setting forth: (1) a plan for the Defense Health Agency to accelerate cooperative research and development on therapies for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder; and (2) recommendations for legislative or administrative actions to carry out the plan.
The bill requires military departments to include in the military service records of members of the Armed Forces documentation of information on any blasts to which such members were exposed during service in the Armed Forces (whether in combat or training).
DOD shall: (1) review the firing limits for heavy weapons during training exercises, and (2) establish a research and development program to improve the efficacy of personal protective equipment to reduce blast pressure or protect against brain injury from exposure to blast pressure waves.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2883 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2883

    To require the Secretary of Defense to submit a plan to improve 
 research and development on therapies for traumatic brain injury and 
   post-traumatic stress disorder, to document information on blast 
   exposures in service records of military personnel, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 17, 2018

Ms. Warren (for herself and Mrs. Ernst) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To require the Secretary of Defense to submit a plan to improve 
 research and development on therapies for traumatic brain injury and 
   post-traumatic stress disorder, to document information on blast 
   exposures in service records of military personnel, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Blast Exposure and Brain Injury 
Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. MEASURES TO MITIGATE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AND POST-TRAUMATIC 
              STRESS DISORDER.

    (a) Plan on Improvements to Research and Development on Therapies 
for Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.--Not 
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense 
committees a report setting forth the following:
            (1) A plan for the Director of the Defense Health Agency, 
        in collaboration with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the 
        National Institutes of Health, and appropriate institutions of 
        higher education and private entities, to accelerate 
        cooperative research and development on therapies for traumatic 
        brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, including the 
        following:
                    (A) Actions to be taken by the Director to maximize 
                the coordination and use of scientific research and 
                development efforts on such therapies that is carried 
                out by other elements of the Department of Defense, the 
                National Institutes of Health, the Department of 
                Veterans Affairs, and such institutions and entities.
                    (B) Other actions and processes to be taken or 
                developed by the Director to accelerate research and 
                development on and delivery of such therapies.
            (2) If legislative or administrative action is required to 
        carry out the plan, such recommendations for such legislative 
        or administrative action as the Secretary of Defense considers 
        appropriate.
    (b) Documentation of Information on Blast Exposures in Service 
Records of Military Personnel.--
            (1) In general.--In accordance with such guidance as the 
        Secretary of Defense shall issue for purposes of this 
        subsection, each Secretary of a military department shall 
        include in the military service records of members of the Armed 
        Forces under the jurisdiction of such Secretary appropriate 
        documentation of information on any blasts to which such 
        members are exposed during service in the Armed Forces (whether 
        in combat or training), including the following:
                    (A) The date of exposure.
                    (B) The duration of exposure, and the blast 
                pressures experienced during exposure.
                    (C) Whether exposure occurred during combat or 
                training.
                    (D) Whether a weapon was the source of the blast, 
                and, if so, the type of weapon.
                    (E) Such other information on the exposure as the 
                Secretary of Defense shall specify in the guidance.
            (2) Reports.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
        and the House of Representatives a report on information 
        included in military service records under paragraph (1) during 
        the one-year period ending on the date of such report. Each 
        report shall include summary descriptions of the information 
        specified in each subparagraph of paragraph (1) that was 
        included in such records during the year covered by such 
        report.
    (c) Review of Guidance on Blast Exposure During Training.--
            (1) Initial review.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of 
        Defense for Health Affairs, in coordination with each Assistant 
        Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs of a military 
        department, shall review the firing limits for heavy weapons 
        during training exercises.
            (2) Elements.--The review required by paragraph (1) shall 
        take into account current data and evidence on the cognitive 
        effects of blast exposure and shall include consideration of 
        the following:
                    (A) The impact of exposure over multiple successive 
                days of training.
                    (B) The impact of multiple types of heavy weapons 
                being fired in close succession.
                    (C) The feasibility of cumulative annual or 
                lifetime exposure limits.
                    (D) The minimum safe distance for observers and 
                instructors.
            (3) Updated training guidance.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the date of the completion of the review under paragraph 
        (1), each Secretary of a military department shall update any 
        relevant training guidance to account for the conclusions of 
        the review.
            (4) Updated review.--
                    (A) In general.--Not less frequently than once 
                every two years after the initial review conducted 
                under paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
                for Health Affairs, in coordination with each Assistant 
                Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs of a 
                military department, shall conduct an updated review 
                under such paragraph, including consideration of the 
                matters set forth under paragraph (2), and update 
                training guidance under paragraph (3).
                    (B) Consideration of new research and evidence.--
                Each updated review conducted under subparagraph (A) 
                shall take into account new research and evidence that 
                has emerged since the previous review.
            (5) Briefing required.--The Assistant Secretary of Defense 
        for Health Affairs, in coordination with each Assistant 
        Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs of a military 
        department, shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the 
        Senate and the House of Representatives on a summary of the 
        results of the initial review under paragraph (1), each updated 
        review conducted under paragraph (4), and any updates to 
        training guidance and procedures resulting from any such review 
        or updated review.
    (d) Research on Improved Personal Protective Equipment.--
            (1) In general.--The Under Secretary of Defense for 
        Research and Engineering shall establish a research and 
        development program to improve the efficacy of personal 
        protective equipment to reduce blast pressure or protect 
        against brain injury from exposure to blast pressure waves.
            (2) Report required.--Not later than one year after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary of 
        Defense for Research and Engineering shall submit to the 
        Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives a report on the efficacy of existing personal 
        protective equipment to protect against blast pressure, and 
        recommendations for follow-on research into technology 
        advancements that could further improve protection from blast 
        pressure.
            (3) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (2) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of existing helmet designs, 
                including commercially available helmets, to determine 
                their efficacy against blasts of various sizes and 
                locations.
                    (B) A determination of whether certain 
                configurations and materials better protect against 
                specific types of exposure, including from explosions 
                and heavy weaponry.
                    (C) A review of existing personal protective 
                equipment requirements, including helmets, to determine 
                the adequacy of requirements to protect against blast 
                overpressure.
                    (D) An assessment of the feasibility of 
                modifications to existing personal protective 
                equipment, including improved helmet design.
                    (E) An assessment of the trade-offs between 
                improved blast pressure protection and other factors, 
                including weight, field of vision, cost, and other 
                factors as appropriate.
                    (F) Recommendations for modified or additional 
                requirements for personal protective equipment, 
                including helmets, to protect against blast 
                overpressure.
                    (G) Recommendations for additional research into 
                personal protective equipment advancements that show 
                promise, including new materials, technologies, and 
                passive and active off-board measures.
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