Title: K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure Accountability Act of 2020
This bill addresses the exposure of members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances at Karshi-Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan between October 1, 2001, and December 31, 2005.
Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to study and report on the exposure of members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances at K2 Air Base during the specified period.
The bill also expands the definition of an open burn pit, for purposes of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) open burn pit registry, to include burn pits located on land in Uzbekistan. A burn pit is an area used for burning solid waste in open air without equipment.
DOD and the VA must ensure that individuals deployed to K2 Air Base during the specified time period are covered by the Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Programs of the departments. Such programs study the health effects of depleted uranium exposure and provide treatment.
Upon request by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, DOD and the VA must provide information for the performance of a study on the exposure of humans to toxic substances at K2 Air Base during the specified period.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4429 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4429

 To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study regarding toxic 
exposure by members of the Armed Forces deployed to Karshi Khanabad Air 
    Base, Uzbekistan, to include such members in the open burn pit 
                   registry, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             August 4, 2020

     Mrs. Blackburn (for herself, Ms. Baldwin, and Mrs. Feinstein) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study regarding toxic 
exposure by members of the Armed Forces deployed to Karshi Khanabad Air 
    Base, Uzbekistan, to include such members in the open burn pit 
                   registry, 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 ``K2 Veterans Toxic Exposure 
Accountability Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON TOXIC EXPOSURE AT KARSHI KHANABAD AIR BASE, 
              UZBEKISTAN.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a 
        study on toxic exposure by members of the Armed Forces deployed 
        to Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, at any time during the 
        period beginning October 1, 2001, and ending December 31, 2005.
            (2) Matters included.--The study under paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following:
                    (A) An assessment regarding the conditions of 
                Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, during the period 
                beginning October 1, 2001, and ending December 31, 
                2005, including an identification of toxic substances 
                contaminating the Air Base during such period.
                    (B) An epidemiological study of the health 
                consequences of a member of the Armed Forces deployed 
                to the Air Base during such period.
                    (C) An assessment of any association between 
                exposure to toxic substances identified under 
                subparagraph (A) and the health consequences studied 
                under subparagraph (B).
    (b) Report.--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 Congress a report 
containing--
            (1) the study under subsection (a); and
            (2) a description of--
                    (A) the benefits administered by the Secretary of 
                Veterans Affairs that a veteran may be eligible to 
                receive by reason of being exposed to toxic substances 
                at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, while serving 
                in the Armed Forces; and
                    (B) the outreach conducted by the Secretary to 
                inform such veterans of such benefits.

SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF UZBEKISTAN IN CERTAIN REGISTRIES AND PROGRAMS.

    (a) Open Burn Pit Registry.--Section 201(c)(2) of the Dignified 
Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 
112-260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note) is amended by striking ``Afghanistan or 
Iraq'' and inserting ``Afghanistan, Iraq, or Uzbekistan''.
    (b) Depleted Uranium Follow-Up Programs.--The Secretary of Defense 
and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that any individual 
who deployed as a member of the Armed Forces to Karshi Khanabad Air 
Base, Uzbekistan, at any time during the period beginning October 1, 
2001, and ending December 31, 2005, is covered by the Depleted Uranium 
Follow-Up Programs of the Department of Defense and the Department of 
Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 4. ACCESS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND 
              MEDICINE TO INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
              AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--Upon request by the National Academies of 
Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (in this section referred to as the 
``Academies''), the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Academies 
such information in the possession of the Department of Defense and the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide to the Academies such 
information in the possession of the Department of Veterans Affairs as 
the Academies determine useful in performing a covered study. Such 
information includes, at a minimum, all environmental sampling data 
relative to any location included in the study.
    (b) Covered Study Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered 
study'' includes--
            (1) the study conducted under section 2; and
            (2) any subsequent study or any study conducted by the 
        Academies regarding the effects of exposure of humans to toxic 
        substances at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, at any time 
        during the period beginning October 1, 2001, and ending 
        December 31, 2005.
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