Title: Havana Syndrome Servicemember Support Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Havana Syndrome Servicemember Support Act
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a cross-functional team to address national security challenges posed by anomalous health incidents and to ensure that individuals affected by such incidents receive timely and comprehensive health care.
DOD must brief Congress on the progress of establishing the team and the progress the team has made in carrying out its duties. Additionally, DOD must regularly brief Congress regarding DOD's efforts related to anomalous health incidents.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5132 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5132

 To establish a cross-functional team in the Department of Defense for 
      the emerging threat relating to anomalous health incidents.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            August 31, 2021

  Mr. Crow (for himself, Mr. Turner, and Mr. Wenstrup) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a cross-functional team in the Department of Defense for 
      the emerging threat relating to anomalous health incidents.

    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 ``Havana Syndrome Servicemember 
Support Act''.

SEC. 2. CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM FOR EMERGING THREAT RELATING TO ANOMALOUS 
              HEALTH INCIDENTS.

    (a) Establishment.--Using the authority provided under section 
911(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
(Public Law 114-328; 10 U.S.C. 111 note), the Secretary of Defense 
shall establish a cross-functional team to address national security 
challenges posed by anomalous health incidents (as defined by the 
Secretary) and ensure that individuals affected by anomalous health 
incidents receive timely and comprehensive health care and treatment 
pursuant to title 10, United States Code, or other provisions of law 
administered by the Secretary, for symptoms consistent with an 
anomalous health incident.
    (b) Duties.--The duties of the cross-functional team established 
under subsection (a) shall be--
            (1) to assist the Secretary of Defense with addressing the 
        challenges posed by anomalous health incidents and any other 
        efforts regarding such incidents that the Secretary determines 
        necessary; and
            (2) to integrate the efforts of the Department of Defense 
        regarding anomalous health incidents with the efforts of other 
        departments or agency of the Federal Government regarding such 
        incidents.
    (c) Team Leader.--The Secretary shall select an Under Secretary of 
Defense to lead the cross-functional team and a senior military officer 
to serve as the deputy to the Under Secretary so selected.
    (d) Determination of Organizational Roles and Responsibilities.--
The Secretary, in coordination with the Director of National 
Intelligence and acting through the cross-functional team established 
under subsection (a), shall determine the roles and responsibilities of 
the organizations and elements of the Department of Defense with 
respect to addressing anomalous health incidents, including the roles 
and responsibilities of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the 
intelligence components of the Department, Defense agencies, and the 
Department of Defense field activities, the military departments, 
combatant commands, and the Joint Staff.
    (e) Briefings.--
            (1) Initial briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide 
        to the appropriate congressional committees a briefing on--
                    (A) the progress of the Secretary in establishing 
                the cross-functional team; and
                    (B) the progress the team has made in--
                            (i) determining the roles and 
                        responsibilities of the organizations and 
                        elements of the Department of Defense with 
                        respect the cross-functional team; and
                            (ii) carrying out the duties under 
                        subsection (b).
            (2) Updates.--Not later than 75 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, and once every 45 days thereafter during 
        the one-year period following such date of enactment, the 
        Secretary shall provide to the appropriate congressional 
        committees a briefing containing updates with respect to the 
        efforts of the Department regarding anomalous health incidents.
    (f) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
            (1) the congressional defense committees; and
            (2) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
        House of Representatives and the Select Committee on 
        Intelligence of the Senate.
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