Veterans' Toxic Wounds Research Act of 2014

Bill: 113-hr-5680
Sponsor: Rep. Walz, Timothy J. [D-MN-1]
Introduced: 2014-09-19 in the House
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Afghanistan
Africa
Alabama
Asia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cancer
Cardiovascular and respiratory health
Child health
Conflicts and wars
Department of Veterans Affairs
Digestive and metabolic diseases
Disability assistance
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Europe
Evidence and witnesses
Guam
HIV/AIDS
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Health information and medical records
Hearing, speech, and vision care
Hereditary and development disorders
Immunology and vaccination
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Iraq
Medical research
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Middle East
Military operations and strategy
Musculoskeletal and skin diseases
North Carolina
Philippines
Research administration and funding
Somalia
U.S. territories and protectorates
Veterans' medical care
Veterans' pensions and compensation

Summary:
action_date: 2014-09-19
text: 
Veterans' Toxic Wounds Research Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a master registry of veterans who experienced toxic exposures while serving in the Armed Forces. Includes in the master registry the registries for:
 
 
Agent Orange;
 
exposure to toxins relating to a deployment during the Persian Gulf War;
 
exposure to toxins relating to a deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom, or the Global War on Terror;
 
exposure to toxins relating to a deployment to Bosnia, Somalia, or the Philippines; and
 
exposure to toxins relating to being stationed at a military installation potentially contaminated by toxic substances.
 
 
Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review published scientific information and studies, and make recommendations for future research, on the health effects: (1) of the toxic exposures covered in those registries, and (2) on the children and grandchildren of veterans who had a toxic exposure covered in those registries. Requires those reviews to inform the Secretary's selection of research to be conducted or funded by the VA.
 
Establishes a presumption of a service connection, for the purpose of veterans' disability and survivor benefits, for an illness that:
 
 
the Secretary determines warrants such a presumption by reason of having a positive association with exposure to a toxic substance covered in the master registry; and
 
becomes manifest, within the period the Secretary prescribes, in a veteran who experienced such exposure while serving in the Armed Forces.
 
 
Requires the Secretary's service connection determinations to be based on sound medical and scientific evidence that a positive association exists between: (1) the exposure of humans or animals to a toxic substance covered in the master registry, and (2) the occurrence of a diagnosed or undiagnosed illness in humans or animals.
 
Directs the Secretary, in implementing the VA's electronic health record system, to include specified information in each individual's electronic health record, including whether the individual served in the Armed Forces and, if so, the locations and dates of such service.
 
 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-10-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2014-09-19
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
action_date: 2014-09-19
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-09-19
text: Introduced in House