Jack Alderson Toxic Exposure Declassification Act

Bill: 115-hr-3327
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5]
Introduced: 2017-07-20
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability and paralysis

Hazardous wastes and toxic substances

Intelligence activities, surveillance, classified information

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Military personnel and dependents
Latest action: action_date: 2017-08-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-07-20
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><STRONG>Jack Alderson Toxic Exposure Declassification Act</STRONG></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to declassify documents related to any known incident in which not fewer than 100 members of the Armed Forces were exposed to a toxic substance that resulted in at least one case of a disability that a member of the medical profession has determined is associated with that substance. DOD may decline to declassify such documents if it determines that declassification would materially and immediately threaten U.S. security.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3327 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 20, 2017 Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Young of Alaska , Mr. Jones , and Mr. Marshall ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To require the Secretary of Defense to declassify certain documents related to incidents in which members of the Armed Forces were exposed to toxic substances.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Jack Alderson Toxic Exposure Declassification Act . 2. Declassification by Department of Defense of certain incidents of exposure of members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances (a) In general The Secretary of Defense shall declassify documents related to any known incident in which not fewer than 100 members of the Armed Forces were exposed to a toxic substance that resulted in at least one case of a disability that a member of the medical profession has determined to be associated with that toxic substance. (b) Limitation The declassification required by subsection (a) shall be limited to information necessary for an individual who was potentially exposed to a toxic substance to determine the following: (1) Whether that individual was exposed to that toxic substance. (2) The potential severity of the exposure of that individual to that toxic substance. (3) Any potential health conditions that may have resulted from exposure to that toxic substance. (c) Exception The Secretary of Defense is not required to declassify documents if the Secretary determines that declassification of those documents would materially and immediately threaten the security of the United States. (d) Definitions In this section: (1) Armed Forces The term Armed Forces has the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code. (2) Exposed The term exposed means, with respect to a toxic substance, that an individual came into contact with that toxic substance in a manner that could be hazardous to the health of that individual, that may include if that toxic substance was inhaled, ingested, or touched the skin or eyes. (3) Exposure The term exposure means, with respect to a toxic substance, an event during which an individual was exposed to that toxic substance. (4) Toxic substance The term toxic substance means any substance determined by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to be harmful to the environment or hazardous to the health of an individual if inhaled or ingested by or absorbed through the skin of that individual.