#aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #dbfa  ,,an ,,act  ,to improve the  
research of ,gulf ,war ,illness1 the    
,research ,advisory ,committee on ,gulf 
,war ,veterans' ,illnesses1 and for     
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,gulf ,war     
,health ,research ,reform ,act of #bjad4
  #b4 ,improvements to ,research        
,advisory ,committee on ,gulf ,war      
,veterans' ,illnesses  7a7 ,independence
 of ,committee ,subsection 7b7 of       
section #gjg of the ,veterans ,health   
,care ,act of #aiib 7,public ,law       
#ajb-ehe2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #ebg note7 is   
amended--  7#a7 by striking ,not later  
than and inserting 7#a7                 
,establishment4--,not later than2 and   
7#b7 by adding at the end the following 
new paragraphs3  7#b7 ,independence     
7,a7 ,the ,committee established under  
paragraph 7#a7 shall be an independent  
advisory committee which shall provide  
advice and counsel to the congressional 
veterans committees and to the          

,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs 7as the
 head of the department designated under
 subsection 7a7 that established the    
,committee under paragraph 7#a774  7,b7 
,in carrying out the functions1 powers1 
and duties of the ,committee1 the       
,committee shall be independent of the  
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4 ,the  
,committee shall exert independent      
control of the budget allocations1      
staffing levels and expenditures1       
personnel decisions and processes1      
procurements1 and other administrative  
and management functions of the         
,committee4 ,the administration and     
management of the ,committee shall be   
subject to the usual and customary      
,federal audit procedures4  7#c7 ,duties
  7,a7 ,the ,committee shall provide to 
,congress1 the ,secretary of ,veterans  
,affairs1 and the heads of other        
departments and agencies of the ,federal
 ,government that conduct research on   
illnesses in ,gulf ,war veterans advice 
with respect to proposed research       

studies1 research plans1 or research    
strategies relating to the health       
consequences of military service in the 
,southwest ,asia theater of operations  
during the ,gulf ,war4  7,b7 ,the       
,committee may not conduct scientific   
research or review research proposals   
submitted to the ,secretary of ,veterans
 ,affairs prior to funding4 ,the        
,secretary shall appoint three members  
from the ,committee who have appropriate
 scientific expertise to the committee  
designated to review such research      
proposals relating to illnesses in ,gulf
 ,war veterans4  7,c7 ,the guiding      
principle for the ,committee shall be   
the premise that the fundamental goal of
 ,gulf ,war health-related research1    
either basic or applied1 conducted by   
the ,federal ,government is to          
ultimately improve the health of ill    
,gulf ,war veterans1 and that the choice
 and success of research efforts shall  
be judged accordingly4 ,the ,committee  
shall assess the overall effectiveness  

of such research conducted by the       
,federal ,government to answer central  
questions on the nature1 causes1 and    
treatments for health consequences of   
military service in the ,southwest ,asia
 theater of operations during the ,gulf 
,war4  7,d7 ,the ,committee shall meet  
in public session to review research    
funded by the ,department of ,veterans  
,affairs relevant to understanding and  
treating the health consequences of     
military service in the ,gulf ,war1 and 
the processes conducted to solicit1     
review1 and select such funded research 
to assess methods1 results1 and         
implications of such research4 ,the     
,committee may review research plans1   
initiatives1 and activities from other  
departments and agencies of the ,federal
 ,government supporting research        
relating to the health consequences of  
military service in the ,southwest ,asia
 theater of operations during the ,gulf 
,war4  7#d7 ,reports and recommendations
  7,a7 ,not later than ,december #a of  

each year1 the ,committee shall submit  
to the congressional veterans committees
 and the ,secretary of ,veterans        
,affairs an annual report summarizing   
the activities of the ,committee during 
the period covered by the report4  7,b7 
,the ,committee shall submit to the     
congressional veterans committees1 the  
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 and   
the head of any other department or     
agency of the ,federal ,government that 
conducts research on illnesses in ,gulf 
,war veterans any other reports and     
recommendations of the ,committee       
regarding ,gulf ,war-related research4  
7,c7 ,reports1 recommendations1         
publications1 and other documents of the
 ,committee shall not be subject to     
review or approval by the ,secretary of 
,veterans ,affairs4  7,d7 ,the          
,committee may submit to the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs proposed          
recommendations of the ,committee for   
comment for a period not to exceed #cj  
days4  7,e7 ,each report submitted by   

the ,committee shall be approved by the 
,committee meeting in public session    
prior to such submission4  7#e7         
,membership  7,a7 ,the ,committee shall 
be composed of #ab members appointed as 
follows3  7i7 ,one member appointed     
jointly by the chairman of the          
congressional veterans committees1 who  
shall serve as chairman of the          
,committee4  7ii7 ,two members appointed
 by the chairman of the ,committee on   
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives4  7iii7 ,two members   
appointed by the chairman of the        
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate4  7iv7 ,two members appointed  
by the ranking member of the ,committee 
on ,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of 
,representatives4  7v7 ,two members     
appointed by the ranking member of the  
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of the
 ,senate4  7vi7 ,three members appointed
 by the ,secretary of ,veterans         
,affairs1 of whom not less than one     
shall be a veteran4  7,b7  7i7 ,the     

first #aa vacancies from among the      
members of the ,committee 7not including
 a member serving as chairman of the    
,committee7 occurring on or after the   
date of the enactment of the ,gulf ,war 
,health ,research ,reform ,act of #bjad 
shall be filled by--  7,i7 the chairman 
of the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
 of the ,house of ,representatives      
appointing a member for the first and   
sixth vacancy2  7,,ii7 the chairman of  
the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs of
 the ,senate appointing a member for the
 second and seventh vacancy2  7,,iii7   
the ranking member of the ,committee on 
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,house of    
,representatives appointing a member for
 the third and eighth vacancy2  7,,iv7  
the ranking member of the ,committee on 
,veterans' ,affairs of the ,senate      
appointing a member for the fourth and  
ninth vacancy2 and  7,v7 the ,secretary 
of ,veterans ,affairs appointing a      
member for the fifth1 tenth1 and        
eleventh vacancy4  7ii7 ,a vacancy in   

the ,committee of a member serving as   
chairman shall be filled jointly by the 
chairmen of the congressional veterans  
committees4  7iii7 ,except as provided  
by clause 7i7 or 7ii71 a vacancy in the 
,committee of a member shall be filled  
in the manner in which the appointment  
of such member was made4 ,a member      
appointed to fill a vacancy occurring   
before the expiration of the term for   
which the member's predecessor was      
appointed shall be appointed only for   
the remainder of that term4  7,c7 ,of   
the members of the ,committee who are   
appointed on or after the date of the   
enactment of the ,gulf ,war ,health     
,research ,reform ,act of #bjad--  7i7  
not fewer than three members shall be   
veterans2  7ii7 not fewer than eight    
members shall be scientists or          
physicians who have experience in       
biomedicine1 epidemiology1 immunology1  
environmental health1 neurology1        
toxicology1 or other appropriate        
disciplines2 and  7iii7 the chairman    

shall be a veteran or an expert         
described in clause 7ii71 or both4  7,d7
 ,each member of the ,committee who is  
appointed on or after the date of the   
enactment of the ,gulf ,war ,health     
,research ,reform ,act of #bjad shall be
 appointed for a three-year term4       
,except as provided by section          
#b7;c77#c7 of such ,act1 a member may be
 reappointed once 7not including the    
initial appointment of a member made    
before the date of the enactment of such
 ,act74  7#f7 ,meetings  7,a7 ,the      
,committee shall meet at the call of the
 chairman1 but not less than twice      
annually4  7,b7 ,a majority of the      
members of the ,committee shall         
constitute a quorum1 but a lesser number
 of members may hold hearings4  7,c7    
7i7 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans        
,affairs1 the head of the ,office of    
,research and ,development of the       
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
the head of the ,office of ,public      
,health of the ,department shall attend 

each meeting of the ,committee4  7ii7   
,the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs   
may delegate the attendance of the      
,secretary under clause 7i7 to a level  
not below the ,deputy ,under ,secretary 
for ,health of the ,department of       
,veterans ,affairs1 but the ,secretary  
shall attend at least one meeting each  
year without making such delegation4    
7,d7 ,each meeting of the ,committee    
shall be open to the public4  7#g7      
,compensation and staff  7,a7 ,except   
with respect to a member who serves a   
scientific director under subparagraph  
7,c77ii7 and is treated as staff for    
purposes of compensation1 each member of
 the ,committee shall be paid at the    
daily rate provided for temporary and   
intermittent services under section     
#caji7;b7 of title #e1 ,united ,states  
,code1 for each day during which the    
member attends meetings of the          
,committee4  7,b7 ,the members of the   
,committee shall be allowed travel      
expenses1 including per diem in lieu of 

subsistence1 at rates authorized for    
employees of agencies under subchapter  
,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united  
,states ,code1 while away from their    
homes or regular places of business in  
the performance of service of the       
,committee4  7,c7  7i7 ,the chairman of 
the ,committee may appoint a staff of   
not more than four employees to provide 
the ,committee scientific and           
administrative support4 ,such employees 
may be--  7,i7 detailees of the         
,department of ,veterans ,affairs or    
other departments or agencies of the    
,federal ,government2  7,,ii7           
individuals employed as temporary       
employees of the ,federal ,government2  
or  7,,iii7 at the request of the       
chairman of the ,committee1 provided    
under a contract entered into by the    
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs and a  
medical school or other medical research
 institution selected by the chairman of
 the ,committee4  7ii7 ,the chairman of 
the ,committee may appoint1 from the    

members of the ,committee1 a scientific 
director to supervise the operations of 
the ,committee4 ,such director shall    
count as one of the four employees      
authorized under clause 7i74  7iii7 ,at 
the request of the chairman of the      
,committee1 the ,secretary of ,veterans 
,affairs shall procure services from    
nongovernmental consultants to assist   
the ,committee in preparing reports1    
background papers1 and other material   
for consideration by the ,committee4    
,such services may be procured under the
 contract described in clause           
7i77,,iii74  7#h7 ,application of       
,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act  7,a7
 ,except as otherwise provided by this  
subsection1 the ,committee shall be     
subject to the ,federal ,advisory       
,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474   
7,b7 ,the ,secretary of ,veterans       
,affairs shall consult with the chairman
 of the congressional veterans          
committees in designating an officer or 
employee of the ,department under       

section #aj of the ,federal ,advisory   
,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474   
7,c7 ,notwithstanding such section #aj1 
such designated officer or employee may 
not have authority--  7i7 over the      
agenda or conduct of a meeting2  7ii7 to
 adjourn a meeting of the ,committee2 or
  7iii7 to take any other action that is
 inconsistent with the independence of  
the ,committee under paragraph 7#b74    
7#i7 ,funding ,amounts for the          
activities of the ,committee shall be   
derived from amounts appropriated to the
 ,department of ,veterans ,affairs for  
purposes of this subsection4  7#aj7     
,termination  7,a7 ,except as provided  
by subparagraph 7,b71 the ,committee    
shall terminate on the date that is two 
years after the date on which the       
,committee submits to the congressional 
veterans committees1 the ,secretary of  
,defense1 and the ,secretary of         
,veterans ,affairs a report 7signed by  
not less than nine concurring members7  
explaining that each ,secretary is      

carrying out an effective research      
program relating to the health          
consequences of military service in the 
,southwest ,asia theater of operations  
during the ,gulf ,war4  7,b7 ,if during 
the two-year period described in        
subparagraph 7,a7 the ,committee        
notifies the congressional veterans     
committees1 the ,secretary of ,defense1 
and the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs
 that the information contained in the  
report submitted under subparagraph 7,a7
 is no longer applicable1 the two-year  
period shall toll until the date on     
which the ,committee submits a new      
report described in subparagraph 7,a74  
4  7b7 ,definitions2 redesignation2     
conforming amendments  7#a7 ,definitions
 ,such section #gjg is further amended  
by adding at the end the following new  
subsection3  7f7 ,definitions ,in this  
section3  7#a7 ,the term congressional  
veterans committees means the           
,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs of   
the ,house of ,representatives and the  

,senate4  7#b7 ,the term ,gulf ,war     
means the ,southwest ,asia theater of   
operations from ,august #b1 #aiij1 to   
,july #ca1 #aiia4  7#c7 ,the term ,gulf 
,war veteran means an individual who    
served as a member of the ,armed ,forces
 in the ,gulf ,war4  4  7#b7            
,redesignation ,subsection 7a7 of such  
section #gjg is amended by striking 1   
and may redesignate from time to time14 
7#c7 ,conforming amendments ,such       
section #gjg is further amended--  7,a7 
in paragraph 7#a7 of subsection 7b71 as 
designated by subsection 7a77#a7 and    
amended by paragraph 7#b7--  7i7 by     
inserting 7in this subsection referred  
to as the ,committee7 after an advisory 
committee2 and  7ii7 by striking and    
representatives of such veterans and    
inserting representatives of such       
veterans1 and individuals from the      
scientific and medical community2  7,b7 
by striking ,persian ,gulf theater of   
operations during the ,persian ,gulf    
,war each place it appears and inserting

 ,gulf ,war2  7,c7 by striking ,persian 
,gulf ,war veterans each place it       
appears and inserting ,gulf ,war        
veterans2 and  7,d7 by striking during  
the ,persian ,gulf ,war each place it   
appears and inserting during the ,gulf  
,war4  7c7 ,members currently serving   
7#a7 ,membership ,notwithstanding       
paragraph 7#e77;,a7 of subsection 7b7 of
 such section #gjg1 as amended by       
subsection 7a77#b71 the chairmen and    
ranking members of the congressional    
veterans committees shall jointly       
designate #aj members of the ,research  
,advisory ,committee on ,gulf ,war      
,veterans' ,illnesses established       
pursuant to such subsection 7b7 who are 
serving as members as of the date of the
 enactment of this ,act to continue to  
serve as members for periods determined 
pursuant to paragraph 7#b7 rather than  
for the term for which the members were 
appointed before such date of enactment4
  7#b7 ,period of service ,the chairmen 
and ranking members of the congressional

 veterans committees shall jointly      
determine the period of service of each 
member specified in paragraph 7#a7 in a 
manner that staggers the periods of such
 members in periods of one1 two1 or     
three years beginning on the date of the
 enactment of this ,act4 ,in determining
 such staggered periods1 the chairmen   
and ranking members shall take into     
account the order of filling vacancies  
pursuant to subsection 7b77#e77;,b7 of  
such section #gjg1 as amended by        
subsection 7a77#b74 ,any vacancies      
occurring of such members shall be      
filled in accordance with such          
subsection4  7#c7 ,new members ,upon    
designating members under paragraph     
7#a71 the chairmen of the congressional 
veterans committees shall each appoint  
one additional member to the committee  
from among individuals who have not     
served on the ,research ,advisory       
,committee on ,gulf ,war ,veterans'     
,illnesses4 ,such appointments shall be 
treated as the first and second         

vacancies described in subclauses 7,i7  
and 7,,ii7 of subsection 7b77#e77;,b77i7
 of such section #gjg1 as amended by    
subsection 7a77#b71 respectively4  7#d7 
,reappointment ,a member of the         
,committee specified in paragraph 7#a7  
who has served more than three years may
 not be reappointed after the period for
 the member specified in paragraph 7#b7 
expires4  #c4 ,research case definition 
of ,gulf ,war ,illness  7a7 ,standard   
definition ,except as provided by       
subsection 7b71 the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs shall ensure that any
 research conducted or funded by the    
,secretary on the chronic multisymptom  
illness that afflicts approximately #be 
percent of ,gulf ,war veterans--  7#a7  
refers to the illness as ,gulf ,war     
,illness2 and  7#b7 uses the research   
case definition of such illness that is 
recommended from time to time by the    
,research ,advisory ,committee on ,gulf 
,war ,veterans' ,illnesses established  
by section #gjg of the ,veterans ,health

 ,care ,act of #aiib 7,public ,law      
#ajb-ehe2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4 #ebg note74  7b7
 ,alternative definition ,during any    
period in which the ,research ,advisory 
,committee on ,gulf ,war ,veterans'     
,illnesses has not recommended a        
research case definition for ,gulf ,war 
,illness1 the ,secretary of ,veterans   
,affairs shall ensure that any research 
on such illness conducted or funded by  
the ,secretary uses a research case     
definition that is consistent with the  
definition of the term chronic          
multisymptom illness in ,persian ,gulf  
,war veterans provided by section       
#hje7;e7 of the ,veterans' ,benefits    
,act of #bjaj 7,public ,law #aaa-bge2   
#abd ,stat4 #bhij74  7c7 ,advice ,the   
,research ,advisory ,committee on ,gulf 
,war ,veterans' ,illnesses shall submit 
to the ,secretary of ,defense advice    
regarding the best type of organization 
and process for the ,gulf ,war ,illness 
,research ,program of the               
,congressionally ,directed ,medical     

,research ,program to use to develop a  
research case definition of ,gulf ,war  
,illness4  #d4 ,studies and reports on  
,gulf ,war ,illness  7a7 ,conduct of new
 studies  7#a7 ,evaluation of animal    
studies ,in conducting or funding any   
study relating to illnesses of ,gulf    
,war veterans on or after the date of   
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
ensure that such study is conducted in a
 manner such that animal studies are    
considered to the same extent in all    
respects as human studies4  7#b7        
,sufficient evidence of association ,in 
conducting or funding any study relating
 to illnesses of ,gulf ,war veterans1 or
 other health matters of veterans1 on or
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act1 the ,institute of ,medicine of   
the ,national ,academies shall ensure   
that such study is conducted in a manner
 that defines sufficient evidence of an 
association in the categories of        
association used in the study as the    

following3 ,evidence is sufficient to   
conclude that there is a positive       
association4 ,that is1 a positive       
association has been observed between an
 exposure to a specific agent and a     
health outcome in human or animal       
studies in which chance1 bias1 and      
confounding could be ruled out with     
reasonable confidence44  7b7 ,sense of  
,congress on national cohort study ,it  
is the sense of ,congress that the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs should 
conduct an additional follow-up study of
 a national cohort of ,gulf ,war and    
,gulf-,war-,era veterans that includes  
questions described in the ,symptom     
,inventory ,required to ,ascertain ,case
 ,status for ,gulf ,war ,multisymptom   
,illness1 as ,defined by both the       
,fukuda and ,kansas criteria published  
by the ,research ,advisory ,committee on
 ,gulf ,war ,veterans' ,illnesses on    
,june #i1 #bjab1 in appendix ,f of the  
document titled ,research ,advisory     
,committee on ,gulf ,war ,veterans'     

,illnesses ,findings and                
,recommendations4  7c7 ,sense of        
,congress on study on risk of developing
 multiple sclerosis1 multiple sclerosis1
 ,parkinson's disease1 brain cancers1   
and other conditions ,it is the sense of
 ,congress that the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs should submit to the 
congressional veterans committees each  
report required by section #hjd of the  
,veterans' ,benefits ,improvement ,act  
of #bjjh 7,public ,law #aaj-chi2 #abb   
,stat4 #dahg74  7d7 ,sense of ,congress 
on previously conducted studies ,it is  
the sense of ,congress that the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
should--  7#a7 seek to enter into an    
agreement with the ,institute of        
,medicine of the ,national ,academies to
 carry out the review described in      
section #hje of the ,veterans' ,benefits
 ,act of #bjaj 7,public ,law #aaa-bge2  
#abd ,stat4 #bhij71 regardless of any   
previous review conducted under such    
section1 in a manner that ensures that  

the ,institute of ,medicine convenes to 
conduct the review a group of medical   
professionals who are experienced in    
treating individuals who served as      
members of the ,armed ,forces in the    
,southwest ,asia ,theater of ,operations
 of the ,persian ,gulf ,war during #aiij
 or #aiia and who have been diagnosed   
with ,gulf ,war illness1 chronic        
multisymptom illness1 or another health 
condition related to chemical and       
environmental exposure that may have    
occurred during such service2  7#b7 seek
 to enter into an agreement with the    
,institute of ,medicine to carry out the
 review described in section #afjc of   
the ,persian ,gulf ,war ,veterans ,act  
of #aiih 7,public ,law #aje-bgg2 #ch    
,u4,s4,c4 #aaag note71 regardless of any
 previous review conducted under such   
section1 addressing the matters         
originally reviewed by the ,institute of
 ,medicine in the reports titled ,gulf  
,war and ,health3 ,volume #a4 ,depleted 
,uranium1 ,sarin1 ,pyridostigmine       

,bromide1 and ,vaccines1 ,gulf ,war and 
,health3 ,volume #b4 ,insecticides and  
,solvents1 and ,gulf ,war and ,health3  
,volume #c4 ,fuels1 ,combustion         
,products1 and ,propellants2 and  7#c7  
not disseminate or use for research1    
clinical care1 benefits1 or any other   
purpose the results of the report of the
 ,institute of ,medicine titled ,gulf   
,war and ,health ,report3 ,volume #i4   
,treatment for ,chronic ,multisymptom   
,illness4  7e7 ,sense of ,congress on   
consultation ,it is the sense of        
,congress that the ,secretary of        
,veterans ,affairs should1 prior to     
entering into a contract or agreement   
with the ,institute of ,medicine of the 
,national ,academies with respect to    
research or studies on the health of    
,gulf ,war veterans1 obtain the advice  
of the ,research ,advisory ,committee on
 ,gulf ,war ,veterans' ,illnesses       
established by section #gjg of the      
,veterans ,health ,care ,act of #aiib   
7,public ,law #ajb-ehe2 #ch ,u4,s4,c4   

#ebg note7 regarding the scope of work  
and the charge to be given to the       
,institute of ,medicine4  7f7 ,sense of 
,congress on inclusion of certain       
professionals in scientific or medical  
groups ,it is the sense of ,congress    
that1 in any contract requiring the     
,institute of ,medicine of the ,national
 ,academies to convene a committee to   
study the health of ,gulf ,war veterans1
 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs   
should ensure that any such committee   
convened should contain not less than   
three members of the ,research ,advisory
 ,committee on ,gulf ,war ,veterans'    
,illnesses established by section #gjg  
of the ,veterans ,health ,care ,act of  
#aiib 7,public ,law #ajb-ehe2 #ch       
,u4,s4,c4 #ebg note74  7g7 ,sense of    
,congress on notification of undue      
influence ,it is the sense of ,congress 
that the ,secretary of ,veterans        
,affairs should promptly notify the     
congressional veterans committees of any
 employee or contractor of the ,federal 

,government whom the ,secretary believes
 influenced1 or attempted to influence1 
the outcome of a report or study on the 
health of ,gulf ,war veterans conducted 
by the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs
 or the ,institute of ,medicine of the  
,national ,academies if such influence  
was not related to a scientifically     
objective outcome4  #e4 ,definitions ,in
 this ,act3  7#a7 ,the term             
congressional veterans committees means 
the ,committees on ,veterans' ,affairs  
of the ,house of ,representatives and   
the ,senate4  7#b7 ,the term ,gulf ,war 
means the ,southwest ,asia theater of   
operations from ,august #b1 #aiij1 to   
,july #ca1 #aiia4  7#c7 ,the term ,gulf 
,war veteran means an individual who    
served as a member of the ,armed ,forces
 in the ,gulf ,war4  ,passed the ,house 
of ,representatives ,may #bh1           
#bjad4;,clerk4