,,ii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #aehb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,octob] #bh1 #bjac,mr4 
,s&]s introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to      
require ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs 
to submit reports on ! provision (      
s]vices by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans       
,affairs to vet]ans ) he>+ loss & o!r   
auditory sy/em injuries & ! measures t c
 be tak5 jo9tly by ! ,dep>tm5t (        
,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t (       
,def5se ) respect to he>+ loss & o!r    
auditory sy/em injuries1 & = o!r        
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,improv$ ,comp5sation =    
,he>+ ,loss ,act ( #bjac4  #b4 ,report  
on practices ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs to adequately provide s]vices  
to vet]ans ) he>+ loss  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n 
lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t
 ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs %all submit to ! ,committee on 
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & !       

,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs ( !    
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives a report on !   
actions tak5 by ! ,secret>y to implem5t 
! f9d+s & recomm5dations includ$ 9 !    
#bjjf report by ! ,in/itute ( ,m$ic9e ( 
! ,national ,academies entitl$ ,noise & 
,milit>y ,s]vice3 ,implications = ,he>+ 
,loss & ,t9nitus t 0 prep>$ pursuant to 
section #ajd ( ! ,vet]ans ,b5efits ,act 
( #bjjb 7,public ,law #ajg-ccj2 #aaf    
,/at4 #bhbb74  7b7 ,effect ( ,duty      
,milit>y ,occupational ,specialty ,noise
 ,exposure ,li/+ on receipt ( b5efits by
 vet]ans  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y    
%all include 9 ! report requir$ by      
subsection 7a7 an evaluation ( ! ext5t  
to :i* vet]ans :o _h a milit>y          
occupational specialty dur+ s]vice z a  
memb] ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces t is n includ$ on 
! ,duty ,milit>y ,occupational          
,specialty ,noise ,exposure ,li/+ 79 ?is
 subsection ref]r$ to z ! ,,mos ,li/7   
are preclud$ f receiv+ b5efits relat$ to
 he>+ loss f ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans     
,affairs4  7#b7 ,data ,! ,secret>y %all 

include 9 ! evaluation requir$ by       
p>agraph 7#a7 ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,) respect 
to vet]ans :o _h a milit>y occupational 
specialty includ$ on ! ,,mos ,li/-- 7i7 
! numb] ( claims = b5efits relat$ to    
he>+ loss f ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans      
,affairs t 7 grant$2 &  7ii7 ! numb] (  
claims = b5efits relat$ to he>+ loss f !
 ,dep>tm5t t 7 d5i$4  7,b7 ,) respect to
 vet]ans :o _h a milit>y occupational   
specialty n includ$ on ! ,,mos ,li/--   
7i7 ! numb] ( claims = b5efits relat$ to
 he>+ loss f ! ,dep>tm5t t 7 grant$2    
7ii7 ! numb] ( claims = b5efits relat$  
to he>+ loss f ! ,dep>tm5t t 7 d5i$2    
7iii7 ( ! numb] ( d5i$ claims "u clause 
7ii71 ! numb] ( ^? claims t 7 appeal$2 &
  7iv7 ( ! numb] ( appeal$ claims "u    
clause 7iii71 ! numb] ( ^? appeal$      
claims t 7 successfully appeal$4  7c7   
,additional matt]s ,! ,secret>y %all    
include 9 ! report requir$ by subsection
 7a7 ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,9 ! case ( a vet]an
 ) unilat]al he>+ loss1 an explanation (
 ! sci5tific basis = ! practice ( !     

,dep>tm5t ( det]m9+ a disability rat+   
level ) respect to he>+ bas$ on an      
exam9ation ( t vet]an's heal?y e> in/ead
 ( ! injur$ e>4  7#b7 ,an analysis ( !  
r$uction 9 e>n+ capacity = vet]ans z a  
result ( unilat]al he>+ loss1 ) a focus 
on ! ability ( ^? vet]ans-- 7,a7 to     
detect ! direction ( s\nd2 &  7,b7 to   
und]/& spee*4  7#c7 ,an explanation ( ! 
rationale = ! practice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( n
 issu+ a comp5sable rat+ = he>+ loss at 
c]ta9 levels t are sev]e en\gh to       
require ! use ( he>+ aids4  7#d7 ,a     
survey ( ! audiologi/s t conduct        
comp5sation & p5sion exam9ations = !    
,dep>tm5t to assess ! implem5tation ( ! 
mo/ rec5t edition ( ! be/ practices     
manual = he>+ loss & t9nitus exam9ations
 t includes ! foll[+3 7,a7 ,a           
description ( ! tra9+ receiv$ by ^?     
audiologi/s comp>$ to ! me?ods describ$ 
9 ! mo/ rec5t edition ( ! be/ practices 
manual = he>+ loss & t9nitus            
exam9ations4  7,b7 ,an assessm5t ( h[ ^?
 audiologi/s h compli$ ) t tra9+4  7,c7 

,:e!r ^? audiologi/s are us+ a range (  
tones up to #hjjj h]tz to te/ ! he>+ (  
vet]ans4  #c4 ,report on jo9t programs (
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs &        
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se ) respect to he>+   
loss ( memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces & vet]ans 
,n lat] ?an "o ye> aft] ! date ( !      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (      
,vet]ans ,affairs %all1 9 consultation )
 ! ,secret>y ( ,def5se1 submit to       
,congress a report t id5tifies ! foll[+3
 7#a7 ,goals = ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se = !    
prev5tion1 e>ly detection1 & treatm5t ( 
he>+ loss by ! ,national ,c5t] =        
,rehabilitative ,auditory ,rese>* ( !   
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,he>+ 
,c5t] ( ,excell5ce ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,def5se4  7#b7 ,res\rces ( ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs t c\ld be made       
available to assi/ ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se
 9 conduct+ audiometric te/s & t9nitus  
scre5+s = memb]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces4  7#c7 
,b>ri]s to in=mation be+ add$ to ! ,he>+
 ,loss & ,auditory ,sy/em ,injury       

,regi/ry requir$ "u section #gba7;c77#a7
 ( ! ,duncan ,hunt] ,national ,def5se   
,au?orization ,act = ,fiscal ,ye> #bjji 
7,public ,law #aaj-dag2 #abb ,/at4      
#dejf74  7#d7 ,recomm5dations = any     
legislative or adm9i/rative actions     
necess>y ) respect to ! ,he>+ ,loss &   
,auditory ,sy/em ,injury ,regi/ry-- 7,a7
 to assi/ 9 a*iev+ ! goals specifi$ 9   
p>agraph 7#a72  7,b7 to improve !       
adjudication ( claims = b5efits )       
respect to he>+ loss2 &  7,c7 to fur!r !
 rese>* objectives ( ! ,national ,c5t] =
 ,rehabilitative ,auditory ,rese>* ( !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs & ! ,he>+ 
,c5t] ( ,excell5ce ( ! ,dep>tm5t (      
,def5se4