,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #afjb  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,october #bi1  
#bjac,mr4 ,blumenthal introduced the    
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,veterans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
establish in the ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs a national center for
 the diagnosis1 treatment1 and research 
of health conditions of the descendants 
of veterans exposed to toxic substances 
during service in the ,armed ,forces1 to
 provide certain services to those      
descendants1 to establish an advisory   
board on exposure to toxic substances1  
and for other purposes4  #a4 ,short     
title ,this ,act may be cited as the    
,toxic ,exposure ,research and ,military
 ,family ,support ,act of #bjac4  #b4   
,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,armed 
,force ,the term ,armed ,force means the
 ,united ,states ,army1 ,navy1 ,marine  
,corps1 ,air ,force1 or ,coast ,guard1  
including the reserve components        

thereof4  7#b7 ,descendant ,the term    
descendant means1 with respect to an    
individual1 the biological child1       
grandchild1 or great-grandchild of that 
individual4  7#c7 ,toxic substance ,the 
term toxic substance shall have the     
meaning given that term by the          
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs and    
shall include all substances that have  
been proven by peer reviewed scientific 
research or a preponderance of opinion  
in the medical community to lead to     
disabilities related to the exposure of 
an individual to those substances while 
serving as a member of the ,armed       
,forces4  7#d7 ,veteran ,the term       
veteran has the meaning given that term 
in section #aja of title #ch1 ,united   
,states ,code4  #c4 ,national center for
 the diagnosis1 treatment1 and research 
of health conditions of the descendants 
of individuals exposed to toxic         
substances during service in the ,armed 
,forces  7a7 ,national center  7#a7 ,in 
general ,not later than one year after  

the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs    
shall select a medical center of the    
,department of ,veterans ,affairs to    
serve as the national center for the    
diagnosis1 treatment1 and research of   
health conditions of descendants of     
individuals exposed to toxic substances 
while serving as members of the ,armed  
,forces that are related to that        
exposure 7in this section referred to as
 the ,center74  7#b7 ,criteria for      
selection ,the ,center shall be selected
 under paragraph 7#a7 from among medical
 centers of the ,department with        
expertise in diagnosing and treating    
functional and structural birth defects 
and caring for individuals exposed to   
toxic substances1 or that are affiliated
 with research medical centers or       
teaching hospitals with such expertise1 
that seek to be selected under this     
section4  7b7 ,functions  7#a7          
,diagnosis and treatment  7,a7 ,in      
general ,the ,center may diagnose and   

treat1 without charge1 each patient for 
whom the ,secretary of ,veterans        
,affairs has made the following         
determinations3 7i7 ,the patient is a   
descendant of an individual who served  
as a member of the ,armed ,forces4  7ii7
 ,the individual was exposed to a toxic 
substance while serving as a member of  
the ,armed ,forces4  7iii7 ,the patient 
is afflicted with a health condition    
that is determined by the advisory board
 established in section #d to be a      
health condition that results from the  
exposure of that individual to that     
toxic substance4  7,b7 ,treatment       
,treatment under this section is limited
 to treatment of health conditions for  
which the advisory board established in 
section #d has made a determination     
described in subparagraph 7,a77iii74    
7,c7 ,additional diagnosis and treatment
 ,nothing in this section shall preclude
 a patient from receiving additional    
diagnosis or treatment at the ,center or
 another facility of the ,department in 

connection with other health conditions 
or benefits to which the individual is  
entitled under laws administered by the 
,secretary4  7,d7 ,recommendations for  
future treatment ,recommendations for   
future treatment of a patient shall be  
transmitted to a primary care provider  
for that patient1 with follow-up        
consultations with the ,center scheduled
 as appropriate4  7,e7 ,use of records  
7i7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of      
,defense or the head of a ,federal      
agency may make available to the        
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs for    
review records held by the ,department  
of ,defense1 an ,armed ,force1 or that  
,federal agency1 as appropriate1 that   
might assist the ,secretary of ,veterans
 ,affairs in making the determinations  
required by subparagraph 7,a74  7ii7    
,mechanism ,the ,secretary of ,veterans 
,affairs and the ,secretary of ,defense 
or the head of the appropriate ,federal 
agency may jointly establish a mechanism
 for the availability and review of     

records by the ,secretary of ,veterans  
,affairs under clause 7i74  7#b7        
,research ,the ,center may conduct      
research on the diagnosis and treatment 
of health conditions of descendants of  
individuals exposed to toxic substances 
while serving as members of the ,armed  
,forces that are related to that        
exposure4  7c7 ,social workers ,the     
,center shall employ not less than one  
licensed clinical social worker to      
coordinate access of patients to        
appropriate ,federal1 ,state1 and local 
social and healthcare programs and to   
handle case management4  7d7            
,reimbursement for necessary travel and 
room and board ,the ,center may         
reimburse any parent1 guardian1 spouse1 
or sibling who accompanies a patient    
diagnosed or treated pursuant to this   
section for the reasonable cost of--    
7#a7 travel to the ,center for diagnosis
 or treatment of the patient pursuant to
 this section2 and  7#b7 room and board 
during the period in which the patient  

is undergoing diagnosis or treatment at 
the ,center pursuant to this section4   
7e7 ,report ,not less frequently than   
annually1 the ,center shall submit a    
report to ,congress that includes the   
following3 7#a7 ,a summary of the extent
 and nature of care provided pursuant to
 this section4  7#b7 ,a summary of the  
research efforts of the ,center under   
this section that have been completed   
within the previous year and that are   
ongoing as of the date of the submission
 of the report under this subsection4   
#d4 ,advisory board  7a7 ,establishment 
,not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
establish an advisory board 7in this    
section referred to as the ,advisory    
,board7 to advise the ,center           
established under section #c1 to        
determine which health conditions result
 from exposure to toxic substances1 and 
to study and evaluate cases of exposure 
of current and former members of the    

,armed ,forces to toxic substances if   
such exposure is related the service of 
the member in the ,armed ,forces4  7b7  
,membership  7#a7 ,composition ,not     
later than #aej days after the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall1 
in consultation with the ,secretary of  
,health and ,human ,services and other  
heads of ,federal agencies as the       
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs        
determines appropriate1 select not less 
than #ac members of the ,advisory       
,board1 of whom-- 7,a7 not less than    
three shall be members of organizations 
exempt from taxation under section      
#eja7;c77#ai7 of the ,internal ,revenue 
,code of #aihf2  7,b7 not less than one 
shall be-- 7i7 a descendant of an       
individual who was exposed to toxic     
substances while serving as a member of 
the ,armed ,forces and the descendant   
has manifested a birth defect or        
functional disability as a result of the
 exposure of that individual2 or  7ii7 a

 parent1 child1 or grandchild of that   
descendant2 and  7,c7 additional members
 may be selected from among-- 7i7 health
 professionals1 scientists1 and         
academics with expertise in-- 7,i7 birth
 defects2  7,,ii7 developmental         
disabilities2  7,,iii7 epigenetics2     
7,,iv7 public health2  7,v7 the science 
of environmental exposure or            
environmental exposure assessment2 or   
7,,vi7 the science of toxic substances2 
7ii7 social workers2 and  7iii7         
advocates for veterans or members of the
 ,armed ,forces4  7#b7 ,chairperson ,the
 ,secretary shall select a ,chairperson 
from among the members of the ,advisory 
,board4  7#c7 ,terms ,each member of the
 ,advisory ,board shall serve a term of 
two or three years as determined by the 
,secretary4  7c7 ,duties  7#a7 ,advisory
 role with respect to the ,center ,with 
respect to the ,center established under
 section #c1 the ,advisory ,board       
shall-- 7,a7 oversee and assess the work
 of the ,center2 and  7,b7 advise the   

,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs on--   
7i7 issues related to the provision of  
treatment and care at the ,center2  7ii7
 issues related to the research         
conducted at the ,center2 and  7iii7 the
 particular benefits and services       
required by the descendants of          
individuals exposed to toxic substances 
while serving as members of the ,armed  
,forces4  7#b7 ,determination that      
health conditions resulted from toxic   
exposure ,the ,advisory ,board shall    
determine which health conditions in    
descendants of individuals exposed to   
toxic substances while serving as       
members of the ,armed ,forces are health
 conditions that resulted from the      
exposure of that individual to that     
toxic substance for purposes of         
eligibility for the following3 7,a7     
,treatment of that descendant at the    
,center established under section #c4   
7,b7 ,medical care for that descendant  
under section #agha of title #ch1       
,united ,states ,code4  7,c7 ,support   

for the family caregiver of that        
descendant under section #agbj;,g7a7 of 
such title4  7,d7 ,support for the      
caregiver of that descendant under      
section #agbj;,g7b7 of such title4  7#c7
 ,study and consideration of toxic      
substance exposure claims  7,a7 ,in     
general ,the ,advisory ,board shall     
study and evaluate claims of exposure to
 toxic substances by current and former 
members of the ,armed ,forces that is   
related to the service of the member in 
the ,armed ,forces4  7,b7 ,submission of
 claims ,claims of exposure described in
 subparagraph 7,a7 may be submitted to  
the ,advisory ,board in such form and in
 such manner as the ,secretary of       
,veterans ,affairs may require by any of
 the following individuals or entities3 
7i7 ,a member of the ,armed ,forces4    
7ii7 ,a veteran4  7iii7 ,a descendant of
 a member of the ,armed ,forces4  7iv7  
,a descendant of a veteran4  7v7 ,a     
veterans advocacy group4  7vi7 ,an      
official of the ,department of ,veterans

 ,affairs with responsibility or        
experience monitoring the health of     
current and former members of the ,armed
 ,forces4  7vii7 ,an official of the    
,department of ,defense with            
responsibility or experience monitoring 
the health of current and former members
 of the ,armed ,forces4  7,c7           
,consideration of claims ,not later than
 #ahj days after receiving a claim      
submitted pursuant to subparagraph 7,b71
 the ,advisory ,board shall consider the
 claim and take one of the following    
actions3 7i7 ,if the ,advisory ,board   
determines that exposure to a toxic     
substance occurred to a degree that an  
individual exposed to that substance may
 have or develop a medical condition    
that would qualify that individual for  
health care or compensation from the    
,department of ,veterans ,affairs or the
 ,department of ,defense1 the ,advisory 
,board shall submit to the ,secretary of
 ,veterans ,affairs a report described  
in subparagraph 7,d74  7ii7 ,if the     

,advisory ,board determines that further
 consideration of the claim is necessary
 to adequately assess the extent of     
exposure1 the ,advisory ,board shall    
refer the claim to the ,office of       
,extramural ,research established under 
section #e to conduct further research  
and report its findings to the ,advisory
 ,board4  7iii7 ,if the ,advisory ,board
 determines that exposure to a toxic    
substance did not occur or occurred to a
 negligible extent1 the ,advisory ,board
 shall report such determination to the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4  7,d7 
,report ,if the ,advisory ,board makes a
 determination under subparagraph       
7,c77i71 the ,advisory ,board shall     
submit to the ,secretary of ,veterans   
,affairs a report that contains the     
following3 7i7 ,evidence used by the    
,advisory ,board in making the          
determination under subparagraph        
7,c77i71 including1 if appropriate1 the 
following3 7,i7 ,scientific research1   
including any research conducted by the 

,office of ,extramural ,research        
established under section #e4  7,,ii7   
,peer-reviewed articles from scientific 
journals relating to exposure to toxic  
substances4  7,,iii7 ,medical research  
conducted by the ,department of         
,veterans ,affairs1 the ,department of  
,defense1 or the medical community4     
7ii7 ,recommendations on the extent to  
which the ,department of ,veterans      
,affairs or the ,department of ,defense 
should provide health care1 benefits1 or
 other compensation with respect to     
exposure to a toxic substance to the    
following individuals3 7,i7 ,an         
individual exposed to a toxic substance 
as determined under subparagraph        
7,c77i74  7,,ii7 ,a descendant of that  
individual4  7iii7 ,information on cost 
and attributable exposure1 as defined in
 regulations prescribed pursuant to this
 ,act4  7,e7 ,publication of evidence   
7i7 ,in general ,except as provided in  
clause 7ii71 the ,secretary shall       
publish in the ,federal ,register the   

evidence described in clause 7i7 of     
subparagraph 7,d7 that is submitted with
 the report required by that            
subparagraph4  7ii7 ,exception ,such    
evidence may not be published if the    
,secretary determines that preventing   
such publication-- 7,i7 is in the       
national security interest of the       
,united ,states2 or  7,,ii7 protects the
 privacy interests of individuals       
exposed to toxic substances4  7,f7      
,subpoena authority ,the ,advisory      
,board may require by subpoena the      
attendance and testimony of witnesses   
necessary to consider claims of exposure
 to toxic substances under this         
paragraph4  7,g7 ,cooperation of        
,federal ,agencies ,the head of each    
relevant ,federal agency1 including the 
,administrator of the ,environmental    
,protection ,agency1 shall cooperate    
fully with the ,advisory ,board for     
purposes of considering claims of       
exposure to toxic substances under this 
paragraph4  7d7 ,meetings ,the ,advisory

 ,board shall meet at the call of the   
,chair1 but not less frequently than    
semiannually4  7e7 ,compensation  7#a7  
,in general ,the members of the         
,advisory ,board shall serve without    
compensation4  7#b7 ,travel expenses    
,the members of the ,advisory ,board    
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 services for the     
,advisory ,board4  7f7 ,personnel  7#a7 
,in general ,the ,chairperson may1      
without regard to the civil service laws
 and regulations1 appoint an executive  
director of the ,advisory ,board1 who   
shall be a civilian employee of the     
,department of ,veterans ,affairs1 and  
such other personnel as may be necessary
 to enable the ,advisory ,board to      
perform its duties4  7#b7 ,approval ,the

 appointment of an executive director   
under paragraph 7#a7 shall be subject to
 approval by the ,advisory ,board4  7#c7
 ,compensation ,the ,chairperson may fix
 the compensation of the executive      
director and other personnel without    
regard to the provisions of chapter #ea 
and subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of  
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 except 
that the rate of pay for the executive  
director and other personnel may not    
exceed the rate payable for level ,v of 
the ,executive ,schedule under section  
#ecaf of such title4  #e4 ,office of    
extramural research  7a7 ,office ,not   
later than #ahj days after the date of  
the enactment of this ,act1 the         
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
establish an ,office of ,extramural     
,research 7in this section referred to  
as the ,office7-- 7#a7 to conduct       
research on wounds1 illnesses1 injuries1
 and other conditions suffered by       
individuals as a result of exposure to  
toxic substances while serving as       

members of the ,armed ,forces2 and  7#b7
 to assist the ,advisory ,board         
established under section #d in the     
consideration of claims of exposure to  
toxic substances4  7b7 ,director ,the   
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall  
select a ,director of the ,office4  7c7 
,grants  7#a7 ,in general ,subject to   
approval by the advisory council        
established under subsection 7e71 the   
,director may award grants to reputable 
scientists and epidemiologists to carry 
out this section4  7#b7 ,exception ,the 
,director may not award grants to       
individuals or organizations associated 
with or having an interest in a chemical
 company or any other organization that 
the ,secretary determines may have an   
interest in the increased use of toxic  
substances4  7d7 ,support to ,advisory  
,board ,not later than #ahj days after  
receiving a request from the ,advisory  
,board established under section #d to  
review a claim of exposure pursuant to  
subsection 7c77#c77;,c77ii7 of that     

section1 the ,office shall submit a     
report to the ,advisory ,board with one 
of the following determinations3 7#a7 ,a
 determination that exposure to a toxic 
substance occurred to a degree that an  
individual exposed to that substance may
 have or develop a medical condition    
that would qualify that individual for  
health care or compensation from the    
,department of ,veterans ,affairs or the
 ,department of ,defense4  7#b7 ,a      
determination that further study of the 
claim is necessary1 to be carried out   
by1 or under the direction of1 the      
,office in coordination with the        
,advisory ,board4  7#c7 ,a determination
 that exposure to a toxic substance did 
not occur or occurred to a negligible   
extent4  7e7 ,advisory council  7#a7    
,establishment ,not later than #ahj days
 after the date of the enactment of this
 ,act1 the ,secretary of ,veterans      
,affairs shall establish an advisory    
council 7in this section referred to as 
the ,council7 for the ,office           

established under this section4  7#b7   
,membership  7,a7 ,composition  7i7 ,in 
general ,the ,secretary of ,veterans    
,affairs shall1 in consultation with the
 ,secretary of ,health and ,human       
,services and any other heads of        
,federal agencies as the ,secretary of  
,veterans ,affairs determines           
appropriate1 select #aa members of the  
,council1 of whom-- 7,i7 not less than  
three shall be members of organizations 
exempt from taxation under section      
#eja7;c77#ai7 of the ,internal ,revenue 
,code of #aihf2 and  7,,ii7 additional  
members may be selected from among--    
7aa7 environmental epidemiologists2     
7bb7 academics2 and  7cc7 veterans or   
the descendants of veterans4  7ii7      
,requirements for scientists ,when      
considering individuals who are members 
of the scientific community for         
selection to the ,council1 the          
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs may    
select only those individuals-- 7,i7 who
 have evidenced expertise in and        

demonstrate a commitment to research    
that leads to peer-reviewed scientific  
evaluation of the wounds1 illnesses1    
injuries1 and other conditions that may 
arise from exposure to toxic substances2
 and  7,,ii7 who are not associated with
 and do not have an interest in a       
chemical company or any other           
organization that the ,secretary        
determines may have an interest in the  
increased use of toxic substances4  7,b7
 ,chairperson ,the ,secretary of        
,veterans ,affairs shall select a       
,chairperson from among the members of  
the ,council4  7,c7 ,terms ,each member 
of the ,council shall serve a term of   
two or three years as determined by the 
,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs4  7#c7 
,duties ,the ,council shall-- 7,a7      
approve or disapprove of grants proposed
 to be awarded by the ,director pursuant
 to subsection 7c72 and  7,b7 advise the
 ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs and   
the ,director on-- 7i7 establishing     
guidelines for grant proposals and      

research proposals under this section2  
and  7ii7 assisting the ,advisory ,board
 established under section #d in the    
consideration of claims of exposure to  
toxic substances4  7#d7 ,meetings ,the  
,council shall meet at the call of the  
,chairperson1 but not less frequently   
than semiannually4  7#e7 ,compensation  
7,a7 ,in general ,the members of the    
,council shall serve without            
compensation4  7,b7 ,travel expenses    
,the members of the ,council 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       
services for the ,council4  7f7 ,report 
,not later than two years after the     
establishment of the ,office under this 
section1 the ,director and the ,chairman
 of the ,council shall jointly submit to
 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs   

and ,congress a report that contains the
 following3 7#a7 ,a summary of the      
research efforts conducted and the      
grants awarded under this section4  7#b7
 ,a summary of the effects of exposure  
to toxic substances studied pursuant to 
this section4  7#c7 ,recommendations for
 steps to be taken to care for and      
serve-- 7,a7 individuals exposed to     
toxic substances while serving as a     
member of the ,armed ,forces2 and  7,b7 
the progeny of those individuals4  #f4  
,provision of dependent care and        
caregiver assistance to descendants of  
veterans exposed to certain toxic       
substances during service in the ,armed 
,forces  7a7 ,dependent care ,section   
#agha7;a7 of title #ch1 ,united ,states 
,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph   
7#c71 by striking 1 and and inserting a 
comma2  7#b7 in paragraph 7#d71 by      
striking the semicolon at the end and   
inserting 1 and2 and  7#c7 by inserting 
after paragraph 7#d7 the following new  
paragraph3  7#e7 an individual who is   

the biological child1 grandchild1 or    
great-grandchild of a veteran who the   
,secretary has determined was exposed to
 a toxic substance while serving as a   
member of the ,armed ,forces1 if-- 7,a7 
the individual has a health condition   
that is determined by the ,advisory     
,board established by section #d of the 
,toxic ,exposure ,research and ,military
 ,family ,support ,act of #bjac to be a 
health condition that results from      
exposure to that toxic substance1  7,b7 
the individual is homebound as a result 
of that health condition1 and  7,c7 the 
,secretary determines that the veteran  
has or had the same health condition1  4
  7b7 ,caregiver assistance  7#a7       
,comprehensive assistance ,subsection   
7a7 of section #agbj;,g of title #ch1   
,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7,a7
 by striking veteran each place it      
appears 7except for paragraph 7#b77;,a77
 and inserting individual2  7,b7 by     
striking veterans each place it appears 
and inserting individuals2  7,c7 in     

paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by striking        
subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 and         
inserting the following3  7,a7 7i7 is a 
veteran or member of the ,armed ,forces 
undergoing medical discharge from the   
,armed ,forces and has a serious injury 
7including traumatic brain injury1      
psychological trauma1 or other mental   
disorder7 incurred or aggravated in the 
line of duty in the active military1    
naval1 or air service on or after       
,september #aa1 #bjja2 or  7ii7 is the  
biological child1 grandchild1 or        
great-grandchild of a veteran who the   
,secretary has determined was exposed to
 a toxic substance while serving as a   
member of the ,armed ,forces1 if-- 7,i7 
the individual has a health condition   
that is determined by the ,advisory     
,board established by section #d of the 
,toxic ,exposure ,research and ,military
 ,family ,support ,act of #bjac to be a 
health condition that results from      
exposure to that toxic substance2       
7,,ii7 the individual is homebound as a 

result of that health condition2 and    
7,,iii7 the ,secretary determines that  
the veteran has or had the same health  
condition2 and  2 and  7ii7 by          
redesignating subparagraph 7,c7 as      
subparagraph 7,b72 and  7,d7 in         
paragraph 7#i77;,c77i71 by striking     
veteran's and inserting individual's4   
7#b7 ,general caregiver support         
,subsection 7b7 of such section is      
amended-- 7,a7 by striking veteran each 
place it appears and inserting          
individual2  7,b7 by striking veterans  
each place it appears and inserting     
individuals2  7,c7 in paragraph 7#a71 by
 striking who are and all that follows  
through of this title2 and  7,d7 in     
paragraph 7#b7-- 7i7 by redesignating   
subparagraphs 7,a71 7,b71 and 7,c7 as   
clauses 7i71 7ii71 and 7iii71           
respectively2 and  7ii7 in the matter   
preceding clause 7i71 as redesignated by
 clause 7i71 by striking any individual 
who needs and inserting 8any individual 
who--  7,a7 7i7 is enrolled in the      

health care system established under    
section #agje7;a7 of this title2 or     
7ii7 is the biological child1           
grandchild1 or great-grandchild of a    
veteran who the ,secretary has          
determined was exposed to a toxic       
substance while serving as a member of  
the ,armed ,forces1 if-- 7,i7 the       
individual has a health condition that  
is determined by the ,advisory ,board   
established by section #d of the ,toxic 
,exposure ,research and ,military       
,family ,support ,act of #bjac to be a  
health condition that results from      
exposure to that toxic substance2       
7,,ii7 the individual is homebound as a 
result of that health condition2 and    
7,,iii7 the ,secretary determines that  
the veteran has or had the same health  
condition2 and  7,b7 needs  4  7#c7     
,definitions ,subsection 7d7 of such    
section is amended-- 7,a7 by striking   
eligible veteran each place it appears  
and inserting eligible individual2  7,b7
 by striking covered veteran each place 

it appears and inserting covered        
individual2  7,c7 in paragraph 7#a71 by 
striking the veteran and inserting the  
eligible individual or covered          
individual2  7,d7 in paragraph 7#b71 by 
striking the veteran and inserting the  
eligible individual2  7,e7 in paragraph 
7#c71 by striking the veteran each place
 it appears and inserting the eligible  
individual2  7,f7 in paragraph 7#d71 by 
striking the veteran and inserting the  
eligible individual or covered          
individual2 and  7,g7 by adding at the  
end the following3  7#e7 ,the term toxic
 substance has the meaning given that   
term in section #b of the ,toxic        
,exposure ,research and ,military       
,family ,support ,act of #bjac4  4  7c7 
,conforming amendments  7#a7            
,beneficiary travel ,section #aaa of    
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b77#a71 by
 adding at the end the following new    
subparagraph3  7,g7 ,an individual      
described in section                    

#agbj;,g7a77#b77;,a77ii7 of this title4 
2 and  7,b7 in subsection 7e7-- 7i7 by  
striking veteran each place it appears  
7except for paragraph 7#b77;,b77 and    
inserting individual2 and  7ii7 in      
paragraph 7#b77;,b7-- 7,i7 by striking a
 veteran and inserting an individual2   
and  7,,ii7 by striking such veteran and
 inserting such individual4  7#b7       
,counseling1 training1 and mental health
 services ,section #aghb7;c77#b7 of such
 title is amended by striking an        
eligible veteran or a caregiver of a    
covered veteran and inserting a veteran 
who is an eligible individual or a      
caregiver of a veteran who is a covered 
individual4  #g4 ,declassification by   
,department of ,defense of certain      
incidents of exposure of members of the 
,armed ,forces to toxic substances  7a7 
,in general ,the ,secretary of ,defense 
may declassify documents related to any 
known incident in which not less than   
#ajj 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 substance4   
7b7 ,limitation ,the declassification   
authorized by subsection 7a7 shall be   
limited to information necessary for an 
individual who was potentially exposed  
to a toxic substance to determine the   
following3 7#a7 ,whether that individual
 was exposed to that toxic substance4   
7#b7 ,the potential severity of the     
exposure of that individual to that     
toxic substance4  7#c7 ,any potential   
health conditions that may have resulted
 from exposure to that toxic substance4 
7c7 ,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    
,states4  #h4 ,national outreach        
campaign on potential long-term health  
effects of exposure to toxic substances 

by members of the ,armed ,forces and    
their descendants ,the ,secretary of    
,veterans ,affairs1 the ,secretary of   
,health and ,human ,services1 and the   
,secretary of ,defense shall jointly    
conduct a national outreach and         
education campaign directed towards     
members of the ,armed ,forces1 veterans1
 and their family members to communicate
 the following information3 7#a7        
,information on-- 7,a7 incidents of     
exposure of members of the ,armed       
,forces to toxic substances2  7,b7      
health conditions resulting from such   
exposure2 and  7,c7 the potential       
long-term effects of such exposure on   
the individuals exposed to those        
substances and the descendants of those 
individuals4  7#b7 ,information on the  
national center established under       
section #c of this ,act for individuals 
eligible for treatment at the center4