,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #bgch  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #ca1     
#bjad ,mr4 ,blumenthal 7for himself1    
,mr4 ,moran1 and ,mr4 ,begich7          
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 research on the diagnosis and      
treatment of health conditions of the   
descendants of veterans exposed to toxic
 substances during service in the ,armed
 ,forces1 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 ,act of #bjad4  #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 research on the diagnosis and       
treatment 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 shall1 in consultation with the
 advisory board established under       
section #d1 select a medical center of  
the ,department of ,veterans ,affairs to
 serve as the national center for       
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        
exposure 7in this section referred to as
 the ,national ,center74  7#b7          
,criteria for selection  ,the ,national 
,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  ,research  7#a7 ,in      

general ,the ,national ,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  7#b7 ,studies
 ,in conducting research under paragraph
 7#a71 the ,national ,center shall study
 individuals1 at the election of the    
individual1 for whom the ,secretary has 
made one of the following               
determinations3  7,a7 7i7 ,the          
individual is a descendant of an        
individual who served as a member of the
 ,armed ,forces2  7ii7 such member was  
exposed to a toxic substance while      
serving as a member of the ,armed       
,forces2 and  7iii7 such descendant 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 such member to such toxic   
substance4  7,b7 7i7 ,the individual was

 exposed to a toxic substance while     
serving as a member of the ,armed       
,forces2 and  7ii7 such individual 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 such individual to such     
toxic substance4  7#c7  ,use of records 
7,a7  ,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 paragraph 7#b74  7,b7       
,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 subparagraph   
7,a74  7c7  ,social workers  ,the       
,national ,center shall employ not less 
than one licensed clinical social worker
 to coordinate access of individuals 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 ,national ,center  
shall reimburse any individual          
participating in a study pursuant to    
subsection 7b71 and any parent1         
guardian1 spouse1 or sibling who        
accompanies such individual1 for the    
reasonable cost of--  7#a7 travel to the
 ,national ,center for participation in 
such study2 and  7#b7 room and board    
during the period in which such         
individual is participating in such     
study at the ,national ,center4  7e7    
,report  ,not less frequently than      
annually1 the ,national ,center shall   
submit a report to ,congress on the     
functions of the ,national ,center      

during the year preceding the submittal 
of the report that includes a summary of
 the research efforts of the ,national  
,center under this section that have    
been completed during such year and that
 are ongoing as of the date of the      
submittal of the report4  #d4  ,advisory
 board  7a7  ,establishment  ,not later 
than #ahj days 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--  
7#a7 to advise the ,national ,center    
established under section #c2  7#b7 to  
determine which health conditions result
 from exposure to toxic substances2 and 
7#c7 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 #abj 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       
,services1 the ,director of the         
,national ,institute of ,environmental  
,health ,sciences1 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      
7,,vi7 the science of toxic substances2 
or  7,,vii7 medical and research ethics2
  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 ,national ,center  ,with 
respect to the ,national ,center        
established under section #c1 the       
,advisory ,board shall--  7,a7 oversee  
and assess the work of the ,national    
,center2 and  7,b7 advise the ,secretary

 of ,veterans ,affairs on--  7i7 issues 
related to the research conducted at the
 ,national ,center2 and  7ii7 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 of those descendants for    
medical care under section #agha of     
title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code4  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 ,national ,center
 established under section #c 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 occur1 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 research4  
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  ,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  #f4  ,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 to participate in studies      
conducted at the ,national ,center4