,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #djhf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,july #bf1 #bjai,mr4  
,bilirakis 7= himself & ,mr4 ,ruiz7     
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,vet]ans' ,affairs1 & 9
 addition to ! ,committee on ,arm$      
,s]vices1 = a p]iod to be subsequ5tly   
det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* case =      
consid]ation ( su* provisions z fall )9 
! jurisdiction ( ! committee conc]n$  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to direct ! ,secret>y (       
,vet]ans ,affairs to det]m9e            
presumptions ( s]vice connection =      
illnesses associat$ ) op5 burn pits1 & =
 o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is    
,act may be cit$ z ! ,protection =      
,vet]ans' ,burn ,pit ,exposure ,act (   
#bjai4  #b4 ,det]m9ation ( presumptions 
( s]vice connection = illnesses         
associat$ ) op5 burn pits  7a7 ,9 g5]al 
7#a7 ,det]m9ation requir$ ,n lat] ?an   
#fj days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y 
( ,vet]ans ,affairs receives ! results (
 a cov]$ /udy1 ! ,secret>y %all make a  

det]m9ation :e!r a positive association 
exi/s betwe5--  7,a7 ! exposure ( humans
 to toxic airborne *emicals & fumes     
caus$ by op5 air burn pits & o!r        
airborne haz>ds2 &  7,b7 ! occurr5ce ( a
 diagnos$ illness 9 humans4  7#b7 ,bases
 ( det]m9ation ,9 mak+ a det]m9ation "u 
p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all         
consid]--  7,a7 :e!r ! evid5ce is       
/ati/ically significant1 capable (      
replication1 & able to )/& pe] review   
demon/rat+ t !re is positive association
 betwe5 ! exposure & ! occurr5ce ( a    
diagnos$ illness2  7,b7 ! results ( a   
cov]$ /udy2 &  7,c7 all o!r s\nd m$ical 
& sci5tific evid5ce available to !      
,secret>y4  7#c7 ,presumption ,if !     
,secret>y det]m9es t a positive         
association exi/s betwe5 exposure & a   
diagnos$ illness pursuant to p>agraph   
7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all prescribe        
regulations provid+ t--  7,a7 a         
presumption ( s]vice connection is      
w>rant$ = ! illness cov]$ by t          
det]m9ation if ! illness fir/ becomes   

manife/ )9 ! p]iod1 if any1 prescrib$ 9 
su* regulations 9 a cov]$ vet]an2 &     
7,b7 su* cov]$ vet]an %all be presum$ to
 h be5 expos$ to toxic airborne *emicals
 & fumes caus$ by op5 burn pits unless  
!re is conclusive evid5ce to e/abli% t--
  7i7 ! cov]$ vet]an 0 n expos$ to toxic
 airborne *emicals & fumes caus$ by op5 
burn pits 9 ! c\rse ( s]vice 9 ! ,arm$  
,=ces describ$ 9 subsection 7c77#a72 or 
7ii7 ! illness fir/ became manife/ prior
 to ! cov]$ vet]an's exposure4  7#d7    
,submission ,^u ! date on :i* !         
,secret>y makes ! det]m9ation "u        
p>agraph 7#a71 ! ,secret>y %all submit  
to ! ,committees on ,vet]ans' ,affairs (
 ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate an
 explanation ( su* det]m9ation4  7b7    
,regulations  7#a7 ,propos$ regulations 
7,a7 ,tim+ ,if ! ,secret>y det]m9es "u  
subsection 7a77#a7 t a presumption (    
s]vice connection is w>rant$ = an       
illness1 ! ,secret>y %all1 n lat] ?an   
#ahj days aft] mak+ su* det]m9ation--   
7i7 issue propos$ regulations sett+ =? !

 det]m9ation2 or  7ii7 submit ! initial 
report "u subp>agraph 7,b74  7,b7       
,reports ,if ! ,secret>y does n issue   
propos$ regulations by ! deadl9e        
e/abli%$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a71 ! ,secret>y
 %all submit to ! ,committees on        
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives & ! ,s5ate a report on !
 /atus ( su* propos$ regulations4 ,on a 
qu>t]ly basis !reaft] until ! date on   
:i* ! ,secret>y issues su* propos$      
regulations1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to 
su* committees an update on su* /atus4  
7#b7 ,f9al regulations ,n lat] ?an #ahj 
days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y     
issues any propos$ regulations "u ?is   
subsection1 ! ,secret>y %all prescribe  
f9al regulations4 ,su* regulations %all 
be effective on ! date ( issuance4  7#c7
 ,presumption n w>rant$  7,a7           
,publication ,if ! ,secret>y det]m9es "u
 subsection 7a7 t a presumption ( s]vice
 connection is n w>rant$ = an illness1  
or proposes to remove a previ\sly       
e/abli%$ presumption1 ! ,secret>y %all  

publi% 9 ! ,f$]al ,regi/] a notice ( t  
det]m9ation n lat] ?an #ahj days aft]   
mak+ ! det]m9ation4 ,! notice %all      
include an explanation ( ! evid5ce &    
sci5tific basis = t det]m9ation4  7,b7  
,removal ( previ\s presumption ,if an   
illness already presum$ to be s]vice    
connect$ "u ?is section is subject to a 
notice publi%$ "u subp>agraph 7,a71 !   
,secret>y %all issue propos$ regulations
 remov+ ! presumption = ! illness n lat]
 ?an #ahj days aft] publication ( su*   
notice4  7#d7 ,effect ( removal ,:5ev] !
 presumption ( s]vice connection = an   
illness "u ?is section is remov$ "u ?is 
subsection--  7,a7 a vet]an :o 0 aw>d$  
comp5sation = ! illness on ! basis ( !  
presumption be=e ! effective date ( !   
removal ( ! presumption %all cont9ue to 
be entitl$ to receive comp5sation on t  
basis2 &  7,b7 a survivor ( a vet]an :o 
0 aw>d$ dep5d5cy & indemnity comp5sation
 = ! dea? ( a vet]an result+ f ! illness
 on ! basis ( ! presumption be=e t date 
%all cont9ue to be entitl$ to receive   

dep5d5cy & indemnity comp5sation on t   
basis4  7c7 ,effective date ( b5efit    
aw>ds ,! effective date ( any b5efit    
aw>d$ by reason ( ?is section %all be   
det]m9$ 9 accordance ) section #eaaj (  
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 b %all 9
 no case be e>li] ?an ! effective date (
 ! f9al regulations prescrib$ pursuant  
to subsection 7b77#b74  7d7 ,def9itions 
,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m cov]$ /udy  
includes--  7,a7 ! /udy conduct$ by !   
,national ,academies ( ,sci5ces1        
,eng9e]+1 & ,m$ic9e titl$ ,respiratory  
,heal? ,effects ( ,airborne ,haz>ds     
,exposures 9 ! ,s\?we/ ,asia ,!at] (    
,milit>y ,op]ations2 &  7,b7 any        
subsequ5t /udy conduct$ by ! ,national  
,academies ( ,sci5ces1 ,eng9e]+1 &      
,m$ic9e reg>d+ ! effects ( exposure (   
humans to toxic airborne *emicals &     
fumes caus$ by op5 air burn pits & o!r  
airborne haz>ds4  7#b7 ,! t]m cov]$     
vet]an means a vet]an :o1 on or aft]    
,septemb] #aa1 #bjja-- 7,a7 0 deploy$ 9 
support ( a cont+5cy op]ation :ile s]v+ 

9 ! ,arm$ ,=ces2 &  7,b7 dur+ su*       
deploym5t1 0 bas$ or /ation$ at a       
location :]e an op5 burn pit 0 us$4     
7#c7 ,! t]m op5 burn pit means an area (
 l& t--  7,a7 is designat$ by !         
,secret>y ( ,def5se to be us$ = dispos+ 
( solid wa/e by burn+ 9 ! outdoor air2 &
  7,b7 does n conta9 a comm]cially      
manufactur$ inc9]ator or o!r equipm5t   
specifically design$ & manufactur$ = !  
burn+ ( solid wa/e4  #c4 ,access ( !    
,national ,academies ( ,sci5ces1        
,eng9e]+1 & ,m$ic9e to in=mation f !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,def5se ,^u reque/ by !     
,national ,academies ( ,sci5ces1        
,eng9e]+1 & ,m$ic9e 79 ?is section      
ref]r$ to z ! ,academies71 ! ,secret>y (
 ,def5se %all provide to ! ,academies   
in=mation 9 ! possession ( ! ,dep>tm5t (
 ,def5se t ! ,academies det]m9e useful 9
 p]=m+ a cov]$ /udy1 z t t]m is def9$ 9 
section #b7;d74 ,su* in=mation includes1
 at a m9imum1 all environm5tal sampl+   
data relative to any location includ$ 9 
! /udy4