H.R. 2469 — Introduced in House

I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2469 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 3, 2023Mr. Ruiz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish an outreach program to inform members of the Armed Forces, assigned to work near burn pits, of the risks of toxic exposure, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Toxic Exposure Education for Servicemembers Act of 2023. 2. Outreach to members of the Armed Forces regarding possible toxic exposure (a) Establishment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall establish— (1) a new risk assessment for toxic exposure for members of the Armed Forces assigned to work near burn pits; and (2) an outreach program to inform such members regarding such toxic exposure. Such program shall include information regarding benefits and support programs furnished by the Secretary (including eligibility requirements and timelines) regarding toxic exposure. (b) Promotion The Secretary of Defense shall promote the program to members described in subsection (a) by direct mail, email, text messaging, and social media. (c) Publication Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall publish on a website of the Department of Defense a list of resources furnished by the Secretary for— (1) members and veterans who experienced toxic exposure in the course of serving as a member of the Armed Forces; (2) dependents and caregivers of such members and veterans; and (3) survivors of such members and veterans who receive death benefits under laws administered by the Secretary. (d) Toxic exposure defined In this section, the term toxic exposure has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.