,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #ecbd  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,novemb] #ad1 #bjbd,mr4
 ,blum5?al introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 
0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on
 ,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d
 title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to     
ensure vet]ans ( secrecy oa? programs   
receive ! full b5efits !y h e>n$1 & =   
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,obligations to        
,ab]de5's ,tru/$ ,h]oes ,act ( #bjbd or 
! ,,oa? ,act ( #bjbd4  #b4 ,f9d+s       
,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,f #aidh  
to #aige1 m ?an #g1jjj ,unit$ ,/ates    
,army p]sonnel p>ticipat$ 9 a program "u
 :i* !y 7 subject$ to secret *emical    
w>f>e te/+ at ,edgewood ,ars5al at      
,ab]de5 ,prov+ ,gr\nd1 an ,army base 9  
,m>yl&4  7#b7 ,gov]nm5t-employ$         
sci5ti/s1 includ+ =m] ,nazi ,g]many     
sci5ti/s1 te/$ mu/>d ag5ts1 psy*$elics1 
n]ve ag5ts1 & o!r dang]\s *emicals on ! 
,army memb]s4  7#c7 ,:5 ! memb]s ( !    
,army ent]$ ! program at ,edgewood1 !y 7

 sworn to secrecy--a violation ( _! oa? 
came ) ! ?reat ( c\rt-m>tial or crim9al 
prosecution4  7#d7 ,^u leav+ s]vice 9 ! 
,army1 vet]ans ( ! program c\ld n seek  
b5efits provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (        
,vet]ans ,affairs = disabilities relat+ 
to ! program )\t violat+ _! secrecy     
oa?s4  7#e7 ,9 #bjjf1 ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,def5se releas$ ! vet]ans ( ! program f 
_! secrecy oa?s1 all[+ !m to apply =    
vet]ans' b5efits4  7#f7 ,because !      
/atute gov]n+ vet]ans' b5efits requires 
vet]ans to apply )9 "o ye> ( dis*>ge to 
receive retroactive b5efits1 vet]ans ( !
 program c\ld only receive b5efits      
beg9n+ f ! date ( _! disability         
application4  7#g7 ,by comply+ ) _!     
secrecy oa?s1 ! vet]ans ( ! program lo/ 
! ability to receive ! full vet]ans'    
b5efits !y e>n$4  7#h7 ,vet]ans ( o!r   
secrecy oa? programs may face ! same    
hurdles to obta9+ b5efits4  7#i7 ,:ile  
"s vet]ans ( secrecy oa? programs       
receiv$ limit$ relief 9 ! c\rts1 !re is 
unc]ta9ty ab\t ! scope ( b5efits        

available to ^? vet]ans4  7#aj7         
,congress has ! p[] & obligation to     
ensure t h]oes ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates are n  
puni%$ = uphold+ _! secrecy oa?s4  #c4  
,def9ition ( secrecy oa? program        
,section #eajj ( title #ch1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#c7 ,! t]m     
secrecy oa? program means a ,unit$      
,/ates ,gov]nm5t program 9 :i*          
p>ticipants are requir$ to sign a       
non-disclosure agreem5t prev5t+ !       
disclosure ( any in=mation reg>d+ !     
program "u p5alty ( c\rt-m>tial or      
crim9al puni%m5t4  4  #d4 ,notice to    
vet]ans ( secrecy oa? programs reg>d+   
b5efits  7a7 ,notice requir$  7#a7 ,9   
g5]al ,section #fcjc ( title #ch1 ,unit$
 ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$-- 7,a7 by       
r$esignat+ subsections 7c71 7d71 & 7e7 z
 subsections 7d71 7e71 & 7f71           
respectively2 &  7,b7 by ins]t+ aft]    
subsection 7b7 ! foll[+ new subsection  
7c73  7c7 ,notice to vet]ans ( secrecy  
oa? programs  7#a7 ,n lat] ?an #ij days 

aft] ! date on :i* p>ticipants 9 a      
secrecy oa? program are releas$ f ! oa? 
tak5 "u su* program1 ! ,secret>y %all-- 
7,a7 id5tify ! vet]ans :o p>ticipat$ 9 !
 program2  7,b7 notify ea* su* vet]an ( 
all b5efits & s]vices "u laws adm9i/]$  
by ! ,dep>tm5t = :i* ! vet]an may be    
eligible2 &  7,c7 di/ribute ! in=mation 
describ$ 9 subsection 7d77#a7 z requir$ 
by su* subsection4  7#b7 ,if ! ,secret>y
 id5tifies any vet]ans :o are entitl$ to
 notice "u p>agraph 7#a7 & did n receive
 su* notice1 ! ,secret>y %all1 n lat]   
?an #ij days aft] ! date ( any su*      
id5tification-- 7,a7 notify ea* su*     
vet]an ( all b5efits & s]vices "u laws  
adm9i/]$ by ! ,dep>tm5t = :i* ! vet]an  
may be eligible2 &  7,b7 di/ribute !    
in=mation describ$ 9 subsection 7d77#a7 
z requir$ by su* subsection4  7#c7 ,9   
?is subsection1 ! t]m secrecy oa?       
program has ! mea+ giv5 t t]m 9 section 
#eajj ( ?is title4  4  7#b7 ,con=m+     
am5dm5ts ,section #fcjc ( su* title is  
fur!r am5d$-- 7,a7 9 subsection 7a71 by 

/rik+ ?r\gh 7d7 & ins]t+ ?r\gh 7e72 &   
7,b7 9 subsection 7e71 z r$esignat$ by  
subsection 7a77#a77;,a71 by /rik+       
subsections 7b7 & 7c7 & ins]t+          
subsections 7b71 7c71 & 7d74  7b7       
,edgewood ,ars5al program ,n lat] ?an   
#ij days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is 
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all-- 7#a7 id5tify ! vet]ans :o        
p>ticipat$ 9 ! secrecy oa? program at   
,edgewood ,ars5al at ,ab]de5 ,prov+     
,gr\nd1 ,m>yl&1 at any "t dur+ ! p]iod  
beg9n+ on ,janu>y #a1 #aidh1 & end+ on  
,decemb] #ca1 #aige2  7#b7 notify ea*   
su* vet]an ( all b5efits & s]vices "u   
laws adm9i/]$ by ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans 
,affairs = :i* ! vet]an may be eligible2
 &  7#c7 di/ribute ! in=mation describ$ 
9 section #fcjc7;d77#a7 ( title #ch1    
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z am5d$ by         
subsection 7a71 z requir$ by su*        
section4  #e4 ,effective dates ( aw>ds (
 disability comp5sation = p>ticipants 9 
secrecy oa? programs  7a7 ,9 g5]al      
,section #eaaj7;b7 ( title #ch1 ,unit$  

,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by add+ at ! end 
! foll[+ new p>agraph3  7#e7 7,a7       
,except z provid$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b71 ! 
effective date ( an aw>d ( disability   
comp5sation to a vet]an :o p>ticipat$ 9 
a secrecy oa? program %all be ! day     
foll[+ ! date ( ! vet]an's dis*>ge or   
release if-- 7i7 application !re= is    
receiv$ on or be=e ! date t is "o ye>   
aft] ! date on :i* notice is s5t to !   
vet]an pursuant to-- 7,i7 section       
#fcjc7;c7 ( ?is title2 or  7,,ii7       
section #d7;b77#b7 ( ! ,obligations to  
,ab]de5's ,tru/$ ,h]oes ,act ( #bjbd2 & 
7ii7 ! disability = :i* comp5sation is  
s\ght 0 incurr$ or aggravat$ 9 l9e (    
duty 9 ! active milit>y1 naval1 air1 or 
space s]vice :ile p>ticipat+ 9 su*      
secrecy oa? program4  7,b7 7i7 ,!       
effective date ( an aw>d ( disability   
comp5sation to a vet]an describ$ 9      
clause 7ii7 %all be ! day ( receipt ( ! 
application !re=4  7ii7 ,a vet]an       
describ$ 9 ?is clause is a vet]an :o--  
7,i7 p>ticipat$ 9 ! secrecy oa? program 

at ,edgewood ,ars5al at ,ab]de5 ,prov+  
,gr\nd1 ,m>yl&1 at any "t dur+ ! p]iod  
beg9n+ on ,janu>y #a1 #aidh1 & end+ on  
,decemb] #ca1 #aige2 &  7,,ii7 submits  
to ! ,secret>y an application =         
disability comp5sation = a disability t 
0 incurr$ or aggravat$ 9 l9e ( duty 9 ! 
active milit>y1 naval1 air1 or space    
s]vice :ile p>ticipat+ 9 su* secrecy oa?
 program aft] ! date t is "o ye> aft] ! 
date on :i* notice is s5t to ! vet]an   
pursuant to section #d7;b77#b7 ( !      
,obligations to ,ab]de5's ,tru/$ ,h]oes 
,act ( #bjbd4  4  7b7 ,effective date & 
applicability  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,p>agraph  
7#e7 ( section #eaaj7;b7 ( su* title1 z 
add$ by subsection 7a71 %all take effect
 on ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act &    
%all apply to claims = disability       
comp5sation receiv$ on1 be=e1 or aft] ! 
date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act4  7#b7     
,modification ( prior aw>ds ,n lat] ?an 
#ij days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is 
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   
%all review all aw>ds made by !         

,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs on or be=e
 ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act (       
comp5sation "u *apt] #aa ( su* title to 
vet]ans = a disability t 0 incurr$ or   
aggravat$ 9 l9e ( duty 9 ! active       
milit>y1 naval1 air1 or space s]vice    
:ile p>ticipat+ 9 a secrecy oa? program 
7z def9$ 9 section #eajj ( su* title7 & 
adju/ su* aw>ds ( comp5sation su* t !   
claim = su* comp5sation is treat$ z if--
 7,a7 p>agraph 7#e77;,a7 ( section      
#eaaj7;b7 ( su* title1 z add$ by        
subsection 7a71 7 9 effect on ! date ( !
 fil+ ( ! claim = ! comp5sation2 &  7,b7
 application = su* comp5sation 0 receiv$
 9 compliance ) clause 7i7 ( su*        
p>agraph4