Bill Sponsor
Senate Bill 319
115th Congress(2017-2018)
Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Feb 6, 2017
Overview
Text
Introduced
Feb 6, 2017
Latest Action
Feb 6, 2017
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
319
Congress
115
Policy Area
Armed Forces and National Security
Armed Forces and National Security
Primary focus of measure is military operations and spending, facilities, procurement and weapons, personnel, intelligence; strategic materials; war and emergency powers; veterans’ issues. Measures concerning alliances and collective security, arms sales and military assistance, or arms control may fall under International Affairs policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Democrat
Minnesota
Democrat
Connecticut
Democrat
Delaware
Democrat
Massachusetts
Democrat
Massachusetts
Democrat
Michigan
Democrat
Minnesota
Democrat
Minnesota
Democrat
New Jersey
Democrat
New Jersey
Republican
North Carolina
Democrat
Rhode Island
Republican
South Dakota
Democrat
Wisconsin
Senate Votes (0)
House Votes (0)
No Senate votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits Act

This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a center of excellence in the prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, and rehabilitation of health conditions relating to exposure to burn pits and other environmental exposures in Afghanistan or Iraq.

The VA shall, in selecting the center's site, consider entities that:

  • are equipped with the specialized equipment needed to study, diagnose, and treat health conditions relating to such exposure;
  • have a track record of publishing information on post-deployment health exposures among veterans who served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom;
  • have access to animal models and in vitro models of dust immunology and lung injury consistent with the injuries of members of the Armed Forces who served in support of such operations; and
  • have expertise in allergy, immunology, and pulmonary diseases.

The VA shall ensure that the center collaborates with the Department of Defense (DOD), institutions of higher education, and other appropriate public and private entities to:

  • provide for dissemination within the VA of best practices for the treatment of such conditions and the training of health professionals,
  • provide guidance for the VA and DOD health systems in determining the personnel required to provide quality health care for members of the Armed Forces and veterans with such conditions,
  • establish, and oversee a program to train VA and DOD health professionals in the treatment of such conditions,
  • facilitate advancements in the study of the short-term and long-term effects of such exposure,
  • conduct basic science and translational research on such conditions for the purposes of understanding the etiology of such conditions and developing preventive interventions and new treatments, and
  • provide medical treatment to veterans diagnosed with medical conditions specific to exposure to burn pits and other environmental exposures.

The center shall have access to and make use of the data accumulated by the burn pits registry.

Text (1)
February 6, 2017
Actions (2)
02/06/2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
02/06/2017
Introduced in Senate
Public Record
Record Updated
Jan 11, 2023 1:34:49 PM