US Congress House Bill 5680 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: Introduced on September 19 2014 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2014-10-28 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Health Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Veterans' Toxic Wounds Research Act of 2014 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a master registry of veterans who experienced toxic exposures while serving in the Armed Forces. Includes in the master registry the registries for: Agent Orange; exposure to toxins relating to a deployment during the Persian Gulf War; exposure to toxins relating to a deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom, or the Global War on Terror; exposure to toxins relating to a deployment to Bosnia, Somalia, or the Philippines; and exposure to toxins relating to being stationed at a military installation potentially contaminated by toxic substances. Directs the Secretary to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to review published scientific information and studies, and make recommendations for future research, on the health effects: (1) of the toxic exposures covered in those registries, and (2) on the children and grandchildren of veterans who had a toxic exposure covered in those registries. Requires those reviews to inform the Secretary's selection of research to be conducted or funded by the VA. Establishes a presumption of a service connection, for the purpose of veterans' disability and survivor benefits, for an illness that: the Secretary determines warrants such a presumption by reason of having a positive association with exposure to a toxic substance covered in the master registry; and becomes manifest, within the period the Secretary prescribes, in a veteran who experienced such exposure while serving in the Armed Forces. Requires the Secretary's service connection determinations to be based on sound medical and scientific evidence that a positive association exists between: (1) the exposure of humans or animals to a toxic substance covered in the master registry, and (2) the occurrence of a diagnosed or undiagnosed illness in humans or animals. Directs the Secretary, in implementing the VA's electronic health record system, to include specified information in each individual's electronic health record, including whether the individual served in the Armed Forces and, if so, the locations and dates of such service.

Veterans' Toxic Wounds Research Act of 2014

Rep. Timothy Walz [D-MN]

Rep. Joyce Beatty [D-OH]

Rep. Steve Cohen [D-TN]

Date	Chamber	Action
2014-10-28	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
2014-09-19	House	Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/5680/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr5680/BILLS-113hr5680ih.pdf