S.Amdt. 1666

SA 1666. Mr. CASEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1390, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2010 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for the defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 218, after line 21, add the following:

(h) Post-Deployment Health Assessments of Guard and Reserve Members.--

(1) In general.--The Secretary concerned shall administer a Post-Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA) to each member of a reserve component of the armed forces returning to the member's home station or county of residence from deployment in connection with a contingency operation within the following timeframes:

(A) In the case of a member of the Individual Ready Reserve, the assessment shall be administered by not later than the member's release from active duty following such deployment or 10 days after the member's return to such station or county, whichever occurs earlier.

(B) In the case of any other member of a reserve component of the armed forces returning from deployment, by not later than the member's release from active duty following such deployment.

(2) Performance by trained practitioners.--

(A) In general.--The Post-Deployment Health Assessment required under this subsection shall be performed by a practitioner trained and certified as qualified to participate in the performance of Post-Deployment Health Assessments or Post-Deployment Health Reassessments.

(B) Report on availability of trained personnel.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the availability of personnel described under subparagraph (A) to perform assessments pursuant to this subsection at the home stations or counties of residence of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces. If such personnel are not available at such locations, the Secretary shall indicate the additional resources necessary to ensure such availability within one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.