S.Amdt. 3049

1. Adds SEC. 1084. ESTABLISHMENT OF OPEN BURN PIT REGISTRY at the end of subtitle H of title X

   Adds a section

   In S. 3254 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (2) to strongly urge the Department of Defense to investigate innovative mechanisms (subject to all appropriate security requirements) to access to the pool of talent of non- United States citizens with advanced scientific and technical degrees from United States institutions of higher education, especially in those scientific and technical areas that are most vital to the national defense (such as those identified by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Armed Forces).

   Inserted: SEC. 1084. ESTABLISHMENT OF OPEN BURN PIT REGISTRY.

   Inserted: (a) Establishment of Registry.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall--

   Inserted: (1) establish and maintain an open burn pit registry for eligible individuals who may have been exposed to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits;

   Inserted: (2) include any information in such registry that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines necessary to ascertain and monitor the health effects of the exposure of members of the Armed Forces to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits;

   Inserted: (3) develop a public information campaign to inform eligible individuals about the open burn pit registry, including how to register and the benefits of registering; and

   Inserted: (4) periodically notify eligible individuals of significant developments in the study and treatment of conditions associated with exposure to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits.

   Inserted: (b) Report to Congress.--

   Inserted: (1) Reports by independent scientific organization.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into an agreement with an independent scientific organization to prepare reports as follows:

   Inserted: (A) Not later than two years after the date on which the registry under subsection (a) is established, an initial report containing the following:

   Inserted: (i) An assessment of the effectiveness of actions taken by the Secretaries to collect and maintain information on the health effects of exposure to toxic airborne chemicals and fumes caused by open burn pits.

   Inserted: (ii) Recommendations to improve the collection and maintenance of such information.

   Inserted: (iii) Using established and previously published epidemiological studies, recommendations regarding the most effective and prudent means of addressing the medical needs of eligible individuals with respect to conditions that are likely to result from exposure to open burn pits.

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   Inserted: (B) Not later than five years after completing the initial report described in subparagraph (A), a follow-up report containing the following:

   Inserted: (i) An update to the initial report described in subparagraph (A).

   Inserted: (ii) An assessment of whether and to what degree the content of the registry established under subsection (a) is current and scientifically up-to-date.

   Inserted: (2) Submittal to congress.--

   Inserted: (A) Initial report.--Not later than two years after the date on which the registry under subsection (a) is established, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress the initial report prepared under paragraph (1)(A).

   Inserted: (B) Follow-up report.--Not later than five years after submitting the report under subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress the follow-up report prepared under paragraph (1)(B).

   Inserted: (3) Cooperation by secretary of defense.--

   Inserted: (A) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall cooperate with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the organization with whom the Secretary of Veterans Affairs enters into an agreement under paragraph (1) in the preparation of the reports required by such paragraph.

   Inserted: (B) Provision of data.--In cooperating as required by subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Defense shall provide the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the organization described in such subparagraph with any and all data that is possessed or obtainable by the Secretary of Defense that is relevant to the preparation of the reports required by paragraph (1).

   Inserted: (c) Definitions.--In this section:

   Inserted: (1) Eligible individual.--The term "eligible individual" means any individual who, on or after September 11, 2001--

   Inserted: (A) was deployed in support of a contingency operation while serving in the Armed Forces; and

   Inserted: (B) during such deployment, was based or stationed at a location where an open burn pit was used.

   Inserted: (2) Open burn pit.--The term "open burn pit" means an area of land located in Afghanistan or Iraq that--

   Inserted: (A) is designated by the Secretary of Defense to be used for disposing solid waste by burning in the outdoor air; and

   Inserted: (B) does not contain a commercially manufactured incinerator or other equipment specifically designed and manufactured for the burning of solid waste.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle H of title X, add the following:

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As printed