S.Amdt. 2933

SA 2933. Mr. TESTER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 2910 proposed by Mr. Shelby to the bill H.R. 5895, making
appropriations for energy and water development and related agencies
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of title II of division C, add the following:

SEC. 2__. CONDUCT OF RESEARCH INTO EFFECTS OF CANNABIS ON
HEALTH OUTCOMES OF CERTAIN VETERANS.

(a) Research Required.--In carrying out the
responsibilities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under
section 7303 of title 38, United States Code, the Secretary
may conduct and support research relating to the efficacy and
safety of forms of cannabis and methods of cannabis delivery
described in subsection (c) on the health outcomes of covered
veterans diagnosed with chronic pain, post-traumatic stress
disorder, and other conditions the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(b) Data Preservation.--Research conducted pursuant to
subsection (a) shall include a mechanism to ensure the
preservation of all data, including all data sets, collected
or used for purposes of the research required by subsection
(a) in a manner that will facilitate further research.
(c) Forms of Cannabis and Methods of Delivery to Be
Researched.--The forms of cannabis and methods of cannabis
delivery described in this subsection are--
(1) varying forms of cannabis, including--
(A) full plants and extracts;
(B) at least three different strains of cannabis with
significant variants in phenotypic traits and various ratios
of tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol in chemical
composition; and
(C) other chemical analogs of tetrahydrocannabinol; and
(2) varying methods of cannabis delivery, including topical
application, combustible and non-combustible inhalation, and
ingestion.
(d) Implementation.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall--
(1) develop a plan to implement this section and submit
such plan to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate
and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(2) issue any requests for proposals the Secretary
determines appropriate for such implementation.
(e) Reports.--During the five-year period beginning on the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit
periodically, but not less frequently than annually, to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives reports on the implementation of this
section.
(f) Covered Veteran Defined.--In this section, the term
``covered veteran'' means a veteran who is enrolled in the
patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans
Affairs under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code.
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