S.Amdt. 1941

SA 1941. Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. Rounds, Ms. Duckworth, Mr.
Sullivan, Mr. Coons, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Menendez, Mrs.
Blackburn, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Booker) submitted an amendment intended
to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations
for fiscal year 2021 for military activities of the Department of
Defense, for military construction, and for 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:

At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

SEC. 7__. EXPOSURE TO OPEN BURN PITS AND TOXIC AIRBORNE
CHEMICALS OR OTHER AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS AS
PART OF HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE
ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS DURING A PANDEMIC AND
INCLUSION OF INFORMATION IN REGISTRY.

(a) Health Assessment.--The Secretary of Defense and
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the first
health assessment conducted for a member of the Armed Forces
or veteran after the individual tested positive for a virus
certified by the Federal government as a pandemic includes an
evaluation of whether the individual has been--
(1) based or stationed at a location where an open burn pit
was used; or
(2) exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other airborne
contaminants relating to service in the Armed Forces,
including an evaluation of any information recorded as part
of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry.
(b) Inclusion of Individuals in Registry.--If an evaluation
conducted under subsection (a) with respect to an individual
establishes that the individual was based or stationed at a
location where an open burn pit was used, or that the
individual was exposed to toxic airborne chemicals or other
airborne contaminants, the individual shall be enrolled in
the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry unless the
member elects to not enroll in such registry.
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to preclude eligibility of a veteran for benefits
under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs by reason of the history of exposure of the veteran
to an open burn pit not being recorded in an evaluation
conducted under subsection (a).
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Airborne hazards and open burn pit registry.--The term
``Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry'' means the
registry established by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
under section 201 of the Dignified Burial and Other Veterans'
Benefits Improvement Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-260; 38
U.S.C. 527 note).
(2) Open burn pit.--The term ``open burn pit'' has the
meaning given that term in section 201(c) of the Dignified
Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012
(Public Law 112-260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note).

SEC. 7__. STUDY ON IMPACT OF VIRAL PANDEMICS ON MEMBERS OF
ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED
TOXIC EXPOSURE.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
conduct a study, through the Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits
Center of Excellence (in this section referred to as the
``Center''), on the health impacts of infection with a virus
designated as a global pandemic, including a coronavirus, to
members of the Armed Forces and veterans who have been
exposed to open burn pits and other toxic exposures for the
purposes of understanding the health impacts of the virus and
whether individuals infected with the virus are at increased
risk of severe symptoms due to previous conditions linked to
toxic exposure.
(b) Preparation for Future Pandemic.--The Secretary,
through the Center, shall analyze potential lessons learned
through the study conducted under subsection (a) to assist in
preparing the Department of Veterans Affairs for potential
future pandemics.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Coronavirus.--The term ``coronavirus'' has the meaning
given that term in section 506 of the Coronavirus
Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2020 (Public Law 116-123).
(2) Open burn pit.--The term ``open burn pit'' has the
meaning given that term in section 201(c) of the Dignified
Burial and Other Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2012
(Public Law 112-260; 38 U.S.C. 527 note).
______