[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4571 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4571
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Under Secretary
for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mammography
screening for veterans who served in locations associated with toxic
exposure.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 20, 2021
Mrs. Miller-Meeks (for herself and Ms. Brownley) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans'
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Under Secretary
for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide mammography
screening for veterans who served in locations associated with toxic
exposure.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Expanded Review for
Veterans In Combat Environments Act of 2021'' or the ``SERVICE Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. REVISION OF BREAST CANCER MAMMOGRAPHY POLICY OF DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE MAMMOGRAPHY SCREENING FOR
VETERANS WHO SERVED IN LOCATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TOXIC
EXPOSURE.
(a) In General.--Section 7322 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``The'' and inserting
``In General.--The'';
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) by striking ``The'' and inserting ``Standards
for Screening.--The''; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``a record of
service in a location and during a period specified in
subsection (d),'' after ``risk factors,''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(c) Eligibility for Screening for Veterans Exposed to Toxic
Substances.--The Under Secretary for Health shall ensure that, under
the policy developed under subsection (a), any veteran who, during
active military, naval, or air service, was deployed in support of a
contingency operation in a location and during a period specified in
subsection (d), is eligible for a mammography screening by a health
care provider of the Department.
``(d) Locations and Periods Specified.--(1) The locations and
periods specified in this subsection are the following:
``(A) Iraq during following periods:
``(i) The period beginning on August 2, 1990, and
ending on February 28, 1991.
``(ii) The period beginning on March 19, 2003, and
ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn
pits are no longer used in Iraq.
``(B) The Southwest Asia theater of operations, other than
Iraq, during the period beginning on August 2, 1990, and ending
on such date as the Secretary determines burn pits are no
longer used in such location, including the following
locations:
``(i) Kuwait.
``(ii) Saudi Arabia.
``(iii) Oman.
``(iv) Qatar.
``(C) Afghanistan during the period beginning on September
11, 2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines
burn pits are no longer used in Afghanistan.
``(D) Djibouti during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn
pits are no longer used in Djibouti.
``(E) Syria during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn
pits are no longer used in Syria.
``(F) Jordan during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn
pits are no longer used in Jordan.
``(G) Egypt during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn
pits are no longer used in Egypt.
``(H) Lebanon during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn
pits are no longer used in Lebanon.
``(I) Yemen during the period beginning on September 11,
2001, and ending on such date as the Secretary determines burn
pits are no longer used in Yemen.
``(J) Such other locations and corresponding periods as set
forth by the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry
established 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).
``(K) Such other locations and corresponding periods as the
Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Defense, may
determine appropriate in a report submitted under paragraph
(2).
``(2) Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of
the Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans In Combat Environments Act
of 2021, and not less frequently than once every two years thereafter,
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in collaboration with the Secretary
of Defense, shall submit to Congress a report specifying other
locations and corresponding periods for purposes of paragraph (1)(K).
``(3) A location under this subsection shall not include any body
of water around or any airspace above such location.
``(4) In this subsection, the term `burn pit' means an area of land
that is used for disposal of solid waste by burning in the outdoor
air.''.
(b) Report on Breast Cancer Rates for Veterans Deployed to Certain
Areas.--Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report that
compares the rates of breast cancer among members of the Armed Forces
deployed to the locations and during the periods specified in section
7322(d) of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), as
compared to members of the Armed Forces who were not deployed to those
locations during those periods and to the civilian population.
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