116th CONGRESS 2d Session |
To direct the Secretary of Defense to include information on exposure to open burn pits in postdeployment health reassessments of members of the Armed Forces.
July 13, 2020
Mr. Ruiz (for himself and Mr. Welch) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services
To direct the Secretary of Defense to include information on exposure to open burn pits in postdeployment health reassessments of members of the Armed Forces.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Inclusion of information on exposure to open burn pits in postdeployment health reassessments.
(a) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall include in postdeployment health reassessments conducted under section 1074f of title 10, United States Code, pursuant to a Department of Defense Form 2796, or successor form, an independent and conspicuous question regarding exposure of members of the Armed Forces to open burn pits.
(b) Inclusion in assessments by military departments.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Secretary of each military department includes a question regarding exposure of members of the Armed Forces to open burn pits in any electronic postdeployment health assessment conducted by that military department.
(c) Open burn pit defined.—In this section, 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).