Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2016
Latest action. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 460.
Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2016
(Sec. 3) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to select a VA medical center to serve as the national center for research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of the biological children or grandchildren of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces that are related to such exposure.
The bill requires: (1) the Department of Defense (DOD) or the head of a federal agency to make available to the VA for review records held by DOD, an Armed Force, or that federal agency that might assist the VA in making determinations regarding individuals and descendents afflicted with an exposure-related health condition; (2) the VA and DOD or such agency head to jointly establish a mechanism for VA review of records; and (3) the national center to employ at least one licensed clinical social worker to coordinate access of individuals to appropriate social and health care programs and to handle case management.
(Sec. 4) The VA shall establish an Advisory Board to oversee and assess the national center and to advise the VA regarding the center's work.
The board shall report on its recommendations at least once a year.
(Sec. 5) DOD shall: (1) conduct a declassification review to determine what information may be made publicly available related to any known incident in which at least 100 members of the Armed Forces were exposed to a toxic substance that resulted in at least one case of a disability that an occupational medicine specialist has determined to be credibly associated with such substance; and (2) make such information available consistent with national security and limited to information necessary for determining whether an individual was exposed to such substance, the severity of exposure, and any potential health conditions resulting from such exposure.
(Sec. 6) The VA shall conduct a national outreach and education campaign directed toward members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their family members to communicate information on: (1) incidents of exposure of members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances, health conditions resulting from such exposure, and potential long-term effects; and (2) the national center for individuals eligible to participate in national center studies.
The summary continues for 1 more paragraph. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Reported to House amended, Part I" stage on May 24, 2016. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on May 24, 2016: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 460.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 114th Congress (2015-16), 329 of the 10,233 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 3.2 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Dan Benishek (R-MI) introduced it on April 14, 2015, and 201 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 117 Democrats, 84 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 14, 2015, 4167 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 3761 days ago, on May 24, 2016.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 114th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2017 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers