NewsBytes August 14, 2020
In this issue:
Veterans Toxic Exposure Bill Introduced
SVAC Passes legislation
Service Secretaries and Branch Chiefs Ask Return of MTFs
Veterans Toxic Exposure Bill Introduced
Exposure to toxins, whether herbicides or fumes of chemicals from a burn pit, has long been an issue facing certain service members both at home and abroad. Years of research has produced reports of the debilitating health problems and, in some cases, deaths attributed to exposure to these toxins.
Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) recently introduced a comprehensive bill to cover all possible toxicants developed by the TEAM (Toxic Exposure in the American Military) Coalition, which includes FRA, that would address every aspect of this issue. The Toxic Exposure in the American Military Act (TEAM Act S.4393), which would expand access to preventative and diagnostic services for veterans who were exposed to toxins and also establishes an independent scientific commission tasked with researching the health effects of such toxic exposure and then reporting its findings to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Congress. Below is a summary of the provisions of the TEAM Act:
• Provides consultation and testing through the VA for eligible veterans exposed to toxic substances;
• Requires the VA to respond to new scientific evidence regarding diseases associated with toxic exposure within an established timeframe;
• Establishes a scientific commission to research the health effects of toxic exposure in veterans and report the commission’s findings to the VA and Congress;
• Ensures the VA enters into agreements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct scientific studies regarding the association between diseases and exposure to toxic substances during military service;
• Develops a portal for veterans to access the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record;
• Expands training on toxic exposure issues for VA health care and benefits personnel; and
• Requires the VA to develop a questionnaire for primary care appointments to help them determine whether or not a veteran may have been exposed to toxic substances during their service.
The TEAM Act seeks to standardize and provide fair treatment of service members who were exposed to toxicants. The bill is schedule for markup in September, please use the Action Center to ask your Senators to support this important legislation.
SVAC Passes legislation
The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing to consider several legislative proposals dealing with issues such as mental health, toxic exposure, caring for women and Native American veterans, helping veteran-owned small business, among others.
Among the bipartisan bills that were passed, are the FRA-supported Deborah Sampson Act (S.514), which is a comprehensive bill that would assist females who are separating from military service with an emphasis placed on women who suffered service-related sexual trauma; females who are at risk of becoming homeless, and the Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act, which is similar to an amendment in the must-pass FY2021 NDAA, that is listed on the FRA Action Center. Members are encouraged to contact their Senators and weigh in on these and several other issues.
Service Secretaries and Branch Chiefs Ask Return of MTFs
Service Secretaries and Branch Chiefs of each military service have dispatched a memo to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper asking to return all military hospitals and clinics already transferred to the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and the suspension of any planned moves of personnel or resources. The military treatment facilities (MTF) transition to the DHA was required by the FY2017 NDAA (P.L. 114–328), as a result, the services have already handed over many of their facilities.
The DHA assumed management responsibilities from the services for all military hospitals and clinics, which was initiated to provide a more flexible, adaptable, effective and integrated system to manage the facilities. According to the memo, the COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated that the reform introduced barriers, created unnecessary complexity, and increased inefficiency and costs. The memo also requests the Department of Defense (DoD) to halt any further transfer of personnel or resources from the services to the DHA.
The DoD will continue with the transition as prescribed by the law. As part of the transition, the DoD initiated closures of some MTFs, which excludes retirees and military dependents access to MTF and made cuts to medical billets. The FRA strongly opposes the closing, restrictions and cuts to billets at MTFs, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Members are urged to use the FRA Action Center to contact their legislators to halt the MTF restrictions and cutting of billets.
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