Sec. 302. National center for research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of the descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances during service in the Armed Forces that are related to such service
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Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, in consultation with the Advisory Board established under section 303, select a medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs to serve as the national center for research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces that are related to such exposure (in this title referred to as the National Center ). The National Center shall be selected under paragraph
(1)from among medical centers of the Department with expertise described in subparagraph (B), or that are affiliated with research medical centers or teaching hospitals with such expertise, that seek to be selected under this section. The expertise described in this subparagraph is— expertise in diagnosing and treating functional and structural birth defects; or expertise in caring for individuals exposed to toxic substances and diagnosing and treating any health conditions resulting from such exposure. Preference for selection under paragraph
(1)shall be given to medical centers of the Department with expertise described in clauses
(i)and
(ii)of subparagraph (B), or that are affiliated with research medical centers or teaching hospitals with such expertise. The National Center shall conduct research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces that are related to that exposure. In conducting research under paragraph (1), the National Center shall study individuals, at the election of the individual, for whom the Secretary has made one of the following determinations: The individual is a descendant of an individual who served as a member of the Armed Forces; such member was exposed to a toxic substance while serving as a member of the Armed Forces; and such descendant is afflicted with a health condition that is related to the exposure of such member to such toxic substance. The individual was exposed to a toxic substance while serving as a member of the Armed Forces; and such individual is afflicted with a health condition that is related to the exposure of such individual to such toxic substance. The Secretary of Defense or the head of a Federal agency shall make available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for review records held by the Department of Defense, an Armed Force, or that Federal agency, as appropriate, that might assist the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in making the determinations required by paragraph (2). The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Defense or the head of the appropriate Federal agency shall jointly establish a mechanism for the availability and review of records by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under subparagraph (A). The National Center shall employ not less than one licensed clinical social worker to coordinate access of individuals to appropriate Federal, State, and local social and health care programs and to handle case management. The National Center shall reimburse any individual participating in a study pursuant to subsection (b), and any parent, guardian, spouse, or sibling who accompanies such individual, for the reasonable cost of— travel to the National Center for participation in such study; and room and board during the period in which such individual is participating in such study at the National Center. Not less frequently than annually, the National Center shall submit to Congress and the Advisory Board established under section 4 a report on the functions of the National Center during the year preceding the submittal of the report that includes a summary of the research efforts of the National Center that have been completed during such year and that are ongoing as of the date of the submittal of the report. Upon the request of any organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the National Center shall submit a copy of a report submitted under subparagraph
(A)to such organization. Not less frequently than quarterly, the National Center shall submit to the Advisory Board a report on the functions of the National Center during the quarter preceding the submittal of the report that includes the following: A summary of the research efforts of the National Center during such quarter. A description of any determinations made by the National Center pursuant to such research efforts regarding whether health conditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces are related to that exposure.