Sec. 331. Improvements relating to exposures to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances
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The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any periodic health assessment provided to a member of the Armed Forces includes an evaluation of whether the member has been— based or stationed at a military installation identified by the Department of Defense as a location with a known or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in which the member was based or stationed at the military installation; or exposed to such substances, including by evaluating any information in the health record of the member.
Section 1074f(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: An assessment of whether the member was— based or stationed at a military installation identified by the Department as a location with a known or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in which the member was based or stationed at the military installation; or exposed to such substances, including by assessing any information in the health record of the member. .
If a covered evaluation of a member of the Armed Forces results in a positive determination of potential exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to that member, during that covered evaluation, blood testing to determine and document potential exposure to such substances. The results of blood testing of a member of the Armed Forces conducted under paragraph
(1)shall be included in the health record of the member. The Secretary of Defense shall establish a registry of members of the Armed Forces who have been exposed to, or are suspected to have been exposed to, perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances. The Secretary shall include a member of the Armed Forces in the registry established under subparagraph
(A)if a covered evaluation of the member establishes that the member— was based or stationed at a location identified by the Department of Defense as a location with a known or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in which the member was based or stationed at the location; or was exposed to such substances. The results of any blood test conducted under subsection (b)(1) shall be included in the registry established under subparagraph
(A)for any member of the Armed Forces included in the registry. A member of the Armed Forces may elect not to be included in the registry established under subparagraph (A). The Secretary of Defense shall provide to a member of the Armed Forces additional information on perfluoroalkyl substances and polyfluoroalkyl substances and the potential impact of exposure to such substances if a covered evaluation of such member establishes that the member— was based or stationed at a location identified by the Department of Defense as a location with a known or suspected release of perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances during the period in which the member was based or stationed at the location; or was exposed to such substances. Nothing in this subsection may be construed to preclude eligibility of a veteran for benefits under the laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by reason of the exposure of the veteran to perfluoroalkyl substances or polyfluoroalkyl substances not being recorded in a covered evaluation. In this section, the term covered evaluation means the following: A periodic health assessment conducted in accordance with subsection (a)(1). A deployment assessment conducted under section 1074f(b)(2) of title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a)(2).