§1172 Annual notice and opportunity for public comment

Summary

The Secretary must, not less frequently than once each year, publish in the Federal Register a notice saying which formal evaluations of military environmental exposures and health problems are planned, explain why each was chosen, and ask the public to comment. The Secretary must consider all comments, publish a response, hold an open public meeting for each notice, and work with veterans service organizations and other stakeholders not less frequently than quarterly, giving their advice weight. Not listing an exposure or health effect in a notice does not stop the Secretary from later starting an evaluation. The Secretary must create a Working Group inside the Department that includes staff from the Veterans Health Administration and the Veterans Benefits Administration. The Working Group must review and monitor suspected and known toxic exposures of veterans and their dependents from active service, using scientific studies, media reports, information from veterans, and information from Congress. It must look for new or emerging exposures, may act on public comments, periodically check the accuracy of the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record with the Department of Defense, and may recommend formal evaluations if the research could change how an exposure is linked to health problems or could change covered periods or locations. Not less frequently than once each year, the Working Group must send a public report to the Secretary and the Veterans’ Affairs committees of the Senate and House with its recommendations. The Secretary must, not later than 30 days after getting the report, begin a formal evaluation under the law’s evaluation process.