Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act
Sponsored By: Senator Banks, Jim [R-IN]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a time-limited VA–DoD task force to coordinate research, clinical care, and benefits evaluation for veterans and service members exposed to blast overpressure.
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- Would guide how the VA provides health care and other benefits to people diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other symptoms from blast overpressure. It would set physiological and cognitive baselines and monitor vision, hearing, and balance.
- Would align VA research agendas and acquisition strategies and prioritize translational research on sleep therapy, blast-related gut health, mobile diagnostics, vestibular dysfunction, autonomic nervous system dysregulation, cumulative mild traumatic brain injury, and neuroinflammation and glial activation.
- Would report to congressional veterans and armed services committees starting within one year of establishment and annually after that, including recommendations on how VA claims processors should evaluate evidence linking these conditions to active military service and best practices for neurological exams for benefits.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Blast overpressure task force for veterans
If enacted, the Department of Veterans Affairs would set up a Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force within 180 days. Members would be appointed through the VA–DoD Joint Executive Committee and must be on the VA Health Executive Committee and doing blast mitigation or treatment research. The Task Force would work to improve VA health care and benefits decisions for veterans and service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, PTSD, or other blast-related symptoms. It would align VA research and acquisition, set physiological and cognitive baselines, monitor vision, hearing, balance, and stress-related decline, and support mobile and longitudinal diagnostic tools. The Task Force would prioritize translational research on sleep therapy, blast-related gut health, mobile diagnostics, vestibular dysfunction and balance, autonomic nervous system issues, cumulative mild traumatic brain injury, and neuroinflammation. It would send its first report to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs and Armed Services committees within one year of starting and at least annually after that. Reports would include research progress and recommendations on how VA claims processors should link studied conditions to active service and on best practices for neurological exams under chapters 11 and 15 of title 38. The Task Force would end on September 30, 2029.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Banks, Jim [R-IN]
IN • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov