§1176 Agreement with National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Concerning Toxic Exposures

Summary

The Secretary must try to make a five-year agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to review the science about diseases and toxic exposures that happened during active military, naval, air, or space service. The Secretary must try to start that agreement within 60 days after the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 became law. The agreement can be renewed in five-year increments. Under the agreement, the Academies will gather and summarize the scientific evidence about each disease thought to be linked to toxic exposures. They must say whether a link exists, how much the risk increases, whether a biological reason makes the link plausible, and how strong the evidence is using the VA’s evidence categories (see section 1173). Federal agencies must cooperate. The Academies will recommend more studies if needed, weighing what is already known, what new studies could show, and the cost and feasibility. They must give an initial report to the Secretary and the Veterans’ Affairs committees in Congress within one year of the Act, including their findings, the reasons for them, and any study recommendations, and then provide updates at least every two years. If the Secretary cannot reach acceptable terms with the Academies in the required time, the Secretary must try to contract with another similar nonprofit scientific organization, and that organization will take the Academies’ place for this work.