Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/2322

 PUBLIC LAW 109–364—OCT. 17, 2006

120 STAT. 2291

(2) COSTS OF COLLABORATION.—The Secretary of Defense may reimburse the National Academy of Sciences up to $200,000 for costs of the Medical Follow-up Agency to collaborate with the Air Force in the transfer and receipt of the assets of the Air Force Health Study to the Agency during fiscal year 2007 from amounts available from the Department of Defense for that fiscal year. SEC. 715. STUDY ON ALLOWING DEPENDENTS OF ACTIVATED MEMBERS OF RESERVE COMPONENTS TO RETAIN CIVILIAN HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

(a) STUDY REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on the feasibility of allowing family members of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who are called or ordered to active duty in support of a contingency operation to continue health care coverage under a civilian health care program and provide reimbursement for such health care. (b) ELEMENTS.—The study required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) An assessment of the number of military dependents with special health care needs (such as ongoing chemotherapy or physical therapy) who would benefit from continued coverage under the member’s civilian health care plan instead of enrolling in the TRICARE program. (2) An assessment of the feasibility of providing reimbursement to the member or the sponsor of the civilian health coverage. (3) A recommendation on the appropriate rate of reimbursement for members or sponsors of civilian health coverage. (4) The feasibility of including dependents who do not have access to health care providers that accept payment under the TRICARE program. (c) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the study required under subsection (a). SEC. 716. STUDY OF HEALTH EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO DEPLETED URANIUM.

(a) STUDY.—The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary for Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall conduct a comprehensive study of the health effects of exposure to depleted uranium munitions on uranium-exposed soldiers and on children of uranium-exposed soldiers who were born after the exposure of the uranium-exposed soldiers to depleted uranium. (b) URANIUM-EXPOSED SOLDIERS.—In this section, the term ‘‘uranium-exposed soldiers’’ means a member or former member of the Armed Forces who handled, came in contact with, or had the likelihood of contact with depleted uranium munitions while on active duty, including members and former members who— (1) were exposed to smoke from fires resulting from the burning of vehicles containing depleted uranium munitions or fires at depots at which depleted uranium munitions were stored; (2) worked within environments containing depleted uranium dust or residues from depleted uranium munitions;

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