[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8115 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8115
To modify the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 26, 2026
Mrs. Miller-Meeks introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on
Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To modify the Precision Medicine for Veterans Initiative of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Precision Brain Health Research Act
of 2026''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF PRECISION MEDICINE FOR VETERANS INITIATIVE.
Section 305 of the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental
Health Care Improvement Act of 2019 (38 U.S.C. 1712A note; Public Law
116-171) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``and such other mental
health conditions'' and inserting ``repetitive low-level blast
exposure, dementia, and such other brain and mental health
conditions'';
(2) in subsection (d)(4), by adding at the end the
following new subparagraph:
``(E) Data-sharing partnership.--
``(i) In general.--Not later than one year
after the date of the enactment of the
Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2026,
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the
Secretary of Defense shall establish a data-
sharing partnership between the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.
``(ii) Storage.--The partnership
established under clause (i) shall be stored in
the open platform made available under this
paragraph.
``(iii) Data.--The data supplied by the
Secretary of Defense shall include all relevant
data of the Department of Defense, collected
through--
``(I) the Armed Forces;
``(II) the United States Special
Operations Command; and
``(III) the Long-Term Impact of
Military-Relevant Brain Injury
Consortium Chronic Effects of
Neurotrauma Consortium maintained by
the Defense Health Agency.
``(iv) Report.--Every two years during the
period beginning on the date of the
establishment of the partnership under this
subparagraph and ending on the day when the
partnership terminates, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
House of Representatives a report regarding the
partnership. Each such report shall include,
with respect to the period of two years
preceding the date of such report, the
following elements:
``(I) A description of any new
therapy or treatment protocol developed
using data shared through the
partnership.
``(II) The evaluation of the
Secretary of the partnership.
``(III) Recommendations of the
Secretary regarding the partnership.'';
and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subsections:
``(f) Repetitive Low-level Blast Exposure Research.--In carrying
out the initiative under subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall conduct the following research:
``(1) A big-data assessment of the clinical and non-
clinical interventions that are illustrating positive outcomes
for patients within the health system of the Veterans Health
Administration with likely low-level repetitive blast injuries,
including a categorization of military occupational
specialties, and units, known to experience higher levels of
low-level repetitive blast injuries.
``(2) Not fewer than two large-scale implementation studies
of research-proven interventions within such health system for
patients with likely low-level repetitive blast injuries,
including a categorization of military occupational
specialties, and units, known to experience higher levels of
low-level repetitive blast injuries.
``(3) A translational research study on the use of growth
hormone replacement therapy on the improvement of cognitive
function, quality of life, brain structure, and other negative
symptoms on patients within such health system with likely low-
level repetitive blast injuries.
``(4) Not fewer than four large-scale quality improvement
studies on improving the diagnosis and care of veteran patients
with likely low-level repetitive blast injuries.
``(g) Assistance and Report by National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine.--Not later than 60 days after the date of
the enactment of the Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2026, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter into a contract with
the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under
which the National Academies shall--
``(1) work in tandem with the initiative under subsection
(a) on validation of brain and mental health biomarkers among
veterans; and
``(2) not less frequently than once every two years, submit
to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives
a report on the work completed under paragraph (1).
``(h) Assessment.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
conduct an assessment of all translational research studies in
progress and planned under the initiative under subsection (a),
including research under subsection (f).
``(2) Report.--Not later than 60 days after completion of
the assessment conducted under paragraph (1), the Secretary
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report on the assessment.
``(i) Reports.--
``(1) In general.--Not less frequently than once every two
years, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report
on the initiative under subsection (a).
``(2) Recommendations.--Each report required by paragraph
(1) shall include recommendations for immediate administrative
and legislative action to improve the initiative under
subsection (a).
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs $5,000,000 to carry
out the initiative under subsection (a) for each of fiscal years 2025
through 2030.''.
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