A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of health care, rehabilitation, and related services to veterans suffering from trauma relating to a blast injury, and for other purposes.
Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) to establish and operate at least one, but not more than three, centers for research, education, and clinical activities on blast injuries.
Requires the Secretary to designate a center or centers upon the recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health subject to specified requirements and findings.
Requires the official within the central office of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) responsible for blast injury matters to establish a peer review panel to assess the scientific and clinical merits of proposals for the designation of centers.
Authorizes clinical and scientific investigation activities at each center to compete on a priority basis for the award of funds from amounts appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs for medical and prosthetics research.
Requires the Under Secretary for Health to ensure that useful information produced by the centers is disseminated throughout the VHA.
Gives responsibility for supervising operation of the centers to the official within the central office of the VHA responsible for blast injury matters.
Requires the Secretary to designate at least one center no later than January 1, 2005.
Directs the Secretary to submit reports on center activities to the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees.
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