H.R. 8115

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8115 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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.''.
<all>