Travel Trailer Residents' Health Registry Act - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS Secretary) to: (1) establish and maintain a health registry for individuals exposed to formaldehyde in temporary housing units provided by the government when displaced by a major disaster that occurred between August 29, 2005, and January 1, 2008; (2) include in the registry information the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS Secretary) determines is necessary to ascertain and monitor the health effects of such exposure; (3) develop a public information campaign to inform eligible individuals about the registry; and (4) periodically notify such individuals of significant developments in the study and treatment of conditions associated with exposure.
Directs the DHS Secretary to contract with the HHS Secretary to provide health examinations, consultations, and mental health counseling free of charge to each eligible individual.
Requires the HHS Secretary to contract with an independent scientific organization to report to Congress on: (1) the effectiveness of actions taken to collect and maintain information on the health consequences of such exposure; (2) recommendations to improve such collection and maintenance; and (3) the most effective and prudent means of addressing medical needs of eligible individuals.
Requires: (1) such health consultation and mental health counseling to provide to each eligible individual information on examination results and on developments; and (2) the Secretary to commence an epidemiological study of the immediate and long-term effects of such exposure sufficient to further understand the medical needs of eligible individuals.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 5897 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5897
To establish a health registry to ensure that certain individuals who
may have been exposed to formaldehyde in a travel trailer have an
opportunity to register for such registry and receive medical treatment
for such exposure, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 24, 2008
Mr. Barrow (for himself, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, and Mr. Towns)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a health registry to ensure that certain individuals who
may have been exposed to formaldehyde in a travel trailer have an
opportunity to register for such registry and receive medical treatment
for such exposure, and for other purposes.
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 ``Travel Trailer Residents' Health
Registry Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF REGISTRY.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary
of Health and Human Services, shall--
(1) establish and maintain a health registry for eligible
individuals who may have been exposed to formaldehyde in a
travel trailer;
(2) include any information in such registry that the
Secretary of Health and Human Services determines necessary to
ascertain and monitor the health effects of the exposure to
formaldehyde in a travel trailer by eligible individuals;
(3) develop a public information campaign to inform
eligible individuals about the health registry, including how
and where to register and the benefits of registering; and
(4) periodically notify eligible individuals of significant
developments in the study and treatment of conditions
associated with exposure to formaldehyde.
SEC. 3. TREATMENT AND STUDY OF HEALTH EFFECTS.
(a) Examination of Eligible Individuals.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall
enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human
Services to provide initial and ongoing health examinations,
consultations, and mental health counseling free of charge to
each eligible individual for the purposes of--
(A) assisting eligible individuals with any health
effects associated with exposure to formaldehyde in a
travel trailer;
(B) ascertaining and monitoring the health effects
on each eligible individual of exposure to formaldehyde
in such a trailer; and
(C) completing the epidemiological study required
under subsection (b).
(2) Information feedback.--Such health consultation and
mental health counseling described in paragraph (1) shall
provide to each eligible individual information regarding the
examination results for such individual, as well as any
available information concerning ongoing developments in the
study and treatment of conditions associated with exposure to
formaldehyde.
(b) Epidemiological Study.--Not later than 90 days after the
establishment of the health registry under section 2, the Secretary of
Health and Human Services shall commence an epidemiological study of
the immediate and long-term effects of exposure to formaldehyde in a
travel trailer sufficient to further understand the immediate and long-
term medical needs of eligible individuals.
SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
(a) Report by Independent Scientific Organization.--The Secretary
of Health and Human Services shall enter into an agreement with an
independent scientific organization to submit a report to Congress, not
later than 18 months after the establishment of the registry,
containing the following:
(1) Effectiveness of secretaries.--An assessment of the
effectiveness of actions taken by the Secretaries of the
Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health
and Human Services to collect and maintain information on the
health consequences of exposure to formaldehyde in a travel
trailer.
(2) Collection and maintenance.--Recommendations to improve
the collection and maintenance of such information.
(3) Medical needs.--Using the ongoing epidemiological study
under section 3(b), recommendations regarding the most
effective and prudent means of addressing the medical needs of
eligible individuals, as such needs relate to conditions likely
to result from exposure to formaldehyde in a travel trailer.
SEC. 5. FUNDING.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Travel Trailers.--For the purposes of this Act, the term
``travel trailer'' means any temporary housing unit provided by the
Federal Government to individuals displaced by a major disaster that
occurred between August 29, 2005, and January 1, 2008.
(b) Eligible Individuals.--For the purposes of this Act, the term
``eligible individual'' means any individual who--
(1) lawfully resided in a travel trailer; and
(2) applied or applies for inclusion on the health registry
established pursuant to this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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