Assessment and program on use of radiation-shielding personal protective equipment to prevent or reduce the severity of acute radiation syndrome and associated mortality

(a) Assessment Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, acting through the Director of the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, shall submit to the congressional defense committees an assessment of whether targeted protection of bone marrow using gamma radiation-shielding personal protective equipment is likely to reduce the risk of acute radiation syndrome by reducing the severity of radiation-induced health effects, improving survivability in high-dose radiation environments, or both. (b) Program If the assessment under subsection (a) finds that protecting bone marrow using gamma radiation-shielding personal protective equipment is likely to reduce the risk of acute radiation syndrome by reducing the severity of radiation-induced health effects, improving survivability in high-dose radiation environments, or both, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop requirements and an acquisition plan for the procurement, prepositioning, and maintenance of gamma radiation-shielding personal protective equipment for use by covered personnel. (c) Elements In carrying out the program under subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall— (1) develop requirements for the procurement, prepositioning, and maintenance of gamma radiation-shielding personal protective equipment designed to protect bone marrow; (2) an acquisition plan, including estimated costs, for the procurement, prepositioning, and maintenance of gamma radiation-shielding personal protective equipment designed to protect bone marrow; and (3) consider, in coordination with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of the combatant commands— (A) the number of covered personnel who are deployed in areas in which the use of tactical nuclear weapons is a substantial threat; (B) the number of covered personnel who are deployed in areas in which potential nuclear reactor emergencies may pose a substantial threat; (C) the operational requirements of the Department of Defense; (D) appropriate doctrine, training, and operational plans for effective use of such personal protective equipment; (E) a feasible schedule for implementation of the program; and (F) approaches that could complement carrying out the program on medical countermeasures pursuant to section 734 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note). (d) Covered personnel defined In this section, the term covered personnel means— (1) members of the Armed Forces deployed either inside or outside the United States; (2) civilian employees of the Department of Defense deployed outside the United States; and (3) civilian employees of the Department of Defense and members of the Armed Forces stationed in the National Capital Region (as defined in section 2674 of title 10, United States Code) responsible for the chemical, biological, and nuclear defense mission.