--'••^^^*- PUBLIC LAW 103-446—NOV. 2, 1994 108 STAT. 4649 (2) to reqiiire the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop at the earliest possible date case assessment strategies and definitions or diagnoses of such ilinesses; (3) to promote greater outreach to Persian Gulf War veterans and their farnilies to inform them of ongoing research activities, as well as the services and benefits to which they are currently entitled; and (4) to ensure that research activities and accompanying sttrveys of Persian Gulf War veterans are appropriately funded and undertaken by the Department of Veterans Affairs. SEC. 104. DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL EVALUATION PROTOCOL. 38 USC 1117 (a) UNIFORM MEDICAL EVALUATION PROTOCOL.—(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall develop and implement a uniform and comprehensive medical evaluation protocol that wili ensure appropriate medical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of Persian Gulf War veterans who are suffering from illnesses the origins of which are (as of the date of the enactment of this Act) vmknown and that may be attributable to service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. The protocol shall include an evaluation of complaints relating to illnesses involving the reproductive system. (2) If such a protocol is not implemented before the end of the 120-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, before the end of such period, submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report as to why such a protocol has not yet been developed. (3)(A) The Secretary shall ensure that the evaluation under the protocol developed under this section is available at all Department medical centers that have the capability of providing the medical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment required under the protocol. (B) The Secretary may enter into contracts with non-Department medical facilities for the provision of the evaluation under the protocol. (C) In the case of a veteran whose residence is distant from a medical center described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary may provide the evaluation through a Department medical center described in that subparagraph and, in such a case, may provide the veteran the travel and incidental expenses therefor pursuant to the provisions of section 111 of title 38, United States Code. (4)(A) If the Secretary is imable to diagnose the symptoms or illness of a veteran provided an evaluation, or if the symptoms or illness of a veteran do not respond to treatment provided by the Secretary, the Secretary may use the authority in section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, in order to provide for the veteran to receive diagnostic tests or treatment at a non-Department medical facihty that may have the capability of diagnosing or treating the symptoms or Ulness of the veteran. The Secretary may provide the veteran the travel and tQcidental expenses therefor pursuant to the provisions of section 111 of title 38, United States Code. (B) The Secretary shall request from each non-Department medical facility that examines or treats a veteran under tnis paragraph such information relating to the diagnosis or treatment as the Secretary considers appropriate.
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