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Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a Blast Overpressure Task Force.
Summary
- Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a Blast Overpressure Task Force within 180 days through the VA-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee
- Directs the Task Force to improve health care and benefits for veterans and service members with traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions resulting from blast exposure
- Requires the Task Force to align research agendas, establish performance baselines, and prioritize translational research on blast-related injuries including sleep therapy, gut health, vestibular dysfunction, and neuroinflammation
- Directs the Task Force to monitor sensory decline and stress-related impairments and support continuity of care through mobile and longitudinal diagnostic tools
- Requires annual reports to Congress with details of research initiatives, coordination outcomes, clinical advancements, and recommendations for evaluating blast-related claims and neurological injuries in benefits examinations
- Establishes a sunset date of September 30, 2029 for the Task Force
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
22 cosponsors
- Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large] (R-AS)
- Rep. Alford, Mark [R-MO-4] (R-MO)
- Rep. Begich, Nicholas J. [R-AK-At Large] (R-AK)
- Rep. Edwards, Chuck [R-NC-11] (R-NC)
- Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11] (D-IL)
- Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2] (D-NH)
- Rep. Guest, Michael [R-MS-3] (R-MS)
- Rep. Kean, Thomas H. [R-NJ-7] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Kiggans, Jennifer A. [R-VA-2] (R-VA)
- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY)
- Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2] (D-RI)
- Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large] (D-DE)
- Rep. Moore, Blake D. [R-UT-1] (R-UT)
- Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11] (R-TX)
- Rep. Rose, John W. [R-TN-6] (R-TN)
- Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] (R-NJ)
- Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8] (R-MN)
- Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7] (R-WI)
- Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45] (D-CA)
- Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24] (R-TX)
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA)
- Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11] (D-VA)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Ronny Jackson’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- DEASON CAPITAL SERVICES $13,200
- ALBERS AEROSPACE $10,900
- HILLWOOD $9,100
- GTN TECHNICAL STAFFING $7,567
- 1A AUTO $6,850
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Ronny Jackson → · Outside spending →
Actions (8)
- May 14, 2026 Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote. · house
- May 14, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Apr 16, 2026 Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote. · house
- Apr 16, 2026 Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Jan 13, 2026 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Jan 5, 2026 Referred to the Subcommittee on Health. · house
- Dec 4, 2025 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. · house
- Dec 4, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Text versions (1)
Bills are re-published as they move (Introduced → Reported → Engrossed → Enrolled …). Each stage below is a separate text; pick two to see what changed. Data from Congress.gov.
Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 4, 2025
Mr. Jackson of Texas (for himself, Mr. Alford, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, and Mr. Tiffany) 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 direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a Blast Overpressure Task Force.
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 “Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act”.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BLAST OVERPRESSURE TASK FORCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Establishment.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish, through the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee under section 320 of title 38, United States Code, the Blast Overpressure Task Force of the Department of Veterans Affairs (in this section referred to as the “Task Force”).
(b) Duties.—The duties of the Task Force are the following:
(1) To improve how the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, provides health care and other benefits to veterans or members of the Armed Forces diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other symptoms, from blast overpressure or blast exposure.
(2) To align research agendas and acquisition strategies of the Department regarding such health care.
(3) To establish physiological and cognitive performance baselines for such veterans and members.
(4) To prioritize translational research regarding such veterans and members, including research regarding—
(A) sleep therapy;
(B) blast-related gut health;
(C) mobile diagnostics;
(D) vestibular dysfunction and balance impairment;
(E) autonomic nervous system dysregulation;
(F) cumulative mild traumatic brain injury;
(G) neuroinflammation and glial activation; and
(H) any other issue determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(5) To monitor sensory decline (including with regards to vision, hearing, and vestibular function) and stress-related impairments among such veterans and members.
(6) To support continuity of such care by integrating mobile and longitudinal diagnostic tools.
(c) Reports.—The Task Force shall issue annual reports to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives. Each such report shall include the following elements:
(1) Details of research initiatives, coordination outcomes, and clinical advancements of the Task Force.
(2) Recommendations of the Task Force regarding—
(A) how claims processors of the Department of Veterans Affairs should evaluate evidence that links such conditions to active military, naval, air, or space service; and
(B) best practices regarding the evaluation of neurological injuries in examinations for benefits under chapters 11 or 15 of title 38, United States Code.
(d) Sunset.—The Task Force shall terminate on September 30, 2029. <all>
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