A bill to amend the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 to authorize the provision of compensation to personnel of the Central Intelligence Agency who incur disabilities resulting from certain injuries to the brain, to authorize the provision of compensation to personnel of the Department of State who incur similar disabilities, and for other purposes.

#4973 | S Congress #116

Subjects:

Last Action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. (12/8/2020)

Bill Text Source: Congress.gov

Summary and Impacts
Original Text

Bill Summary

This bill seeks to amend the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 to provide compensation to personnel of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of State who incur disabilities resulting from certain injuries to the brain. It also requires a report to be submitted to the congressional intelligence committees and the Committee on Foreign Relations and Committee on Foreign Affairs, assessing the use of this authority and potential need for additional authorities. This bill also makes clarifying amendments to existing legislation related to compensation for disabilities resulting from injuries to the brain.

Possible Impacts


1. This legislation could affect people working for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of State who have suffered brain injuries while on the job. They may be entitled to compensation for their disability under this bill.
2. The legislation could also affect the families of individuals who work for the CIA or State Department, as they may be considered "covered dependents" and could also receive compensation for disabilities resulting from injuries to the brain.
3. The report required by this legislation may also impact the decision-making process for future legislation or administrative action related to providing compensation for disabilities resulting from other types of injuries, such as those to the back or heart.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4973 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4973

 To amend the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 to authorize the 
  provision of compensation to personnel of the Central Intelligence 
 Agency who incur disabilities resulting from certain injuries to the 
 brain, to authorize the provision of compensation to personnel of the 
   Department of State who incur similar disabilities, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 8, 2020

  Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Warner, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. 
  King, Mr. Sasse, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Burr, Mr. Bennet, and Mr. Cotton) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
        Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 to authorize the 
  provision of compensation to personnel of the Central Intelligence 
 Agency who incur disabilities resulting from certain injuries to the 
 brain, to authorize the provision of compensation to personnel of the 
   Department of State who incur similar disabilities, 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. AUTHORITY TO COMPENSATE PERSONNEL OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE 
              AGENCY FOR DISABILITIES RESULTING FROM CERTAIN INJURIES 
              TO THE BRAIN.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Congressional intelligence committees.--The term 
        ``congressional intelligence committees'' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 
        U.S.C. 3003).
            (2) Covered dependent, covered employee, covered 
        individual, and qualifying injury.--The terms ``covered 
        dependent'', ``covered employee'', ``covered individual'', and 
        ``qualifying injury'' have the meanings given such terms in 
        section 19A(a) of the Central Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 
        (50 U.S.C. 3519b(a)).
    (b) Compensation Authorized.--Section 19A of the Central 
Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. 3519b) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(d) Authority To Compensate for Disabilities Resulting From 
Qualifying Injuries to the Brain.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, the Director may provide compensation to a covered dependent, a 
covered employee, and a covered individual who has a partial or total 
disability--
            ``(1) resulting from a qualifying injury to the brain; and
            ``(2) for which the covered dependent, covered employee, or 
        covered individual is not entitled to receive monthly 
        compensation under section 8105 or 8106 of title 5, United 
        States Code.''.
    (c) Applicability.--Subsection (d) of such section, as added by 
subsection (b) of this section, shall apply with respect to a 
disability resulting from a qualifying injury that occurs before, on, 
or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (d) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Central 
        Intelligence Agency shall submit to the congressional 
        intelligence committees a report on the use of the authority 
        provided by section 19A(d) of such Act, as added by subsection 
        (b) of this section.
            (2) Contents.--The report submitted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) A budget for the use of the authority described 
                in paragraph (1).
                    (B) Information relating to the use of the 
                authority described in paragraph (1).
                    (C) An assessment of whether any other legislative 
                or administrative action is required to ensure that 
                covered dependents, covered employees, and covered 
                individuals can receive compensation for any disability 
                resulting from a qualifying injury, such as a 
                qualifying injury to the back or heart.
            (3) Classified annex.--The report submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include a classified annex that includes the budget 
        and information included under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
        paragraph (2).
    (e) Clarifying Amendment.--Section 19A(b) of the Central 
Intelligence Agency Act of 1949 (50 U.S.C. 3519b(b)) is amended, in the 
subsection heading, by inserting ``Total Disability Resulting From'' 
before ``Certain Injuries''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO COMPENSATE PERSONNEL OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE FOR 
              DISABILITIES RESULTING FROM CERTAIN INJURIES TO THE 
              BRAIN.

    Section 901 of title IX of division J of the Further Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2020 (22 U.S.C. 2680b) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (c) through (h) as 
        subsections (d) through (i), respectively;
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(c) Other Injuries.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, the Secretary of State or other agency head with an 
        employee abroad under Chief of Mission authority may provide 
        compensation to a covered dependent, a covered employee, and a 
        covered individual who has a partial or total disability--
                    ``(A) resulting from a qualifying injury to the 
                brain; and
                    ``(B) for which the covered dependent, covered 
                employee, or covered individual is not entitled to 
                receive monthly compensation under section 8105 or 8106 
                of title 5, United States Code.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary of State or 
        other agency head with an employee abroad under Chief of 
        Mission authority shall submit to the Committee on Foreign 
        Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
        the House a report on the use of the authority provided by this 
        subsection. The report shall include an assessment of whether 
        additional authorities are required to ensure that covered 
        dependents, covered employees, and covered individuals can 
        receive compensation for any disability resulting from a 
        qualifying injury, such as a qualifying injury to the back or 
        neck.'';
            (3) in subsection (f), as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``subsection (f)'' each place it 
                appears and inserting ``subsection (g)'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``of a employee'' 
                and inserting ``of an employee or former employee''; 
                and
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by striking ``means an 
                employee'' and inserting ``means an employee or former 
                employee'';
            (4) in subsection (g), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by 
        striking ``subsection (a) or (b)'' both places it appears and 
        inserting ``subsection (a), (b), or (c)''; and
            (5) in subsection (i), as redesignated by paragraph (1)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``In general.--
                This section'' and inserting ``Adjustment of 
                compensation provision.--Subsections (a) and (b)'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(2) Other compensation provision.--Subsection (c) shall 
        apply with respect to a disability resulting from a qualifying 
        injury that occurs before, on, or after the date of the 
        enactment of such subsection.''.
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