To Research, Evaluate, Assess, and Treat Astronauts Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, for over 50 years, the United States of America has asked its bravest to travel to space in service of their country. From the dynamic launch environment to the unforgiving vacuum of space, to the energetic reentry of Earth, human spaceflight places astronauts in challenging environments. Even training for spaceflight carries significant risks. I am very proud to say that I represent a great number of these astronauts who call Houston their home.

As a nation, we have an obligation to those whom we put in harm's way. As a Congress, we have a responsibility to provide for the treatment of conditions caused by Federal service. As a healthcare professional myself, and as their Representative, you can say it is my duty to make sure that these folks are taken care of properly. This is why I have sponsored H.R. 6076, the TREAT Astronauts Act, a very commonsense, fiscally responsible, bipartisan bill that makes sure that our brave men and women who venture into space receive the support for medical issues associated with their service.

The psychological and medical data associated with an astronaut's human spaceflight service is very important for our future space endeavors. The TREAT Astronauts Act will provide this additional data and will enable NASA to better understand the medical risks of spaceflight, minimize these risks, and enable future long-duration missions to Mars and even beyond.

I am very thankful to Chairman Lamar Smith for his support of the TREAT Astronauts Act and for his leadership as chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. I am also very glad that my colleague, Ms. Edwards, is an original cosponsor and that the bill was reported out of committee by a voice vote with broad bipartisan support.

The amendment before us today represents compromise language agreed upon with the Senate in good faith that this language will be included and passed in a NASA Authorization Act before the 114th Congress recesses. The program established under this compromise language is very similar to the program that passed out of the committee.

In developing this bill, my staff and I had extensive discussions with former astronauts, NASA, and a number of other Federal agencies.

The TREAT Astronauts Act is also informed by a hearing the Space Subcommittee held back in June, at which a number of former astronauts testified, including Captain Scott Kelly, who spent a year on the International Space Station.

Under existing statutes, NASA has the authority to collect voluntary astronaut medical data for research. It exercises that authority through the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health program, or LSAH.
However, there are limitations on the usefulness of the LSAH program.

Former astronaut participation is only 61 percent and the existing LSAH program only affords NASA access to yearly checkup data, not the entirety of the former astronauts' medical records.

Furthermore, NASA is unable to provide for the appropriate diagnosis and treatment under the existing authority to conduct research. The TREAT Astronauts Act solves this problem by supplementing existing authorities.

Congress would be remiss not to ensure that the TREAT Astronauts Act is fiscally responsible. The TREAT Astronauts Act is not a mandate and is subject to existing discretionary appropriations.

In order to address cost risks, the bill establishes NASA as a secondary payer to existing obligations of the United States or third parties, ensuring that the cost to NASA is minimal. Establishing NASA as a secondary payer is not unprecedented. For example, the Department of Defense is a secondary payer to veteran and civilian healthcare programs.

Allow me to make this clear for the record. Although NASA is a secondary payer, the TREAT Astronauts Act provides that no participating former astronaut or payload specialist will have to pay for anything out of pocket, including deductibles and copayments associated with the primary payer.

There are a number of reporting requirements, including an independent cost estimate and an annual fiscal report. These reports will ensure that Congress is well informed and able to conduct appropriate oversight.

Participation in the program is voluntary. No astronaut should be forced or coerced to participate in this program. In the event that an astronaut chooses not to participate in the program, there are still other occupational healthcare options available to them. But if they do participate, the astronauts have consented that NASA can use and disclose the data they collect, subject to protecting their personally identifiable health information.

In conclusion, I strongly support the TREAT Astronauts Act, and I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, fiscally responsible, bipartisan bill that makes sure that our brave men and women who venture into space receive the support for medical issues associated with their service.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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