Bill > HR10483

This bill, titled the Bone Marrow Radiation Shielding Act, directs a high-ranking Department of Defense official—specifically the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense, Policy and Programs—to partner with a University Affiliated Research Center (a specialized research institution tied to the military) that is linked to the United States Strategic Command, which is the branch of the U.S. military responsible for nuclear deterrence and operations. Under this agreement, the research center must conduct an independent scientific assessment within 150 days of the bill's enactment to determine whether protecting bone marrow with partial body radiation shielding can help people survive gamma radiation exposure better than those without such protection. To evaluate this, the study must review existing scientific literature and lab data to compare how partial body shielding affects the likelihood and severity of Acute Radiation Syndrome—a serious illness caused by receiving a high dose of radiation over a short period—as well as overall survival rates. Finally, the Assistant Secretary is required to submit a full report detailing these findings to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.