H.R. 4704: Rotary-wing Operator Toxic Occupational Research Act

This bill, titled the Rotary-wing Operator Toxic Occupational Research Act (or ROTOR Act), mandates a study focusing on the health risks, specifically cancer prevalence and mortality rates, among military rotary-wing pilots and aviation support personnel. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill intends to accomplish:

Study Requirement

The Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), working with the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, is directed to conduct a two-phase study among individuals who have served as aircrew members of military rotary-wing aircraft since February 28, 1961.

Initial Phase of the Study

The initial phase aims to determine if there is a higher occurrence or mortality rate from specific types of cancer among covered individuals compared to similarly aged individuals in the general population. The cancers to be investigated include:

• Brain cancer
• Breast cancer
• Colon and rectal cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Lung cancer
• Melanoma
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Ovarian cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Urinary bladder cancer

A report detailing the findings from this initial phase must be submitted to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment.

Second Phase of the Study

If the initial findings indicate higher cancer rates among the covered individuals, a second phase will be conducted. This phase will focus on:

• Identifying carcinogenic toxins or hazardous materials related to military rotary-wing aircraft operations, including substances like fumes and fuels.
• Examining any excessive exposure to non-ionizing radiation from operating environments such as airborne, ground, or shipboard radars.
• Identifying other potential carcinogenic exposures not linked to rotary-wing aircraft operations, including service-related exposures such as burn pits, contaminated water, or hazardous soil.

A report on the findings of this second phase must be submitted within one year after the report from the first phase.

Data Collection and Sources

All data gathered throughout the study will be formatted similarly to data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, which tracks cancer statistics. The study will utilize various data sources, including:

• The SEER program's database
• Previous studies relevant to the military health context

Definitions of Key Terms

The bill includes definitions for important terms like:

• Covered individual: A person who served as an aircrew member of a military rotary-wing aircraft and receives health care benefits under Title 10 of the United States Code.
• Covered Armed Force: Includes branches like the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
• Appropriate Congressional Committees: The Committees on Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Relevant Companies

None found.