(a) Establishment.—
The Secretary shall establish in the Veterans Health Administration a committee to be known as the “Committee on Care of Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury”. The Under Secretary for Health shall appoint employees of the Department with expertise in the care of veterans with traumatic brain injury to serve on the committee.
(b) Responsibilities of Committee.—The committee shall assess, and carry out a continuing assessment of, the capability of the Veterans Health Administration to meet effectively the treatment and rehabilitation needs of veterans with traumatic brain injury. In carrying out that responsibility, the committee shall—
(2)
identify systemwide problems in caring for such veterans in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration;
(c) Advice and Recommendations.—The committee shall—
(1)
advise the Under Secretary regarding the development of policies for the care and rehabilitation of veterans with traumatic brain injury; and
(2) make recommendations to the Under Secretary—
(A)
for improving programs of care of such veterans at specific facilities and throughout the Veterans Health Administration;
(d) Annual Report.—Not later than June 1, 2010, and each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the implementation of this section. Each such report shall include the following for the calendar year preceding the year in which the report is submitted:
(2)
The assessment of the Under Secretary for Health, after review of the findings of the committee, regarding the capability of the Veterans Health Administration, on a systemwide and facility-by-facility basis, to meet effectively the treatment and rehabilitation needs of veterans with traumatic brain injury.