text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Southern New Mexico and El Paso, 
  Texas, Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Care Improvement Act of 2011''.
  
  SEC. 2. REPORT ON ESTABLISHMENT OF POLYTRAUMA REHABILITATION CENTER OR 
                POLYTRAUMA NETWORK SITE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
                IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND EL PASO, TEXAS, REGION.
  
      (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
              (1) The military population of the southern New Mexico and 
          El Paso, Texas, region has grown greatly since the United 
          States has been involved in military operations in Iraq and 
          Afghanistan and members of the Armed Forces returning from such 
          operations to such region will require care at polytrauma 
          centers as a result of their involvement with such operations.
              (2) The population at Fort Bliss in Texas and New Mexico is 
          expected to grow from 9,300 members of the Armed Forces in 2005 
          to an estimated 33,400 members of the Armed Forces by 2012 
          because of the ongoing expansion of Fort Bliss.
              (3) Traumatic brain injury has become known as one of the 
          signature wounds of service in the Armed Forces in Iraq and 
          Afghanistan because of its high occurrence among veterans of 
          such service. Many members of the Armed Forces returning to the 
          El Paso, Texas, and southern New Mexico region from overseas 
          service in the Armed Forces are expected to suffer from 
          traumatic brain injury or other forms of injury requiring 
          treatment at a polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma 
          network site.
              (4) A recent RAND Corporation study estimates that as many 
          as 20 percent of the veterans who served in the Armed Forces in 
          Iraq and Afghanistan have a traumatic brain injury as a result 
          of such service, and many of these veterans require ongoing 
          care for mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injury.
              (5) The Department of Veterans Affairs recommends that all 
          veterans experiencing a polytraumatic injury be referred to a 
          polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site of 
          the Department.
              (6) The polytrauma system of care of the Department 
          includes 4 polytrauma rehabilitation centers and 21 polytrauma 
          network sites, none of which are located within 300 miles 
          driving distance of Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range, or 
          Holloman Air Force Base.
              (7) The large military population in the southern New 
          Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region necessitates a new polytrauma 
          rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site of the 
          Department to deal with the significant hardships veterans 
          residing in such region require.
      (b) Report.--
              (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
          the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
          shall submit to Congress a report on the feasibility and 
          advisability of establishing a polytrauma rehabilitation center 
          or polytrauma network site of the Department of Veterans 
          Affairs in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region 
          that is within a reasonable driving distance of Fort Bliss, 
          White Sands Missile Range, and Holloman Air Force Base.
              (2) Requirements.--The report required by paragraph (1) 
          shall include the following:
                      (A) An assessment of the adequacy of existing 
                  Department facilities in the southern New Mexico and El 
                  Paso, Texas, region to address matters that are 
                  otherwise addressed by polytrauma rehabilitation 
                  centers and polytrauma network sites of the Department.
                      (B) A comparative assessment of the effectiveness 
                  of rehabilitation programs for individuals with 
                  traumatic brain injuries in urban areas with the 
                  effectiveness of such programs for individuals with 
                  traumatic brain injuries in rural and frontier 
                  communities.
                      (C) An assessment of whether therapies that can 
                  prevent or remediate the development of secondary 
                  neurologic conditions related to traumatic brain injury 
                  can be interrupted by stress caused by living in an 
                  urban area.
                      (D) The relation of high cost of living to the 
                  recovery of veterans and the impact on their families 
                  in comparison to recovery in an area where there is a 
                  lower cost of living.
              (3) Locations.--In preparing the report required by 
          paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider and evaluate 
          various locations for the potential location of a new 
          polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site. 
          One location receiving such consideration and evaluation shall 
          be the Fort Bayard Medical Center in Grant County, New Mexico.
              (4) Consultation.--In preparing the report required by 
          paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult with appropriate 
          State and local government agencies in the southern New Mexico 
          and El Paso, Texas, region.
target: Southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Care Improvement Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to report to Congress on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center or Polytrauma Network Site of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region that is within a reasonable driving distance of Fort Bliss, White Sands Missile Range, and Holloman Air Force Base.
  
  Requires the Fort Bayard Medical Center in Grant County, New Mexico, to be evaluated as a potential location for such a Center or Site.
feat_title: A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the feasibility and advisability of establishing of a polytrauma rehabilitation center or polytrauma network site of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the southern New Mexico and El Paso, Texas, region, and for other purposes.