November 7, 2025
Ms. Slotkin introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
To require the Secretary of Defense to carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall develop and implement a comprehensive wastewater surveillance system at certain installations of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Pilot program on wastewater surveillance system of Department of Defense
(a) Pilot program required
Commencing not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall develop and implement a comprehensive wastewater surveillance system at not fewer than four installations of a military department at which the Secretary seeks to improve the testing, identification, and analysis of usage of covered drugs and to identify the prevalence of infectious diseases among members of the Armed Forces at the installation (in this section referred to as the pilot program
).
(b) Technologies and data system used
In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall ensure the system developed and implemented under subsection (a) is comprised of appropriate technologies and a uniform data system across the Department of Defense.
(c) Minimum requirements
In carrying out the pilot program, the Secretary shall establish, at a minimum—
(1)
at least one wastewater surveillance system for monitoring of use of covered drugs at one installation; and
(2)
at least one wastewater surveillance system for monitoring of infectious diseases at one installation.
(d) Duration
The pilot program shall be carried out during a two-year period beginning on the date of the commencement of the pilot program.
(e) Report
Not later than 90 days after the termination of the pilot program, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the following:
(1)
A summary of the findings from the wastewater surveillance system under the pilot program.
(2)
Recommendations for interventions or policy changes based on trends observed under the pilot program.
(3)
An assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program in enhancing force health protection and readiness.
(f) Use of existing resources and authorities
The Secretary shall use existing resources and authorities of the Department of Defense, as the Secretary determines appropriate, to implement the pilot program.
(g) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Congressional defense committees
The term congressional defense committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10, United States Code.
(2) Covered drug defined
The term covered drug—
(A)
except as provided in subparagraph (B), means a drug included on schedule I or schedule II established under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812); and
(B)
does not include a drug that—
(i)
was newly included on such schedule I or schedule II;
(ii)
was previously approved under section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355); and
(iii)
received such approval not later than 20 years before the date of the enactment of this Act.