117th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To modify the presumption of service connection for veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents while serving in the Armed Forces in Thailand during the Vietnam era, and for other purposes.
March 26, 2021
Mr. Westerman (for himself, Mr. Thompson of California, Mrs. Harshbarger, Mrs. Axne, Mr. McCaul, Ms. Pingree, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Stanton, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Turner, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Hill, Mr. Rush, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Baird, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Omar, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Vela, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Larsen of Washington, Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Rutherford, Mrs. Demings, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Harder of California, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Mr. Massie, Mr. Posey, Ms. Velázquez, Mr. Kind, and Mrs. Kirkpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
To modify the presumption of service connection for veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents while serving in the Armed Forces in Thailand during the Vietnam era, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Modification of presumption of service connection for veterans who were exposed to herbicide agents while serving in the Armed Forces in Thailand during the Vietnam era.
(a) In general.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that if the Secretary creates a presumption of service connection between the occurrence of a disease and exposure to a herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces during the covered period at a military base in Thailand, such presumption also applies to exposure to a herbicide agent while serving in the Armed Forces during the covered period at any military base located in Thailand without regard to where on the base the veteran was located or what military job specialty the veteran performed.
(b) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) COVERED PERIOD.—The term “covered period” means the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on June 30, 1976.
(2) HERBICIDE AGENT.—The term “herbicide agent” has the meaning given such term in section 1116(a) of title 38, United States Code.
(3) VETERAN.—The term “veteran” has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.