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116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1713
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a presumption of
service-connection for certain veterans exposed to certain herbicides while
serving in the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 13, 2019
Mr. SAN NICOLAS (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, and Mr.
PALLONE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a
presumption of service-connection for certain veterans
exposed to certain herbicides while serving in the Armed
Forces, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lonnie Kilpatrick Cen-
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tral Pacific Relief Act’’.
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•HR 1713 IH
SEC. 2. PRESUMPTIONS OF SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR
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CERTAIN VETERANS EXPOSED TO CERTAIN
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HERBICIDES WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED
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FORCES.
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(a)
EXPANSION
OF
PRESUMPTIONS.—Section
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1116(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended—
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(1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting after
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‘‘1975’’ the following: ‘‘, served on Guam or Amer-
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ican Samoa, or in the territorial waters thereof, dur-
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ing the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and
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ending on July 31, 1980, or served on Johnston
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Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll dur-
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ing the period beginning on January 1, 1972, and
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ending on September 30, 1977’’; and
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(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting after
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‘‘1975’’ the following: ‘‘, served on Guam or Amer-
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ican Samoa, or in the territorial waters thereof, dur-
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ing the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and
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ending on July 31, 1980, or served on Johnston
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Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll dur-
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ing the period beginning on January 1, 1972, and
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ending on September 30, 1977,’’.
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(b) ELIGIBILITY FOR HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL
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SERVICES.—Section 1710(e)(4) is amended by striking
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subparagraph (A) and inserting the following new sub-
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paragraph (A):
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•HR 1713 IH
‘‘(A) The term ‘Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed
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veteran’ means a veteran who—
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‘‘(i) served on active duty—
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‘‘(I) in the Republic of Vietnam dur-
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ing the period beginning on January 9,
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1962, and ending on May 7, 1975;
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‘‘(II) on Guam or American Samoa,
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or in the territorial waters thereof, the pe-
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riod beginning on January 9, 1962, and
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ending on July 31, 1980; or
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‘‘(III) on Johnston Atoll or on a ship
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that called at Johnston Atoll during the
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period beginning on January 1, 1972, and
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ending on September 30, 1977; and
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‘‘(ii) the Secretary finds may have been ex-
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posed during such service to dioxin or was ex-
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posed during such service to a toxic substance
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found in a herbicide or defoliant used for mili-
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tary purposes during such period.’’.
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Æ
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