Keeping Our Promises Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2200 To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that certain diseases are covered by the presumption of service connection relating to the exposure to herbicides by certain veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES APRIL 10, 2019 Mr. WESTERMAN (for himself, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. TIPTON, and Ms. STEFANIK) intro- duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Vet- erans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that cer- tain diseases are covered by the presumption of service connection relating to the exposure to herbicides by cer- tain veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Keeping Our Promises 4 Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:21 Apr 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2200.IH H2200 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2200 IH SEC. 2. ADDITION OF DISEASES TO PRESUMPTION OF 1 SERVICE CONNECTION FOR VETERANS EX- 2 POSED TO CERTAIN HERBICIDES WHILE 3 SERVING IN THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. 4 (a) SPECIFIED DISEASES.—Subsection (a)(2) of sec- 5 tion 1116 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 6 adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: 7 ‘‘(K) Prostate cancer becoming manifest to a 8 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 9 ‘‘(L) Cancer of the urinary bladder becoming 10 manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or 11 more. 12 ‘‘(M) AL amyloidosis becoming manifest to a 13 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 14 ‘‘(N) Early-onset peripheral neuropathy becom- 15 ing manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more with- 16 in one year after the last date on which the veteran 17 was exposed to an herbicide agent during active mili- 18 tary, naval, or air service. 19 ‘‘(O) Parkinson’s disease (including 20 Parkinsonism and Parkinson-like syndromes) becom- 21 ing manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent 22 or more. 23 ‘‘(P) Ischemic heart disease becoming manifest 24 to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:21 Apr 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2200.IH H2200 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 2200 IH ‘‘(Q) Stroke becoming manifest to a degree of 1 disability of 10 percent or more. 2 ‘‘(R) Hypothyroidism becoming manifest to a 3 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 4 ‘‘(S) Hypertension becoming manifest to a de- 5 gree of disability of 10 percent or more.’’. 6 (b) ADDITIONAL DISEASES.— 7 (1) EXTENSION OF SUNSET.—Subsection (e) of 8 such section 1116 is amended by striking ‘‘2015’’ 9 and inserting ‘‘2030’’. 10 (2) PROHIBITION OF COST AS FACTOR.—Sub- 11 section (b) of such section 1116 is amended by add- 12 ing at the end the following new paragraph: 13 ‘‘(4) In making determinations for the purpose of this 14 subsection, the Secretary may not take into account the 15 costs to the United States relating to paying compensation 16 under this section pursuant to such determination.’’. 17 (3) TIMING AND SUBMISSION OF DETERMINA- 18 TIONS.—Subsection (c)(1) of such section 1116 is 19 amended— 20 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘60 21 days’’ both places it appears and inserting ‘‘120 22 days’’; and 23 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:21 Apr 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2200.IH H2200 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 2200 IH (i) by inserting ‘‘and submit to the 1 Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 2 House of Representatives and the Senate’’ 3 after ‘‘publish in the Federal Register’’; 4 and 5 (ii) by inserting ‘‘, and any other fac- 6 tor that contributed to,’’ after ‘‘scientific 7 basis for’’. 8 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:21 Apr 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2200.IH H2200 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS