Palomares Veterans Act of 2019

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1896 To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a presumption of service connected disability for certain veterans who served in Palomares, Spain, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 19, 2019 Mr. BLUMENTHAL (for himself, Ms. WARREN, and Mrs. FEINSTEIN) intro- duced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com- mittee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a presumption of service connected disability for certain veterans who served in Palomares, Spain, 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 ‘‘Palomares Veterans 4 Act of 2019’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:23 Jun 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1896.IS S1896 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 1896 IS SEC. 2. PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE CONNECTED DIS- 1 ABILITY FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WHO 2 SERVED IN PALOMARES, SPAIN. 3 (a) DISABILITY COMPENSATION.—Section 4 1112(c)(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 5 by adding at the end the following new clause: 6 ‘‘(v) Onsite participation in the response 7 effort following the collision of a United States 8 Air Force B–52 bomber and refueling plane 9 that caused the release of four thermonuclear 10 weapons in the vicinity of Palomares, Spain, 11 during the period beginning January 17, 1966, 12 and ending March 31, 1967.’’. 13 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICABILITY.— 14 (1) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 15 by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date of the 16 enactment of this Act. 17 (2) APPLICABILITY CONCERNING DEPENDENCY 18 AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION.—For purposes of 19 section 1310 of title 38, United States Code, the 20 amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply with 21 respect to a death notwithstanding whether such 22 death occurred before, on, or after such date. 23 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:23 Jun 21, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S1896.IS S1896 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS