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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10137 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                               H. R. 10137

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide health care for family members and other 
  individuals who resided at or worked at locations where there is a 
presumption of service-connection for certain illnesses and conditions, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 15, 2024

 Ms. Brownley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
 Veterans Affairs to provide health care for family members and other 
  individuals who resided at or worked at locations where there is a 
presumption of service-connection for certain illnesses and conditions, 
                        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. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE FOR 
              FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO RESIDED AT OR 
              WORKED AT LOCATIONS WHERE THERE IS A PRESUMPTION OF 
              SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR CERTAIN ILLNESSES AND CONDITIONS.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1790. Health care for family members and other individuals who 
              resided at or worked at locations where there is a 
              presumption of service-connection for certain illnesses 
              and conditions
    ``(a) In General.--(1) An individual described in subsection (b) 
shall be eligible for hospital care and medical services furnished by 
the Secretary for a covered illness or condition.
    ``(2) An individual described in this subsection is an individual 
who--
            ``(A) resided at, worked at, or was in utero while their 
        mother resided at or worked at a location for which the 
        Secretary has established a presumption of service-connection 
        for any illness or condition under or pursuant to chapter 11 of 
        this title for the time period required for such presumption; 
        and
            ``(B) can demonstrate that the individual was exposed to 
        the same condition or conditions that qualify veterans for such 
        presumption, as determined by the Secretary.
    ``(b) Limitations.--(1) The Secretary may only furnish hospital 
care and medical services under subsection (a) to the extent and in the 
amount provided in advance in appropriations Acts for such purpose.
    ``(2) Hospital care and medical services may not be furnished under 
subsection (a) for an illness or condition of an individual that is 
found, in accordance with guidelines issued by the Under Secretary for 
Health, to have resulted from a cause other than time spent at a 
location referred to in subsection (a)(2)(A).
    ``(3) The Secretary may furnish hospital care or medical services 
provided to an individual described in subsection (a)(2) only after the 
individual or the provider of such care or services has exhausted 
without success all claims and remedies reasonably available to the 
individual or provider against a third party (as defined in section 
1725(f) of this title) for payment of such care or services, including 
with respect to health-plan contracts (as defined in such section).
    ``(c) Covered Illness or Condition.--In this section, the term 
`covered illness or condition' means, with respect to an individual who 
resided at, worked at, or was in utero while their mother resided at or 
worked at a location, an illness or condition for which the Secretary 
has established a presumption of service-connection under or pursuant 
to chapter 11 of this title based on service in the Armed Forces at 
that location, notwithstanding that there is insufficient medical 
evidence to conclude that the illness or condition is attributable to 
such residence or work.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
1789 the following new item:

``1790. Health care for family members and other individuals who 
                            resided at or worked at locations where 
                            there is a presumption of service-
                            connection for certain illnesses and 
                            conditions.''.
    (c) Reports.--Not later than December 31 of each of 2026, 2027, and 
2028, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the hospital care 
and medical services provided under section 1790 of title 38, United 
States Code, as added by subsection (a). Each such report shall include 
each of the following:
            (1) The number of individuals who were furnished hospital 
        care or medical services under such section during the period 
        beginning on January 1, 2025, and ending on the date of such 
        report.
            (2) The illnesses and conditions for which such care or 
        services were provided and the location associated with the 
        presumption of service-connection for each such illness or 
        condition.
            (3) The number of individuals who applied for care or 
        services under such section during that period but who were 
        denied, including information on the reasons for such denials.
            (4) The number of individuals who applied for care or 
        services under such section and are awaiting a decision from 
        the Secretary on eligibility for such care or services. as of 
        the date of such report.
                                 <all>
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