I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4542

To provide an improved system of health-related information for Persian

Gulf War veterans and to extend the availability of certain health care

for Persian Gulf War Veterans.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 8, 1994

Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. EVANS, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr.

HOCHBRUECKNER, Mr. MONTGOMERY, and Mr. SANDERS) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To provide an improved system of health-related information

for Persian Gulf War veterans and to extend the availability of certain health care for Persian Gulf War Veterans.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Persian Gulf War Vet5 erans Health and Services Enhancement Act’’.
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1 SEC. 2. TOLL-FREE HOTLINE FOR PERSIAN GULF WAR VET2 ERAN HEALTH INFORMATION.

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs

4 shall maintain an information system involving the use of

5 a toll-free telephone number to provide veterans of the

6 Persian Gulf War and their family members (and other

7 members of the public at the Secretary’s discretion) with

8 information regarding the following:

9 (1) The Persian Gulf War Veterans Health

10 Registry established by the Persian Gulf War Veter11 ans’ Health Status Act (38 U.S.C. 527 note).

12 (2) Access to health services and health-related

13 benefits provided by or under the auspices of the

14 Department of Veterans Affairs, including—

15 (A) marriage and family counseling avail16 able under section 121 of the Veterans’ Medical

17 Programs Amendments of 1992 (38 U.S.C.

18 1712A note);

19 (B) health care available under section

20 1710(e)(1)(C) of title 38, United States Code;

21 and

22 (C) health examinations, consultation, and

23 counseling available under section 703 of the

24 Persian Gulf War Veterans’ Health Status Act

25 (38 U.S.C. 527 note).
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1 (3) Compensation and benefits related to dis2 abilities resulting from service in the Persian Gulf

3 War, including disabilities resulting from illness that

4 resulted from such service.

5 (4) Significant developments in research relat6 ing to the health consequences of service in the Per7 sian Gulf War.

8 (5) Any other information that the Secretary

9 determines to be appropriate.

10 (b) DATE OF ESTABLISHMENT OF INFORMATION

11 SYSTEM.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall estab12 lish the information system required by subsection (a) not

13 later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this

14 Act.

15 SEC. 3. OUTREACH TO VETERANS OF PERSIAN GULF WAR.

16 Section 702(f) of the Persian Gulf War Veterans’

17 Health Status Act (38 U.S.C. 527 note) is amended to

18 read as follows:

19 ‘‘(f) ONGOING OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS LISTED

20 IN REGISTRY.—

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Veterans

22 Affairs shall notify each individual listed in the Reg23 istry, or, in the case of such an individual who is de24 ceased, the surviving spouse, children, or parents of

25 such individual, at least quarterly, by newsletter or
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1 by other means that the Secretary determines to be

2 appropriate, of—

3 ‘‘(A) the status and findings of federally

4 sponsored research relating to the illnesses of

5 individuals who served as members of the

6 Armed Forces in the Persian Gulf theater of

7 operations during the Persian Gulf War or to

8 the illnesses of the family members of such in9 dividuals;

10 ‘‘(B) compensation and benefits, including

11 health care and other health-related benefits,

12 that may be provided by the Department of

13 Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense

14 to an individual who served as a member of the

15 Armed Forces in the Persian Gulf theater of

16 operations during the Persian Gulf War or, in

17 the case of such an individual who is deceased,

18 to the surviving spouse, children, or parents of

19 such an individual; and

20 ‘‘(C) any other information that the Sec21 retary determines to be appropriate.

22 ‘‘(2) CONSULTATION WITH VETERANS SERVICE

23 ORGANIZATIONS.—In preparing the newsletter or

24 other means used to conduct the notification re25 quired by paragraph (1), the Secretary of Veterans
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1 Affairs shall consult with veterans’ service organiza2 tions.

3 ‘‘(3) DATE THAT QUARTERLY NOTIFICATIONS

4 BEGIN.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall

5 make the first of the periodic notifications required

6 by paragraph (1) not later than 90 days after the

7 date of the enactment of the Persian Gulf War Vet8 erans Health and Services Enhancement Act.’’.

9 SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE PRIORITY

10 HEALTH CARE TO VETERANS OF THE PER11 SIAN GULF WAR.

12 (a) HOSPITAL AND NURSING HOME CARE.—Section

13 1710(e)(3) of title 38, United States Code, is amended

14 by striking ‘‘December 31, 1994’’ and inserting ‘‘Decem15 ber 31, 1998’’.

16 (b) OUTPATIENT CARE.—Section 1712(a)(1)(D) of

17 title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘De18 cember 31, 1994’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 1998’’.

19 SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY COUNSEL20 ING AVAILABILITY FOR PERSIAN GULF WAR

21 VETERANS.

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 121(a) of the Veterans’

23 Medical Programs Amendments of 1992 (38 U.S.C.

24 1712A note) is amended by striking ‘‘September 30,

25 1994’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 1998’’.
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1 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section

2 121(g) of the Veterans’ Medical Programs Amendments

3 of 1992 (38 U.S.C. 1712A note) is amended by striking

4 ‘‘and 1994’’ and inserting ‘‘through 1999’’.

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