I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2268 

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 

MARCH 26, 2021 

Mr. WESTERMAN (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mrs. 

HARSHBARGER, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. BERGMAN, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. 

BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. MORELLE, Mr. DELGADO, Ms. 

OMAR, Mr. COHEN, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mrs. WALORSKI, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, 

Mr. RUTHERFORD, Mr. GRIFFITH, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Mrs. AXNE, 

Mr. FITZPATRICK, and Ms. PORTER) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

A BILL 

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. 

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 ‘‘Keeping Our Promises 

5 Act’’. 


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•HR 2268 IH

1 SEC. 2. ADDITION OF DISEASES TO PRESUMPTION OF 

2 SERVICE CONNECTION FOR VETERANS EX3 POSED TO CERTAIN HERBICIDES WHILE 

4 SERVING IN THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. 

5 (a) SPECIFIED DISEASES.—Subsection (a)(2) of sec6 tion 1116 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by 

7 adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: 

8 ‘‘(L) Prostate cancer becoming manifest to a 

9 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 

10 ‘‘(M) AL amyloidosis becoming manifest to a 

11 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 

12 ‘‘(N) Early-onset peripheral neuropathy becom13 ing manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more with14 in one year after the last date on which the veteran 

15 was exposed to an herbicide agent during active mili16 tary, naval, or air service. 

17 ‘‘(O) Ischemic heart disease becoming manifest 

18 to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 

19 ‘‘(P) Stroke becoming manifest to a degree of 

20 disability of 10 percent or more. 

21 ‘‘(Q) Hypertension becoming manifest to a de22 gree of disability of 10 percent or more.’’. 

23 (b) ADDITIONAL DISEASES.— 

24 (1) EXTENSION OF SUNSET.—Subsection (e) of 

25 such section 1116 is amended by striking ‘‘2015’’ 

26 and inserting ‘‘2030’’. 


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•HR 2268 IH

1 (2) PROHIBITION OF COST AS FACTOR.—Sub2 section (b) of such section 1116 is amended by add3 ing at the end the following new paragraph: 

4 ‘‘(4) In making determinations for the purpose of this 

5 subsection, the Secretary may not take into account the 

6 costs to the United States relating to paying compensation 

7 under this section pursuant to such determination.’’. 

8 (3) TIMING AND SUBMISSION OF DETERMINA9 TIONS.—Subsection (c)(1) of such section 1116 is 

10 amended— 

11 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘60 

12 days’’ both places it appears and inserting ‘‘120 

13 days’’; and 

14 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

15 (i) by inserting ‘‘and submit to the 

16 Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

17 House of Representatives and the Senate’’ 

18 after ‘‘publish in the Federal Register’’; 

19 and 

20 (ii) by inserting ‘‘, and any other fac21 tor that contributed to,’’ after ‘‘scientific 

22 basis for’’. 

Æ 


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