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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 607

To change the date of the beginning of the Vietnam era to provide certain

benefits available to veterans of a period of war to veterans who served

in Southeast Asia during the period beginning on March 1, 1961, and

ending on August 4, 1964.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 26, 1993

Mr. KANJORSKI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To change the date of the beginning of the Vietnam era

to provide certain benefits available to veterans of a

period of war to veterans who served in Southeast Asia

during the period beginning on March 1, 1961, and

ending on August 4, 1964.

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

3 SECTION 1. REDESIGNATION OF VIETNAM ERA FOR PUR4 POSES OF VETERANS’ BENEFITS.

5 (a) GENERAL DEFINITION.—Section 101(29) of title

6 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
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1 ‘‘(29) The term ‘Vietnam era’ means the period be2 ginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975.

3 The term includes, in the case of a veteran who served

4 on active duty in the Armed Forces in Cambodia, Laos,

5 Thailand, the former Democratic Republic of Vietnam

6 (known as North Vietnam), the former Republic of Viet7 nam (known as South Vietnam), or the waters adjacent

8 to the countries, the period beginning on March 1, 1961,

9 and ending on August 4, 1964.’’.

10 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1818(a) of

11 title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the

12 matter preceding paragraph (1) and inserting the follow13 ing:

14 ‘‘(a) Each veteran who served on active duty in the

15 Armed Forces, any part of which occurred after the Ko16 rean conflict and prior to the Vietnam era, or after the

17 Vietnam era, and who—’’.

18 SEC. 2. EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE.

19 Section 515(c)(1) of the Airport and Airway Improve20 ment Act of 1982 (49 U.S.C. App. 2214(c)(1)) is amended

21 by striking ‘‘the period beginning August 5, 1964, and

22 ending May 7, 1975’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the

23 Vietnam era as defined in section 101(29) of title 38,

24 United States Code’’.
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1 SEC. 3. OTHER REFERENCES TO VIETNAM ERA.

2 (a) REFERENCE TO VIETNAM ERA.—Any reference

3 to the Vietnam era that relates to veterans’ benefits in

4 any law, rule, regulation, certificate, directive, instruction,

5 or other official paper in force on the date of the enact6 ment of this Act is deemed to refer also, in the case or

7 a veteran who served on active duty in the Armed Forces

8 in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, the former Democratic Re9 public of Vietnam (known as North Vietnam), the Repub10 lic of Vietnam (known as South Vietnam), or the waters

11 adjacent to the countries, to the period beginning on

12 March 1, 1961, and ending on August 4, 1964.

13 (b) REFERENCE TO CALENDAR PERIOD.—Any ref14 erence to the period beginning on August 5, 1964, and

15 ending on May 7, 1975, that relates to veterans’ benefits

16 in any law, rule, regulation, certificate, directive, instruc17 tion, or other official paper in force on the date of the

18 enactment of this Act is deemed to refer also to the period

19 beginning on March 1, 1961, and ending on August 4,

20 1964, for the purpose of providing the benefits to veterans

21 who served on active duty in the Armed Forces during

22 the period in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, the former

23 Democratic Republic of Vietnam (known as North Viet24 nam), the Republic of Vietnam (known as South Viet25 nam), or the waters adjacent to the countries.
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1 SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

2 This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall

3 take effect on the first day of the first month that begins

4 more than 10 days after the date of the enactment of this

5 Act.

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