I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 299 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating 

to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the 

Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 8, 2019 

Mr. TAKANO (for himself, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. NEAL, Mr. PETERS, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, 

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Ms. NORTON, Ms. GABBARD, Ms. BROWNLEY of 

California, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. 

ENGEL, Ms. MENG, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. 

CONNOLLY, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. TONKO, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. MASSIE, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Miss RICE of New York, Mr. BEYER, 

Mr. KATKO, Mrs. MURPHY, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, 

Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. RYAN, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. STEFANIK, 

Mr. SIRES, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Ms. 

PINGREE, Mr. POCAN, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. CISNEROS, Mr. GARAMENDI, 

Mr. CORREA, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Ms. 

ADAMS, Mr. RUSH, Ms. TITUS, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. 

AGUILAR, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. O’HALLERAN, Mr. COHEN, Mr. KHANNA, 

Mr. FORTENBERRY, Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas, Mr. WELCH, Mr. BOST, 

Mr. SOTO, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. 

BONAMICI, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. LAMB, Mr. BARR, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, 

Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. CA ́RDENAS, Mr. COOK, and Mr. PALAZZO) introduced 

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

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumpVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:48 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H299.IH H299

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 299 IH

tions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who 

served in the vicinity of 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 ‘‘Blue Water Navy Viet5 nam Veterans Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS OF EXPOSURE 

7 FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN VICINITY OF 

8 REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 38, United 

10 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1116 

11 the following new section: 

12 ‘‘§ 1116A. Presumptions of service connection for vet13 erans who served offshore of the Repub14 lic of Vietnam 

15 ‘‘(a) SERVICE CONNECTION.—For the purposes of 

16 section 1110 of this title, and subject to section 1113 of 

17 this title, a disease covered by section 1116 of this title 

18 becoming manifest as specified in that section in a veteran 

19 who, during active military, naval, or air service, served 

20 offshore of the Republic of Vietnam during the period be21 ginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, 

22 shall be considered to have been incurred in or aggravated 

23 by such service, notwithstanding that there is no record 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 299 IH

1 of evidence of such disease during the period of such serv2 ice. 

3 ‘‘(b) EXPOSURE.—A veteran who, during active mili4 tary, naval, or air service, served offshore of the Republic 

5 of Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 

6 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, shall be presumed to 

7 have been exposed during such service to an herbicide 

8 agent unless there is affirmative evidence to establish that 

9 the veteran was not exposed to any such agent during that 

10 service. 

11 ‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE OF AWARD.—(1) Except as 

12 provided by paragraph (2), the effective date of an award 

13 under this section shall be determined in accordance with 

14 section 5110 of this title. 

15 ‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding subsection (g) of section 

16 5110 of this title, the Secretary shall determine the effec17 tive date of an award based on a claim under this section 

18 for an individual described in subparagraph (B) by treat19 ing the date on which the individual filed the prior claim 

20 specified in clause (i) of such subparagraph as the date 

21 on which the individual filed the claim so awarded under 

22 this section. 

23 ‘‘(B) An individual described in this subparagraph is 

24 a veteran, or a survivor of a veteran, who meets the fol25 lowing criteria: 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 299 IH

1 ‘‘(i) The veteran or survivor submitted a claim 

2 for disability compensation on or after September 

3 25, 1985, and before January 1, 2020, for a disease 

4 covered by this section, and the claim was denied by 

5 reason of the claim not establishing that the disease 

6 was incurred or aggravated by the service of the vet7 eran. 

8 ‘‘(ii) The veteran or survivor submits a claim 

9 for disability compensation on or after January 1, 

10 2020, for the same condition covered by the prior 

11 claim under clause (i), and the claim is approved 

12 pursuant to this section. 

13 ‘‘(d) DETERMINATION OF OFFSHORE.—Notwith14 standing any other provision of law, for purposes of this 

15 section, the Secretary shall treat a location as being off16 shore of Vietnam if the location is not more than 12 nau17 tical miles seaward of a line commencing on the south18 western demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and 

19 Cambodia and intersecting the following points: 

‘‘Points Geographic Names Latitude 

North 

Longitude 

East 

At Hon Nhan Island, Tho Chu Archipelago 

Kien Giang Province 9°15.0′ 103°27.0′ 

At Hon Da Island southeast of Hon Khoai 

Island Minh Hai Province 8°22.8′ 104°52.4′ 

At Tai Lon Islet, Con Dao Islet in Con DaoVung Toa Special Sector 8°37.8′ 106°37.5′ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HR 299 IH

‘‘Points Geographic Names Latitude 

North 

Longitude 

East 

At Bong Lai Islet, Con Dao Islet 8°38.9′ 106°40.3′ 

At Bay Canh Islet, Con Dao Islet 8°39.7′ 106°42.1′ 

At Hon Hai Islet (Phu Qui group of islands) 

Thuan Hai Province 9°58.0′ 109°5.0′ 

At Hon Doi Islet, Thuan Hai Province 12°39.0′ 109°28.0′ 

At Dai Lanh point, Phu Khanh Province 12°53.8′ 109°27.2′ 

At Ong Can Islet, Phu Khanh Province 13°54.0′ 109°21.0′ 

At Ly Son Islet, Nghia Binh Province 15°23.1′ 109° 9.0′ 

At Con Co Island, Binh Tri Thien Province 17°10.0′ 107°20.6′ 

1 ‘‘(e) HERBICIDE AGENT.—In this section, the term 

2 ‘herbicide agent’ has the meaning given that term in sec3 tion 1116 (a)(3) of this title.’’. 

4 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

5 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

6 after the item relating to section 1116 the following new 

7 item: 

‘‘1116A. Presumptions of service connection for veterans who served offshore of 

the Republic of Vietnam.’’. 

8 (c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

9 (1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 

10 of such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 

11 issue guidance to implement section 1116A of title 

12 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 

13 (2) UPDATES.—On a quarterly basis during the 

14 period beginning on the date of the enactment of 

15 this Act and ending on the date on which regulaVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:48 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H299.IH H299

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
6 

•HR 299 IH

1 tions are prescribed to carry out such section 

2 1116A, the Secretary shall submit to the Commit3 tees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Represent4 atives and the Senate updates on the status of such 

5 regulations. 

6 (3) PENDING CASES.— 

7 (A) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary 

8 may stay a claim described in subparagraph 

9 (B) until the date on which the Secretary com10 mences the implementation of such section 

11 1116A. 

12 (B) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—A claim de13 scribed in this subparagraph is a claim for dis14 ability compensation— 

15 (i) relating to the service and diseases 

16 covered by such section 1116A; and 

17 (ii) that is pending at the Veterans 

18 Benefits Administration or the Board of 

19 Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of 

20 the enactment of this Act and before the 

21 date on which the Secretary commences 

22 the implementation of such section 1116A. 

23 (d) OUTREACH.— 

24 (1) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 

25 Affairs shall conduct outreach to inform veterans deVerDate Sep 11 2014 21:48 Jan 18, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H299.IH H299

pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
7 

•HR 299 IH

1 scribed in paragraph (2) of the ability to submit a 

2 claim for disability compensation under section 

3 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by 

4 subsection (a). 

5 (2) VETERAN DESCRIBED.—A veteran described 

6 in this paragraph is a veteran who, during active 

7 military, naval, or air service, served offshore of the 

8 Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on 

9 January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975. 

10 (e) REPORTS.—Not later than January 1, 2020, and 

11 not later than January 1, 2022, the Secretary of Veterans 

12 Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af13 fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 

14 report on claims for disability compensation under section 

15 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by sub16 section (a). Each report shall include the following with 

17 respect to the period covered by the report, disaggregated 

18 by the regional offices of the Department of Veterans Af19 fairs: 

20 (1) The number of claims filed under such sec21 tion. 

22 (2) The number of such claims granted. 

23 (3) The number of such claims denied. 

24 (f) HEALTH CARE.—Section 1710(e)(4) of title 38, 

25 United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘(including 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
8 

•HR 299 IH

1 offshore of such Republic as described in section 1116A(d) 

2 of this title)’’ after ‘‘served on active duty in the Republic 

3 of Vietnam’’. 

4 (g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

5 this section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 

6 SEC. 3. PRESUMPTION OF HERBICIDE EXPOSURE FOR CER7 TAIN VETERANS WHO SERVED IN KOREA. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 38, United 

9 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1116A, 

10 as added by section 2, the following new section: 

11 ‘‘§ 1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for cer12 tain veterans who served in Korea 

13 ‘‘(a) PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE-CONNECTION.—(1) 

14 For the purposes of section 1110 of this title, and subject 

15 to section 1113 of this title, a disease specified in sub16 section (b) that becomes manifest as specified in that sub17 section in a veteran described in paragraph (2) shall be 

18 considered to have been incurred or aggravated in the line 

19 of duty in the active military, naval, or air service, not20 withstanding that there is no record of evidence of such 

21 disease during the period of such service. 

22 ‘‘(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a vet23 eran who, during active military, naval, or air service, 

24 served in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
9 

•HR 299 IH

1 during the period beginning on September 1, 1967, and 

2 ending on August 31, 1971. 

3 ‘‘(b) DISEASES.—A disease specified in this sub4 section is— 

5 ‘‘(1) a disease specified in paragraph (2) of 

6 subsection (a) of section 1116 of this title that be7 comes manifest as specified in that paragraph; or 

8 ‘‘(2) any additional disease that— 

9 ‘‘(A) the Secretary determines in regula10 tions warrants a presumption of service-connec11 tion by reason of having positive association 

12 with exposure to an herbicide agent; and 

13 ‘‘(B) becomes manifest within any period 

14 prescribed in such regulations. 

15 ‘‘(c) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this sec16 tion, the term ‘herbicide agent’ has the meaning given 

17 such term in section 1821(d) of this title.’’. 

18 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

19 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

20 after the item relating to section 1116A, as added by sec21 tion 2, the following new item: 

‘‘1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans who served in 

Korea.’’. 

22 (c) PENDING CASES.— 

23 (1) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary may 

24 stay a claim described in subparagraph (B) until the 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
10 

•HR 299 IH

1 date on which the Secretary commences the imple2 mentation of section 1116B of title 38, United 

3 States Code, as added by subsection (a). 

4 (2) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—A claim described in 

5 this subparagraph is a claim for disability compensa6 tion— 

7 (A) relating to the service and diseases 

8 covered by such section 1116B; and 

9 (B) that is pending at the Veterans Bene10 fits Administration or the Board of Veterans’ 

11 Appeals on or after the date of the enactment 

12 of this Act and before the date on which the 

13 Secretary commences the implementation of 

14 such section 1116B. 

15 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

16 this section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 

17 SEC. 4. BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN OF CERTAIN THAILAND 

18 SERVICE VETERANS BORN WITH SPINA 

19 BIFIDA. 

20 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 18 of 

21 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

22 end the following new section: 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
11 

•HR 299 IH

1 ‘‘§ 1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand 

2 service veterans born with spina bifida 

3 ‘‘(a) BENEFITS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may 

4 provide to any child of a veteran of covered service in 

5 Thailand who is suffering from spina bifida the health 

6 care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary 

7 allowance required to be paid to a child of a Vietnam vet8 eran who is suffering from spina bifida under subchapter 

9 I of this chapter as if such child of a veteran of covered 

10 service in Thailand were a child of a Vietnam veteran who 

11 is suffering from spina bifida under such subchapter. 

12 ‘‘(b) SPINA BIFIDA CONDITIONS COVERED.—This 

13 section applies with respect to all forms and manifesta14 tions of spina bifida, except spina bifida occulta. 

15 ‘‘(c) VETERAN OF COVERED SERVICE IN THAI16 LAND.—For purposes of this section, a veteran of covered 

17 service in Thailand is any individual, without regard to 

18 the characterization of that individual’s service, who— 

19 ‘‘(1) served in the active military, naval, or air 

20 service in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary 

21 in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, dur22 ing the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and 

23 ending on May 7, 1975; and 

24 ‘‘(2) is determined by the Secretary, in con25 sultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have been 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
12 

•HR 299 IH

1 exposed to a herbicide agent during such service in 

2 Thailand. 

3 ‘‘(d) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this sec4 tion, the term ‘herbicide agent’ means a chemical in a her5 bicide used in support of United States and allied military 

6 operations in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in 

7 consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during the pe8 riod beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 

9 7, 1975.’’. 

10 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO DEFINITION OF

11 ‘‘CHILD’’.—Section 1831(1) of such title is amended— 

12 (1) in subparagraph (B)— 

13 (A) by striking ‘‘subchapter III of this 

14 chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1821 of this 

15 title’’; and 

16 (B) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘section 1821 

17 of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘that section’’; and 

18 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub19 paragraph: 

20 ‘‘(C) For purposes of section 1822 of this 

21 title, an individual, regardless of age or marital 

22 status, who— 

23 ‘‘(i) is the natural child of a veteran 

24 of covered service in Thailand (as deter25 mined for purposes of that section); and 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
13 

•HR 299 IH

1 ‘‘(ii) was conceived after the date on 

2 which that veteran first entered service de3 scribed in subsection (c) of that section.’’. 

4 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

5 (1) SUBCHAPTER HEADING.—The heading for 

6 subchapter III of chapter 18 of such title is amend7 ed by inserting ‘‘AND THAILAND’’ after 

8 ‘‘KOREA’’. 

9 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 

10 at the beginning of chapter 18 of such title is 

11 amended— 

12 (A) by striking the item relating to sub13 chapter III and inserting the following new 

14 item: 

‘‘SUBCHAPTER III—CHILDREN OF CERTAIN KOREA AND THAILAND SERVICE

VETERANS BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA’’; 

15 and 

16 (B) by inserting after the item relating to 

17 section 1821 the following new item: 

‘‘1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born with spina 

bifida.’’. 

18 (d) PENDING CASES.— 

19 (1) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary may 

20 stay a claim described in subparagraph (B) until the 

21 date on which the Secretary commences the imple22 mentation of section 1822 of title 38, United States 

23 Code, as added by subsection (a). 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
14 

•HR 299 IH

1 (2) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—A claim described in 

2 this subparagraph is a claim for benefits— 

3 (A) relating to the spina bifida and service 

4 covered by such section 1822; and 

5 (B) that is pending at the Veterans Bene6 fits Administration or the Board of Veterans’ 

7 Appeals on or after the date of the enactment 

8 of this Act and before the date on which the 

9 Secretary commences the implementation of 

10 such section 1822. 

11 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

12 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 

13 Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, 

14 shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 

15 the House of Representatives and the Senate a report 

16 identifying— 

17 (1) the military installations of the United 

18 States located in Thailand during the period begin19 ning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 

20 1975, at which an herbicide agent (as defined in sec21 tion 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added 

22 by subsection (a)) was actively used; and 

23 (2) the period of such use. 

24 (f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

25 this section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
15 

•HR 299 IH

1 SEC. 5. UPDATED REPORT ON CERTAIN GULF WAR ILLNESS 

2 STUDY. 

3 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact4 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

5 submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

6 House of Representatives and the Senate an updated re7 port on the findings, as of the date of the updated report, 

8 of the Follow-up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War 

9 and Gulf Era Veterans under the epidemiology program 

10 of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

11 SEC. 6. LOANS GUARANTEED UNDER HOME LOAN PRO12 GRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF13 FAIRS. 

14 (a) ADJUSTMENT OF LOAN LIMIT.—Section 

15 3703(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 

16 (1) in subparagraph (A)(i)(IV)— 

17 (A) by striking ‘‘the lesser of’’; and 

18 (B) by striking ‘‘or 25 percent of the 

19 loan’’; and 

20 (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘Freddie 

21 Mac’’ and all that follows through the period at the 

22 end and inserting ‘‘amount of the loan.’’. 

23 (b) LOAN FEES.—Section 3729(b)(2) of such title is 

24 amended by striking the loan fee table and inserting the 

25 following: 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
16 

•HR 299 IH

‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(A)(i) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after October 

1, 2004, and before January 1, 

2020) 

2.15 2.40 NA 

(A)(ii) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after January 

1, 2020, and before December 1, 

2027) 

2.40 2.40 NA 

(A)(iii) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after December 1, 2027, and before October 1, 

2028) 

2.15 2.15 NA 

(A)(iv) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after October 

1, 2028) 

1.40 1.40 NA 

(B)(i) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after October 1, 2004, and before 

January 1, 2020) 

3.30 3.30 NA 

(B)(ii) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after January 1, 2020, and before 

December 1, 2027) 

3.80 3.80 NA 

(B)(iii) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after December 1, 2027, and before 

October 1, 2028) 

3.30 3.30 NA 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
17 

•HR 299 IH

‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(B)(iv) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after October 1, 2028) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(C)(i) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed before 

January 1, 2020) 

1.50 1.75 NA 

(C)(ii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 

after January 1, 2020, and before 

December 1, 2027) 

1.75 1.75 NA 

(C)(iii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 

after December 1, 2027, and before 

October 1, 2028) 

1.50 1.50 NA 

(C)(iv) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 

after October 1, 2028) 

0.75 0.75 NA 

(D)(i) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed before 

January 1, 2020) 

1.25 1.50 NA 

(D)(ii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 

after January 1, 2020, and before 

December 1, 2027) 

1.45 1.45 NA 

(D)(iii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 

after December 1, 2027, and before 

October 1, 2028) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(D)(iv) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 

after October 1, 2028) 

0.50 0.50 NA 

(E) Interest rate reduction refinancing 

loan 

0.50 0.50 NA 

(F) Direct loan under section 3711 1.00 1.00 NA 

(G) Manufactured home loan under 

section 3712 (other than an interest 

rate reduction refinancing loan) 

1.00 1.00 NA 

(H) Loan to Native American veteran 

under section 3762 (other than an 

interest rate reduction refinancing 

loan) 

1.25 1.25 NA 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
18 

•HR 299 IH

‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(I) Loan assumption under section 

3714 

0.50 0.50 0.50 

(J) Loan under section 3733(a) 2.25 2.25 2.25’’. 

1 (c) WAIVER OF FEES FOR PURPLE HEART RECIPI2 ENTS; COLLECTION OF CERTAIN LOAN FEES.—Section 

3 3729(c) of such title is amended— 

4 (1) in paragraph (1)— 

5 (A) by striking ‘‘A fee’’ and inserting 

6 ‘‘Subject to paragraph (3), a fee’’; 

7 (B) by striking ‘‘or from a surviving 

8 spouse’’ and inserting ‘‘, from a surviving 

9 spouse’’; and 

10 (C) by inserting before the period at the 

11 end the following: ‘‘, or from a member of the 

12 Armed Forces serving on active duty who was 

13 awarded the Purple Heart’’. 

14 (2) by adding at the end the following new 

15 paragraph: 

16 ‘‘(3) A fee shall be collected under this section from 

17 any veteran with a service-connected disability rated as 

18 less than total, any surviving spouse of such a veteran, 

19 and any member of the Armed Forces who, on or after 

20 January 1, 2020, receives a loan in an amount that ex21 ceeds the Freddie Mac conforming loan limit limitation de22 termined under section 305(a)(2) of the Federal Home 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
19 

•HR 299 IH

1 Loan Mortgage Corporation Act (12 U.S.C. 1454(a)(2)) 

2 for a single-family residence, as adjusted for the year in3 volved.’’. 

4 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

5 this section shall apply with respect to a loan guaranteed 

6 under section 3710 of title 38, United States Code, on 

7 or after January 1, 2020. 

8 (e) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of such 

9 title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance 

10 to implement this section before prescribing new regula11 tions under sections 3703 and 3729 of such title, as 

12 amended by subsections (a), (b), and (c). 

13 SEC. 7. INFORMATION GATHERING FOR DEPARTMENT OF 

14 VETERANS AFFAIRS HOME LOAN APPRAIS15 ALS. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3731(b) of title 38, 

17 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

18 following new paragraph: 

19 ‘‘(3) The Secretary shall permit an appraiser on a 

20 list developed and maintained under subsection (a)(3) to 

21 make an appraisal for the purposes of this chapter based 

22 solely on information gathered by a person with whom the 

23 appraiser has entered into an agreement for such serv24 ices.’’. 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS
20 

•HR 299 IH

1 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

2 this section shall apply with respect to an appraisal under 

3 section 3731 of such title, on or after January 1, 2020. 

4 (c) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of such 

5 title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance 

6 to implement this section before prescribing new regula7 tions under sections 3731 of such title, as amended by 

8 subsection (a). 

Æ 


pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS