II 

Calendar No. 101 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 112 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to strengthen benefits for children 

of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 26, 2023 

Mr. BRAUN (for himself, Ms. HASSAN, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. 

WARNOCK, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. YOUNG, and Mr. 

CORNYN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 

JUNE 14, 2023 

Reported by Mr. TESTER, without amendment 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to strengthen benefits for children of Vietnam veterans born with spina 

bifida, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN OF VIET2 NAM VETERANS AND CERTAIN OTHER VET3 ERANS. 

4 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1831 of title 38, United 

5 States Code, is amended— 

6 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 

7 paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and 

8 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol9 lowing new paragraphs: 

10 ‘‘(2) The term ‘covered child’ means a child 

11 who is eligible for health care and benefits under 

12 this chapter. 

13 ‘‘(3) The term ‘covered veteran’ means an indi14 vidual whose children are eligible for health care and 

15 benefits under this chapter.’’. 

16 (b) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter IV of chapter 18 of 

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

18 end the following new sections: 

19 ‘‘§ 1835. Advisory council 

20 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish an 

21 advisory council on health care and benefits for covered 

22 children. 

23 ‘‘(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The advisory council estab24 lished under subsection (a) shall be composed of Federal 

25 employees. 


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1 ‘‘(c) DUTIES.—The advisory council established 

2 under subsection (a) shall solicit feedback from covered 

3 children and covered veterans on the health care and bene4 fits provided under this chapter and communicate such 

5 feedback to the Secretary. 

6 ‘‘§ 1836. Care and coordination teams 

7 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 

8 care and coordination teams for covered children. 

9 ‘‘(b) OUTREACH.—A care and coordination team es10 tablished under subsection (a) shall attempt to contact 

11 each covered child— 

12 ‘‘(1) not less frequently than once every 180 

13 days, to ensure the continued care of the child and 

14 assist with any changes in care needed due to a 

15 changed situation of the child; and 

16 ‘‘(2) as soon as practicable after the identifica17 tion of a condition listed in the report required by 

18 subsection (c). 

19 ‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the 

20 date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 

21 submit to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Sen22 ate and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 

23 of Representatives a report setting forth a list of condi24 tions that will trigger outreach to covered children under 

25 subsection (b)(2). 


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1 ‘‘§ 1837. Duration of health care and benefits pro2 vided 

3 ‘‘The Secretary shall provide a covered child with 

4 health care and benefits under this chapter— 

5 ‘‘(1) for the duration of the life of the child; 

6 and 

7 ‘‘(2) notwithstanding any death of a parent of 

8 the child that precedes the death of the child. 

9 ‘‘§ 1838. Biennial report 

10 ‘‘Not less frequently than once every two years, the 

11 Secretary shall submit to Congress a report setting forth 

12 the following: 

13 ‘‘(1) The number of covered children receiving 

14 health care or benefits under this chapter as of the 

15 date on which the report is submitted. 

16 ‘‘(2) The number of covered children for which 

17 the Department is paying for or providing a social 

18 worker as of such date. 

19 ‘‘(3) Metrics on outreach conducted under sec20 tion 1836(b) of this title.’’. 

21 (c) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.—Not later 

22 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

23 the Under Secretary for Benefits of the Department of 

24 Veterans Affairs and the Under Secretary for Health of 

25 the Department shall enter into a memorandum of under26 standing— 


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1 (1) to better assist covered children (as defined 

2 in section 1831 of title 38, United States Code, as 

3 amended by subsection (a)); and 

4 (2) to establish conditions to be included in the 

5 report required by section 1836(c) of title 38, 

6 United States Code, as added by subsection (b). 

7 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

8 (1) ADVISORY COUNCIL.—Not later than 270 

9 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

10 Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish the ad11 visory council required under section 1835 of title 

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

13 (2) CARE AND COORDINATION TEAMS.—Not 

14 later than one year after the date of the enactment 

15 of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

16 establish the care and coordination teams required 

17 under section 1836 of such title, as added by sub18 section (b). 

19 (e) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

20 at the beginning of chapter 18 of title 38, United States 

21 Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 

22 items: 

‘‘1835. Advisory council. 

‘‘1836. Care and coordination teams. 

‘‘1837. Duration of health care and benefits provided. 

‘‘1838. Biennial report.’’. 


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Calendar No. 101 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 112 

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to strengthwith spina bifida, and for other purposes. en benefits for children of Vietnam veterans born 

JUNE 14, 2023 

Reported without amendment 


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