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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 112 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.112

                     One Hundred Eighteenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America

                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
         the third day of January, two thousand and twenty three

                                 An Act

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

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

SECTION 1. BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS AND 
CERTAIN OTHER VETERANS.
    (a) Definitions.--Section 1831 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended--
        (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (4) 
    and (5), respectively; and
        (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
    paragraphs:
        ``(2) The term `covered child' means a child who is eligible 
    for health care and benefits under this chapter.
        ``(3) The term `covered veteran' means an individual whose 
    children are eligible for health care and benefits under this 
    chapter.''.
    (b) In General.--Subchapter IV of chapter 18 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
sections:
``Sec. 1835. Advisory council
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish an advisory 
council on health care and benefits for covered children.
    ``(b) Membership.--The advisory council established under 
subsection (a) shall be composed of Federal employees.
    ``(c) Duties.--The advisory council established under subsection 
(a) shall solicit feedback from covered children and covered veterans 
on the health care and benefits provided under this chapter and 
communicate such feedback to the Secretary.
``Sec. 1836. Care and coordination teams
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish care and 
coordination teams for covered children.
    ``(b) Outreach.--A care and coordination team established under 
subsection (a) shall attempt to contact each covered child--
        ``(1) not less frequently than once every 180 days, to ensure 
    the continued care of the child and assist with any changes in care 
    needed due to a changed situation of the child; and
        ``(2) as soon as practicable after the identification of a 
    condition listed in the report required by subsection (c).
    ``(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report setting forth a list 
of conditions that will trigger outreach to covered children under 
subsection (b)(2).
``Sec. 1837. Duration of health care and benefits provided
    ``The Secretary shall provide a covered child with health care and 
benefits under this chapter--
        ``(1) for the duration of the life of the child; and
        ``(2) notwithstanding any death of a parent of the child that 
    precedes the death of the child.
``Sec. 1838. Biennial report
    ``Not less frequently than once every two years, the Secretary 
shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the following:
        ``(1) The number of covered children receiving health care or 
    benefits under this chapter as of the date on which the report is 
    submitted.
        ``(2) The number of covered children for which the Department 
    is paying for or providing a social worker as of such date.
        ``(3) Metrics on outreach conducted under section 1836(b) of 
    this title.''.
    (c) Memorandum of Understanding.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Benefits of 
the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Under Secretary for Health 
of the Department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding--
        (1) to better assist covered children (as defined in section 
    1831 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by subsection 
    (a)); and
        (2) to establish conditions to be included in the report 
    required by section 1836(c) of title 38, United States Code, as 
    added by subsection (b).
    (d) Implementation.--
        (1) Advisory council.--Not later than 270 days after the date 
    of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
    shall establish the advisory council required under section 1835 of 
    title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (b).
        (2) Care and coordination teams.--Not later than one year after 
    the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
    Affairs shall establish the care and coordination teams required 
    under section 1836 of such title, as added by subsection (b).
    (e) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 18 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new items:
``1835. Advisory council.
``1836. Care and coordination teams.
``1837. Duration of health care and benefits provided.
``1838. Biennial report.''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.
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