I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2200 

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 

APRIL 10, 2019 

Mr. WESTERMAN (for himself, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE

of Pennsylvania, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. KUSTER of New 

Hampshire, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. TIPTON, and Ms. STEFANIK) 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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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 ‘‘(K) Prostate cancer becoming manifest to a 

9 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 

10 ‘‘(L) Cancer of the urinary bladder becoming 

11 manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or 

12 more. 

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

14 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 

15 ‘‘(N) Early-onset peripheral neuropathy becom16 ing manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more with17 in one year after the last date on which the veteran 

18 was exposed to an herbicide agent during active mili19 tary, naval, or air service. 

20 ‘‘(O) Parkinson’s disease (including 

21 Parkinsonism and Parkinson-like syndromes) becom22 ing manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent 

23 or more. 

24 ‘‘(P) Ischemic heart disease becoming manifest 

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


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•HR 2200 IH

1 ‘‘(Q) Stroke becoming manifest to a degree of 

2 disability of 10 percent or more. 

3 ‘‘(R) Hypothyroidism becoming manifest to a 

4 degree of disability of 10 percent or more. 

5 ‘‘(S) Hypertension becoming manifest to a de6 gree of disability of 10 percent or more.’’. 

7 (b) ADDITIONAL DISEASES.— 

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

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

10 and inserting ‘‘2030’’. 

11 (2) PROHIBITION OF COST AS FACTOR.—Sub12 section (b) of such section 1116 is amended by add13 ing at the end the following new paragraph: 

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

15 subsection, the Secretary may not take into account the 

16 costs to the United States relating to paying compensation 

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

18 (3) TIMING AND SUBMISSION OF DETERMINA19 TIONS.—Subsection (c)(1) of such section 1116 is 

20 amended— 

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

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

23 days’’; and 

24 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 


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

2 Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

3 House of Representatives and the Senate’’ 

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

5 and 

6 (ii) by inserting ‘‘, and any other fac7 tor that contributed to,’’ after ‘‘scientific 

8 basis for’’. 

Æ 


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