I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3368 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a presumption of 

service-connection for certain veterans exposed to certain herbicides while 

serving in the Armed Forces, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 20, 2021 

Mr. SAN NICOLAS (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Ms. CHU, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mrs. 

DEMINGS, Ms. ESCOBAR, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. HARDER of 

California, Mr. KATKO, Mr. KILMER, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK, Mr. MAST, Ms. NORTON, Ms. OMAR, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. 

PAPPAS, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mrs. RADEWAGEN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. RUTHERFORD, Mr. RYAN, Mr. SOTO, Ms. SPANBERGER, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. WELCH, Mr. ZELDIN, 

Mr. MASSIE, Mrs. AXNE, and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following 

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

A BILL 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a 

presumption of service-connection for certain veterans 

exposed to certain herbicides while serving in the Armed 

Forces, 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 ‘‘Lonnie Kilpatrick Cen5 tral Pacific Relief Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PRESUMPTIONS OF SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR 

2 CERTAIN VETERANS EXPOSED TO CERTAIN 

3 HERBICIDES WHILE SERVING IN THE ARMED 

4 FORCES. 

5 (a) EXPANSION OF PRESUMPTIONS.—Section 

6 1116(a)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended— 

7 (1) in subparagraph (A), by inserting after 

8 ‘‘1975’’ the following: ‘‘, served on Guam or Amer9 ican Samoa, or in the territorial waters thereof, dur10 ing the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and 

11 ending on July 31, 1980, or served on Johnston 

12 Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll dur13 ing the period beginning on January 1, 1972, and 

14 ending on September 30, 1977’’; and 

15 (2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting after 

16 ‘‘1975’’ the following: ‘‘, served on Guam or Amer17 ican Samoa, or in the territorial waters thereof, dur18 ing the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and 

19 ending on July 31, 1980, or served on Johnston 

20 Atoll or on a ship that called at Johnston Atoll dur21 ing the period beginning on January 1, 1972, and 

22 ending on September 30, 1977,’’. 

23 (b) ELIGIBILITY FOR HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL

24 SERVICES.—Section 1710(e)(4) is amended by striking 

25 subparagraph (A) and inserting the following new sub26 paragraph (A): 


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1 ‘‘(A) The term ‘Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed 

2 veteran’ means a veteran who— 

3 ‘‘(i) served on active duty— 

4 ‘‘(I) in the Republic of Vietnam dur5 ing the period beginning on January 9, 

6 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; 

7 ‘‘(II) on Guam or American Samoa, 

8 or in the territorial waters thereof, the pe9 riod beginning on January 9, 1962, and 

10 ending on July 31, 1980; or 

11 ‘‘(III) on Johnston Atoll or on a ship 

12 that called at Johnston Atoll during the 

13 period beginning on January 1, 1972, and 

14 ending on September 30, 1977; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) the Secretary finds may have been ex16 posed during such service to dioxin or was ex17 posed during such service to a toxic substance 

18 found in a herbicide or defoliant used for mili19 tary purposes during such period.’’. 

Æ 


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