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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2413

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional authority for

the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide health care for veterans

of the Persian Gulf War.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 15, 1993

Mr. CLEMENT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional

authority for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide

health care for veterans of the Persian Gulf War.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE.

4 (a) HIGH-PRIORITY CARE.—Section 1710(a)(1)(G)

5 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking

6 out ‘‘or radiation’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘, radi7 ation, or environmental hazard’’.

8 (b) AUTHORIZED INPATIENT CARE.—Section

9 1710(e) of such title is amended—
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1 (1) by inserting at the end of paragraph (1) the

2 following new subparagraph:

3 ‘‘(C) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this sub4 section, a veteran who the Secretary finds may have been

5 exposed while serving on active duty in the Southwest Asia

6 theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War to a

7 toxic substance or environmental hazard is eligible for hos8 pital care and nursing home care under subsection

9 (a)(1)(G) of this section for any disability for which a need

10 for treatment is determined by the Secretary before Octo11 ber 1, 1994, notwithstanding that there is insufficient

12 medical evidence to conclude that such disability may be

13 associated with such exposure.’’;

14 (2) in paragraph (2), by striking out ‘‘subpara15 graph (A) or (B)’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘sub16 paragraph (A), (B), or (C)’’; and

17 (3) in paragraph (3), by striking out the period

18 at the end and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘, or, in the

19 case of care for a veteran described in paragraph

20 (1)(C), after September 30, 1996.’’.

21 (c) AUTHORIZED OUTPATIENT CARE.—Section

22 1712(a)(1) of such title is amended—

23 (1) in paragraph (1)—

24 (A) by striking out ‘‘and’’ at the end of

25 subparagraph (B);
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1 (B) by striking out the period at the end

2 of subparagraph (C) and inserting in lieu there3 of ‘‘; and’’; and

4 (C) by adding at the end the following:

5 ‘‘(D) during the period before October 1, 1996,

6 for any disability for which a need for treatment is

7 determined by the Secretary before October 1, 1994,

8 in the case of a veteran who served on active duty

9 in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during

10 the Persian Gulf War and who the Secretary finds

11 may have been exposed to a toxic substance or envi12 ronmental hazard during such service, notwithstand13 ing that there is insufficient medical evidence to con14 clude that the disability may be associated with such

15 exposure.’’; and

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

17 paragraph:

18 ‘‘(7) Medical services may not be furnished under

19 paragraph (1)(D) with respect to a disability that is found,

20 in accordance with guidelines issued by the Under Sec21 retary for Health, to have resulted from a cause other

22 than an exposure described in that paragraph.’’.

23 SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.

24 The amendments made by section 1 shall take effect

25 as of August 10, 1992.
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