Keeping Our Promises Act

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. Short title This Act may be cited as the Keeping Our Promises Act 2. Addition of diseases to presumption of service connection for veterans exposed to certain herbicides while serving in the Republic of Vietnam (a) Specified diseases Subsection (a)(2) of section 1116 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs: (K) Prostate cancer becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. (L) Cancer of the urinary bladder becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. (M) AL amyloidosis becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. (N) Early-onset peripheral neuropathy becoming manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year after the last date on which the veteran was exposed to an herbicide agent during active military, naval, or air service. (O) Parkinson’s disease (including Parkinsonism and Parkinson-like syndromes) becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. (P) Ischemic heart disease becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. (Q) Stroke becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. (R) Hypothyroidism becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. (S) Hypertension becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 10 percent or more. . (b) Additional diseases (1) Extension of sunset Subsection (e) of such section 1116 is amended by striking 2015 2030 (2) Prohibition of cost as factor Subsection (b) of such section 1116 is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (4) In making determinations for the purpose of this subsection, the Secretary may not take into account the costs to the United States relating to paying compensation under this section pursuant to such determination. . (3) Timing and submission of determinations Subsection (c)(1) of such section 1116 is amended— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 60 days 120 days (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) by inserting and submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate publish in the Federal Register (ii) by inserting , and any other factor that contributed to, scientific basis for

Summary: Keeping Our Promises Act This bill expands the list of diseases that are provided a presumption of service-connection for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. The bill extends through September 30, 2030, the requirement for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make determinations and submissions related to the connection between herbicide exposure and occurrence of disease. Additionally, the VA is prohibited from taking the costs of compensation into account when determining the association between exposure to an herbicide agent and occurrence of a disease. The bill requires the VA to determine within 120 days (currently 60) whether a presumption of service-connection is warranted for diseases covered by a National Academy of Sciences report.