I
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2535
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 28, 1993
Mr. ROWLAND (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr.
EVANS, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. MONTGOMERY, Mr. STUMP,
Mr. KREIDLER, Mr. BUYER, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) 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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE PRIORITY HEALTH
CARE.
(a) AUTHORIZED INPATIENT CARE.—(1) Section
1710(a)(1)(G) of title 38, United States Code, is amended
by striking out ‘‘or radiation’’ and inserting in lieu thereof
‘‘, radiation, or environmental hazard’’.
(2) Section 1710(e) of such title is amended—
(A) by inserting at the end of paragraph (1) the
following new subparagraph:
‘‘(C) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this sub-
section, a veteran who the Secretary finds may have been
exposed while serving on active duty in the Southwest Asia
theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War to a
toxic substance or environmental hazard is eligible for hos-
pital care and nursing home care under subsection
(a)(1)(G) of this section for any disability which becomes
manifest before October 1, 1996, notwithstanding that
there is insufficient medical evidence to conclude that such
disability may be associated with such exposure.’’;
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking out ‘‘subpara-
graph (A) or (B)’’ and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘sub-
paragraph (A), (B), or (C)’’; and
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking out the period
at the end and inserting in lieu thereof ‘‘, or, in the
case of care for a veteran described in paragraph
(1)(C), after September 30, 1998.’’.
(b) 
AUTHORIZED
OUTPATIENT
CARE.—Section
1712(a)(1) of such title is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) by striking out ‘‘and’’ at the end of
subparagraph (B);
(B) by striking out the period at the end
of subparagraph (C) and inserting in lieu there-
of ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(D) during the period before October 1, 1998,
for any disability which becomes manifest before Oc-
tober 1, 1996, in the case of a veteran who served
on active duty in the Southwest Asia theater of op-
erations during the Persian Gulf War and who the
Secretary finds may have been exposed to a toxic
substance or environmental hazard during such serv-
ice, notwithstanding that there is insufficient medi-
cal evidence to conclude that the disability may be
associated with such exposure.’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(7) Medical services may not be furnished under
paragraph (1)(D) with respect to a disability that is found,
in accordance with guidelines issued by the Under Sec-
retary for Health, to have resulted from a cause other
than an exposure described in that paragraph.’’.
SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by section 1 shall take effect
as of August 10, 1992.
Æ