II
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2535
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
AUGUST 3 (legislative day, JUNE 30), 1993
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs
NOVEMBER 20 (legislative day, NOVEMBER 2), 1993
Committee discharged
AN ACT
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) 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.
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by
section 1 shall take effect as of August 2, 1990.
(b) PROCEDURE
FOR REFUNDS
OF PRIOR PAY-
MENTS.—Upon application of a veteran submitted after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall refund to the veteran any amount
paid by the veteran to the Secretary before the date of
the enactment of this Act in accordance with sections
1710(f) and 1712(f) of title 38, United States Code, for
care and services covered by the amendments made by sec-
tion 1.
Passed the House of Representatives August 2,
1993.
Attest:
DONNALD K. ANDERSON,
Clerk.