I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7287 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the eligibility of 
certain individuals exposed to burn pits for hospital care, medical serv-
ices, and nursing home care furnished by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 12, 2018 
Mr. RUIZ (for himself, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mr. BILIRAKIS, and Mr. KING 
of New York) 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 the 
eligibility of certain individuals exposed to burn pits for 
hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care 
furnished by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Jennifer Kepner 
Healthcare for Open air burn Pit Exposure Act’’ or the 
‘‘Jennifer Kepner HOPE Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF INDIVIDUALS EXPOSED TO BURN 
PITS FOR HOSPITAL CARE, MEDICAL SERV-
ICES, AND NURSING HOME FURNISHED BY 
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1710 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)(F), by inserting ‘‘burn 
pit,’’ after ‘‘radiation,’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(G)(i) Subject to paragraph (2), an individual who, 
on or after September 11, 2001, served as a member of 
the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation 
and was based or stationed at a location where an open 
air burn pit was in use, is eligible for hospital care, med-
ical services, and nursing home care under subsection 
(a)(2)(F) notwithstanding that there is insufficient med-
ical evidence to conclude that a disease or disability of the 
individual is or is not associated with exposure to an open 
air burn pit. 
‘‘(ii) In this subparagraph: 
‘‘(I) The term ‘open air burn pit’ means a place 
where— 
‘‘(aa) solid waste is disposed of by burning 
in the outdoor air; and 
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‘‘(bb) a commercially manufactured incin-
erator or other equipment specifically designed 
and manufactured for the burning of solid 
waste is not in use. 
‘‘(II) The term ‘solid waste’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 1004(27) of the Solid 
Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6903(27)).’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ‘‘and 
(F)’’ and inserting ‘‘(F), and (G)’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to hospital care, 
medical services, and nursing home care furnished on or 
after the date that is 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
Æ 
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