(d) OUTREACH.— 
(1) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall conduct outreach to inform veterans de-
scribed in paragraph (2) of the ability to submit a 
claim for disability compensation under section 
1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
subsection (a). Such outreach shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The Secretary shall publish on the 
website of the Department a notice that a vet-
erans described in paragraph (2) may submit or 
resubmit a claim for disability compensation 
under such section 1116A. 
(B) The Secretary shall notify in writing 
the veteran service organization community of 
the ability of veterans described in paragraph 
(2) to submit or resubmit claims for disability 
compensation under such section 1116A. 
(2) VETERAN DESCRIBED.—A veteran described 
in this paragraph is a veteran who, during active 
military, naval, or air service, served offshore of the 
Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on 
January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975. 
(e) REPORTS.—Not later than January 1, 2021, and 
annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary of Veterans 
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Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report re-
garding claims for disability compensation under section 
1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a). Each report shall include, with respect to the 
calendar year preceding the report, disaggregated by the re-
gional offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The number of claims filed under such sec-
tion. 
(2) The number of such claims granted. 
(3) The number of such claims denied. 
(f) HEALTH CARE.—Section 1710(e)(4) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘(including 
offshore of such Republic as described in section 1116A(d) 
of this title)’’ after ‘‘served on active duty in the Republic 
of Vietnam’’. 
(g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 
SEC. 3. PRESUMPTION OF HERBICIDE EXPOSURE FOR CER-
TAIN VETERANS WHO SERVED IN KOREA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1116A, 
as added by section 2, the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for cer-
tain veterans who served in Korea 
‘‘(a) PRESUMPTION
OF SERVICE-CONNECTION.—(1) 
For the purposes of section 1110 of this title, and subject 
to section 1113 of this title, a disease specified in subsection 
(b) that becomes manifest as specified in that subsection in 
a veteran described in paragraph (2) shall be considered 
to have been incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in 
the active military, naval, or air service, notwithstanding 
that there is no record of evidence of such disease during 
the period of such service. 
‘‘(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran 
who, during active military, naval, or air service, served 
in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), during 
the period beginning on September 1, 1967, and ending on 
August 31, 1971. 
‘‘(b) DISEASES.—A disease specified in this subsection 
is— 
‘‘(1) a disease specified in paragraph (2) of sub-
section (a) of section 1116 of this title that becomes 
manifest as specified in that paragraph; or 
‘‘(2) any additional disease that— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary determines in regula-
tions warrants a presumption of service-connec-
tion by reason of having positive association 
with exposure to an herbicide agent; and 
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‘‘(B) becomes manifest within any period 
prescribed in such regulations. 
‘‘(c) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this section, 
the term ‘herbicide agent’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 1821(d) of this title.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at 
the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 1116A, as added by section 2, 
the following new item: 
‘‘1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans who served in 
Korea.’’. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of 
such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue 
guidance to implement section 1116B of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), before 
prescribing new regulations under such section. 
(2) UPDATES.—(A) Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit a report to the Committees on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate regarding the plans of the Secretary to re-
spond to inquiries from veterans regarding claims for 
disability compensation under section 1116B of title 
38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of 
this section. 
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(B) On a quarterly basis during the period be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 
ending on the date on which regulations are pre-
scribed to carry out such section 1116B, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Senate updates 
on the status of such regulations. 
(3) PENDING CASES.— 
(A) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary 
may stay a claim described in subparagraph (B) 
until the date on which the Secretary commences 
the implementation of section 1116B of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
(B) CLAIMS
DESCRIBED.—A claim de-
scribed in this subparagraph is a claim for dis-
ability compensation— 
(i) relating to the service and diseases 
covered by such section 1116B; and 
(ii) that is pending at the Veterans 
Benefits Administration or the Board of 
Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and before the date on 
which the Secretary commences the imple-
mentation of such section 1116B. 
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(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 
SEC. 4. BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN OF CERTAIN THAILAND 
SERVICE 
VETERANS 
BORN 
WITH 
SPINA 
BIFIDA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 18 of 
title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand 
service veterans born with spina bifida 
‘‘(a) BENEFITS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may 
provide to any child of a veteran of covered service in Thai-
land who is suffering from spina bifida the health care, vo-
cational training and rehabilitation, and monetary allow-
ance required to be paid to a child of a Vietnam veteran 
who is suffering from spina bifida under subchapter I of 
this chapter as if such child of a veteran of covered service 
in Thailand were a child of a Vietnam veteran who is suf-
fering from spina bifida under such subchapter. 
‘‘(b) SPINA BIFIDA CONDITIONS COVERED.—This sec-
tion applies with respect to all forms and manifestations 
of spina bifida, except spina bifida occulta. 
‘‘(c) VETERAN OF COVERED SERVICE IN THAILAND.— 
For purposes of this section, a veteran of covered service 
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in Thailand is any individual, without regard to the char-
acterization of that individual’s service, who— 
‘‘(1) served in the active military, naval, or air 
service in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary 
in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during 
the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending 
on May 7, 1975; and 
‘‘(2) is determined by the Secretary, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of Defense, to have been ex-
posed to a herbicide agent during such service in 
Thailand. 
‘‘(d) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this section, 
the term ‘herbicide agent’ means a chemical in a herbicide 
used in support of United States and allied military oper-
ations in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Defense, during the period 
beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 
1975.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT
TO DEFINITION
OF 
‘‘CHILD’’.—Section 1831(1) of such title is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘subchapter III of this 
chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1821 of this 
title’’; and 
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(B) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘section 1821 
of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘that section’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(C) For purposes of section 1822 of this 
title, an individual, regardless of age or marital 
status, who— 
‘‘(i) is the natural child of a veteran of 
covered service in Thailand (as determined 
for purposes of that section); and 
‘‘(ii) was conceived after the date on 
which that veteran first entered service de-
scribed in subsection (c) of that section.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) SUBCHAPTER
HEADING.—The heading for 
subchapter III of chapter 18 of such title is amended 
by inserting ‘‘AND THAILAND’’ after ‘‘KOREA’’. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 18 of such title is amend-
ed— 
(A) by striking the item relating to sub-
chapter III and inserting the following new item: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER III—CHILDREN OF CERTAIN KOREA AND THAILAND SERVICE 
VETERANS BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA’’; 
and 
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(B) by inserting after the item relating to 
section 1821 the following new item: 
‘‘1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born with spina 
bifida.’’. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of 
such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue 
guidance to implement section 1822 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a), before 
prescribing new regulations under such section. 
(2) UPDATES.—(A) Not later than 120 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit a report to the Committees on 
Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate regarding the plans of the Secretary to re-
spond to inquiries from veterans regarding claims for 
disability compensation under section 1822 of title 
38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of 
this section. 
(B) On a quarterly basis during the period be-
ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 
ending on the date on which regulations are pre-
scribed to carry out such section 1822, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Senate updates 
on the status of such regulations. 
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(3) PENDING CASES.— 
(A) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary 
may stay a claim described in subparagraph (B) 
until the date on which the Secretary commences 
the implementation of section 1822 of title 38, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
(B) CLAIMS
DESCRIBED.—A claim de-
scribed in this subparagraph is a claim for bene-
fits— 
(i) relating to the spina bifida and 
service covered by such section 1822; and 
(ii) that is pending at the Veterans 
Benefits Administration or the Board of 
Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of the 
enactment of this Act and before the date on 
which the Secretary commences the imple-
mentation of such section 1822. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House 
of Representatives and the Senate a report identifying— 
(1) the military installations of the United 
States located in Thailand during the period begin-
ning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 
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1975, at which an herbicide agent (as defined in sec-
tion 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a)) was actively used; and 
(2) the period of such use. 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 
SEC. 5. UPDATED REPORT ON CERTAIN GULF WAR ILLNESS 
STUDY. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit 
to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Senate an updated report on the find-
ings, as of the date of the updated report, of the Follow- 
up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era 
Veterans under the epidemiology program of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs. 
SEC. 6. LOANS GUARANTEED UNDER HOME LOAN PROGRAM 
OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. 
(a) ADJUSTMENT OF LOAN LIMIT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3703(a)(1) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) in clause (i)(IV), by striking ‘‘the 
lesser of the maximum guaranty amount 
(as defined in subparagraph (C)) or’’; 
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(ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘sub-
paragraph (B) of this paragraph’’ and in-
serting ‘‘subparagraph (B) or (C)’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘The maximum’’ and 
inserting ‘‘With respect to loans described 
in subclauses (I), (II), or (III) of subpara-
graph (A)(i), the maximum’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘or in the case’’ and 
all that follows through ‘‘subparagraph 
(C)),’’; and 
(C) by striking subparagraph (C) and in-
serting the following new subparagraph (C): 
‘‘(C)(i) With respect to loans described in subclause 
(IV) of subparagraph (A)(i) made to a veteran not covered 
by clause (ii), the maximum amount of guaranty entitle-
ment available to the veteran shall be 25 percent of the loan. 
‘‘(ii) With respect to loans described in subclause (IV) 
of subparagraph (A)(i) made to a covered veteran, the max-
imum amount of guaranty entitlement available to the vet-
eran shall be 25 percent of the Freddie Mac conforming loan 
limit, reduced by the amount of entitlement previously used 
by the veteran under this chapter and not restored as a re-
sult of the exclusion in section 3702(b) of this title. 
‘‘(iii) In this subparagraph: 
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‘‘(I) The term ‘covered veteran’ means a veteran 
who has previously used entitlement under this chap-
ter and for whom the full amount of entitlement so 
used has not been restored as a result of the exclusion 
in section 3702(b) of this title. 
‘‘(II) The term ‘Freddie Mac conforming loan 
limit’ means the limit determined under section 
305(a)(2) of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Cor-
poration Act (12 U.S.C. 1454(a)(2)) for a single-fam-
ily residence, as adjusted for the year involved.’’. 
(2) LOANS TO NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS.— 
Section 3762(c) of such title is amended— 
(A) by striking paragraph (1); and 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and 
(3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively. 
(3) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
3710(d)(4) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 3703(a)(1)(B) of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
paragraph (B) or (C) of section 3703(a)(1) of this 
title’’. 
(b) ADJUSTMENT OF LOAN FEES.—Section 3729(b)(2) 
of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking the 
loan fee table and inserting the following: 
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‘‘Type of loan 
Active duty 
veteran 
Reservist 
Other 
obligor 
(A)(i) Initial loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 0-down, or any other 
initial loan described in section 
3710(a) other than with 5-down or 
10-down (closed on or after October 
1, 2004, and before January 1, 2020) 
2.15 
2.40 
NA 
(A)(ii) Initial loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 0-down, or any other 
initial loan described in section 
3710(a) other than with 5-down or 
10-down (closed on or after January 
1, 2020, and before January 1, 2022) 
2.30 
2.30 
NA 
(A)(iii) Initial loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 0-down, or any other 
initial loan described in section 
3710(a) other than with 5-down or 
10-down (closed on or after January 
1, 2022, and before October 1, 2029) 
2.15 
2.15 
NA 
(A)(iv) Initial loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 0-down, or any other 
initial loan described in section 
3710(a) other than with 5-down or 
10-down (closed on or after October 
1, 2029) 
1.40 
1.40 
NA 
(B)(i) Subsequent loan described in sec-
tion 3710(a) to purchase or construct 
a dwelling with 0-down, or any other 
subsequent loan described in section 
3710(a) (closed on or after October 1, 
2004, and before January 1, 2020) 
3.30 
3.30 
NA 
(B)(ii) Subsequent loan described in 
section 3710(a) to purchase or con-
struct a dwelling with 0-down, or 
any other subsequent loan described 
in section 3710(a) (closed on or after 
January 1, 2020, and before Janu-
ary 1, 2022) 
3.60 
3.60 
NA 
(B)(iii) Subsequent loan described in 
section 3710(a) to purchase or con-
struct a dwelling with 0-down, or 
any other subsequent loan described 
in section 3710(a) (closed on or after 
January 1, 2022, and before October 
1, 2029) 
3.30 
3.30 
NA 
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‘‘Type of loan 
Active duty 
veteran 
Reservist 
Other 
obligor 
(B)(iv) Subsequent loan described in 
section 3710(a) to purchase or con-
struct a dwelling with 0-down, or 
any other subsequent loan described 
in section 3710(a) (closed on or after 
October 1, 2029) 
1.25 
1.25 
NA 
(C)(i) 
Loan 
described 
in 
section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 5-down (closed before 
January 1, 2020) 
1.50 
1.75 
NA 
(C)(ii) 
Loan 
described 
in 
section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 
after January 1, 2020, and before 
January 1, 2022) 
1.65 
1.65 
NA 
(C)(iii) Loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 
after January 1, 2022, and before 
October 1, 2029) 
1.50 
1.50 
NA 
(C)(iv) 
Loan 
described 
in 
section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 
after October 1, 2029) 
0.75 
0.75 
NA 
(D)(i) 
Loan 
described 
in 
section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 10-down (closed before 
January 1, 2020) 
1.25 
1.50 
NA 
(D)(ii) 
Loan 
described 
in 
section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 
after January 1, 2020, and before 
January 1, 2022) 
1.40 
1.40 
NA 
(D)(iii) Loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 
after January 1, 2022, and before 
October 1, 2029) 
1.25 
1.25 
NA 
(D)(iv) Loan described in section 
3710(a) to purchase or construct a 
dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 
after October 1, 2029) 
0.50 
0.50 
NA 
(E) Interest rate reduction refinancing 
loan 
0.50 
0.50 
NA 
(F) Direct loan under section 3711 
1.00 
1.00 
NA 
(G) Manufactured home loan under sec-
tion 3712 (other than an interest 
rate reduction refinancing loan) 
1.00 
1.00 
NA 
(H) Loan to Native American veteran 
under section 3762 (other than an 
interest rate reduction refinancing 
loan) 
1.25 
1.25 
NA 
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‘‘Type of loan 
Active duty 
veteran 
Reservist 
Other 
obligor 
(I) Loan assumption under section 
3714 
0.50 
0.50 
0.50 
(J) Loan under section 3733(a) 
2.25 
2.25 
2.25’’. 
(c) WAIVER OF FEES FOR PURPLE HEART RECIPI-
ENTS.—Section 3729(c)(1) of such title is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or from a surviving spouse’’ and 
inserting ‘‘, from a surviving spouse’’; and 
(2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
following: ‘‘, or from a member of the Armed Forces 
who is serving on active duty and who provides, on 
or before the date of loan closing, evidence of having 
been awarded the Purple Heart’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply with respect to a loan guaranteed under 
section 3710 of title 38, United States Code, on or after 
January 1, 2020. 
(e) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of title 
38, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
may issue guidance to implement this section before pre-
scribing new regulations under sections 3703, 3729, and 
3762 of such title, as amended by this section. 
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SEC. 7. INFORMATION GATHERING FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS HOME LOAN APPRAISALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3731(b) of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) The Secretary shall permit an appraiser on a list 
developed and maintained under subsection (a)(3) to make 
an appraisal for the purposes of this chapter based solely 
on information gathered by a person with whom the ap-
praiser has entered into an agreement for such services.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply with respect to an appraisal under sec-
tion 3731 of such title, on or after January 1, 2020. 
(c) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of such 
title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance 
to implement this section before prescribing new regulations 
under sections 3731 of such title, as amended by subsection 
(a). 
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Union Calendar No. 36 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 299 
[Report No. 116–58] 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify 
presumptions relating to the exposure of certain 
veterans who served in the vicinity of the Repub-
lic of Vietnam, and for other purposes. 
MAY 10, 2019 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 
and ordered to be printed 
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