I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 637 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a task force on 
Agent Orange exposure. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 17, 2019 
Mr. KATKO (for himself, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. KING of New York, and Mr. 
CARSON of Indiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a 
task force on Agent Orange exposure. 
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 ‘‘Lawrence J. Hackett 
Jr. Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Fairness Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TASK FORCE 
ON AGENT ORANGE EXPOSURE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall establish a task force to assess and make rec-
ommendations about the care and compensation that 
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should be provided to veterans who have been exposed to 
Agent Orange, their spouses, and multiple generations of 
their offspring. 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The task force shall be composed 
of the following: 
(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs. 
(2) The Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
for Benefits. 
(3) The Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
for Health. 
(4) At least one representative from the Insti-
tute of Medicine. 
(5) Individuals selected by the Secretary who 
represent veterans’ service organizations recognized 
by the Secretary for the representation of veterans 
under section 5902 of title 38, United States Code. 
(6) Such other individuals selected by the Sec-
retary who represent such other organizations and 
institutions as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(c) DUTIES.—The duties of the task force are as fol-
lows: 
(1) To make recommendations to establish a 
program to be known as the ‘‘Agent Orange Illness 
Compensation Program’’ to provide an exposed vet-
eran, or eligible survivor of that veteran if the vet-
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eran is deceased, a lump sum payment for the in-
jury, illness, or death of that veteran. 
(2) To make recommendations for the establish-
ment of a coordinated, ongoing, national outreach 
and education campaign using such means as direct 
mail, on-line media, social media, and traditional 
media to communicate information about Agent Or-
ange exposures and health conditions to veterans 
who are affected by incidents of toxic exposures and 
their families. 
(3) To make recommendations for compensa-
tion and health care for individuals with Spina 
Bifida, birth defects, or other illnesses who are the 
children or descendants of members of the Armed 
Forces who served in the Republic of Vietnam or in 
or near the demilitarization zone in Korea during 
certain time periods determined by the task force. 
(4) To make recommendations for the establish-
ment of a unified policy to deal with the con-
sequences of exposure to hazardous materials in the 
military. 
(d) DURATION.—The task force established under 
subsection (a) shall terminate not later than two years 
after the date on which the task force is established under 
such subsection. 
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(e) REPORTS.— 
(1) SUBMITTAL OF REPORT.—Not later than 
one year after the date of the establishment of the 
task force, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
submit to Congress a report on the findings of the 
task force this section. 
(2) ASSESSMENT
OF
IMPLEMENTATION.—Not 
later than 120 days after the termination of the task 
force, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a re-
port containing the assessment of the Secretary re-
garding the implementation of the findings of the 
task force. 
(f) DEFINITION OF AGENT ORANGE.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘Agent Orange’’ means a chemical in an herbi-
cide used in support of the United States and allied mili-
tary operations in the Republic of Vietnam during the pe-
riod beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 
7, 1975. 
Æ 
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