116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 299 
AN ACT 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presump-
tions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who 
served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, 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 ‘‘Blue Water Navy Viet-
nam Veterans Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS OF EXPOSURE 
FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN VICINITY OF 
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1116 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1116A. Presumptions of service connection for vet-
erans who served offshore of the Repub-
lic of Vietnam 
‘‘(a) SERVICE CONNECTION.—For the purposes of 
section 1110 of this title, and subject to section 1113 of 
this title, a disease covered by section 1116 of this title 
becoming manifest as specified in that section in a veteran 
who, during active military, naval, or air service, served 
offshore of the Republic of Vietnam during the period be-
ginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, 
shall be considered to have been incurred in or aggravated 
by such service, notwithstanding that there is no record 
of evidence of such disease during the period of such serv-
ice. 
‘‘(b) EXPOSURE.—A veteran who, during active mili-
tary, 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, shall be presumed to 
have been exposed during such service to an herbicide 
agent unless there is affirmative evidence to establish that 
the veteran was not exposed to any such agent during that 
service. 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE OF AWARD.—(1) Except as 
provided by paragraph (2), the effective date of an award 
under this section shall be determined in accordance with 
section 5110 of this title. 
‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding subsection (g) of section 
5110 of this title, the Secretary shall determine the effec-
tive date of an award based on a claim under this section 
for an individual described in subparagraph (B) by treat-
ing the date on which the individual filed the prior claim 
specified in clause (i) of such subparagraph as the date 
on which the individual filed the claim so awarded under 
this section. 
‘‘(B) An individual described in this subparagraph is 
a veteran, or a survivor of a veteran, who meets the fol-
lowing criteria: 
‘‘(i) The veteran or survivor submitted a claim 
for disability compensation on or after September 
25, 1985, and before January 1, 2020, for a disease 
covered by this section, and the claim was denied by 
reason of the claim not establishing that the disease
was incurred or aggravated by the service of the vet-
eran. 
‘‘(ii) The veteran or survivor submits a claim 
for disability compensation on or after January 1, 
2020, for the same condition covered by the prior 
claim under clause (i), and the claim is approved 
pursuant to this section. 
‘‘(d) DETERMINATION
OF
OFFSHORE.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, for purposes of this 
section, the Secretary shall treat a location as being off-
shore of Vietnam if the location is not more than 12 nau-
tical miles seaward of a line commencing on the south-
western demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and 
Cambodia and intersecting the following points: 
‘‘Points Geographic Names 
Latitude 
North 
Longitude 
East 
At Hon Nhan Island, Tho Chu Archipelago Kien 
Giang Province 
9°15.0′ 
103°27.0′ 
At Hon Da Island southeast of Hon Khoai Island 
Minh Hai Province 
8°22.8′ 
104°52.4′ 
At Tai Lon Islet, Con Dao Islet in Con Dao-Vung 
Toa Special Sector 
8°37.8′ 
106°37.5′ 
At Bong Lai Islet, Con Dao Islet 
8°38.9′ 
106°40.3′ 
At Bay Canh Islet, Con Dao Islet 
8°39.7′ 
106°42.1′ 
At Hon Hai Islet (Phu Qui group of islands) Thuan 
Hai Province 
9°58.0′ 
109°5.0′ 
At Hon Doi Islet, Thuan Hai Province 
12°39.0′ 
109°28.0′ 
At Dai Lanh point, Phu Khanh Province 
12°53.8′ 
109°27.2′ 
At Ong Can Islet, Phu Khanh Province 
13°54.0′ 
109°21.0′ 
At Ly Son Islet, Nghia Binh Province 
15°23.1′ 
109° 9.0′
‘‘Points Geographic Names 
Latitude 
North 
Longitude 
East 
At Con Co Island, Binh Tri Thien Province 
17°10.0′ 
107°20.6′ 
‘‘(e) HERBICIDE AGENT.—In this section, the term 
‘herbicide agent’ has the meaning given that term in sec-
tion 1116(a)(3) 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 1116 the following new 
item: 
‘‘1116A. Presumptions of service connection for veterans who served offshore of 
the Republic of Vietnam.’’. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 
of such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
issue guidance to implement section 1116A of title 
38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), 
before prescribing new regulations under such sec-
tion. 
(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 Sec-
retary— 
(i) to conduct outreach under subsection 
(d); and
the enactment of this Act and before the 
date on which the Secretary commences 
the implementation of such section 1116A. 
(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 2 years, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af-
fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 
report regarding claims for disability compensation under 
section 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added 
by subsection (a). Each report shall include, with respect 
to the calendar year preceding the report, disaggregated 
by the regional offices of the Department of Veterans Af-
fairs, the following: 
(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: 
‘‘§ 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 sub-
section (b) that becomes manifest as specified in that sub-
section 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, not-
withstanding 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 vet-
eran 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 sub-
section is— 
‘‘(1) a disease specified in paragraph (2) of 
subsection (a) of section 1116 of this title that be-
comes 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 
‘‘(B) becomes manifest within any period 
prescribed in such regulations. 
‘‘(c) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, 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 sec-
tion 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 sec-
tion. 
(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 respond 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. 
(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 Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Sen-
ate 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 com-
mences the implementation of section 1116B of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (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 implementation of such section 1116B. 
(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 
Thailand who is suffering from spina bifida the health 
care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary 
allowance required to be paid to a child of a Vietnam vet-
eran 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 suffering from spina bifida under such subchapter.
‘‘(b) SPINA BIFIDA CONDITIONS COVERED.—This 
section applies with respect to all forms and manifesta-
tions of spina bifida, except spina bifida occulta. 
‘‘(c) VETERAN
OF COVERED SERVICE
IN THAI-
LAND.—For purposes of this section, a veteran of covered 
service in Thailand is any individual, without regard to 
the characterization 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, dur-
ing the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and 
ending on May 7, 1975; and 
‘‘(2) is determined by the Secretary, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have been 
exposed to a herbicide agent during such service in 
Thailand. 
‘‘(d) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, the term ‘herbicide agent’ means a chemical in a her-
bicide used in support of United States and allied military 
operations in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during the pe-
riod 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 
(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 deter-
mined 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 amend-
ed 
by 
inserting 
‘‘AND 
THAILAND’’ 
after 
‘‘KOREA’’. 
(2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of chapter 18 of such title is 
amended—
(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 
(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), be-
fore 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 respond 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 up-
dates 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 com-
mences the implementation of section 1822 of 
title 38, United States Code, as added by sub-
section (a). 
(B) CLAIMS
DESCRIBED.—A claim de-
scribed in this subparagraph is a claim for ben-
efits— 
(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 implementation of such section 1822. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, 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, 
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 enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 
House of Representatives and the Senate an updated re-
port on the findings, 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 Department of Veterans Affairs.
SEC. 6. LOANS GUARANTEED UNDER HOME LOAN PRO-
GRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF-
FAIRS. 
(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’’; and 
(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 maximum amount of guaranty entitlement available 
to the veteran shall be 25 percent of the Freddie Mac con-
forming loan limit, reduced by the amount of entitlement 
previously used by the veteran under this chapter and not 
restored as a result of the exclusion in section 3702(b) 
of this title. 
‘‘(iii) In this subparagraph: 
‘‘(I) The term ‘covered veteran’ means a vet-
eran who has previously used entitlement under this 
chapter and for whom the full amount of entitlement 
so used has not been restored as a result of the ex-
clusion 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- 
family 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: 
‘‘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
‘‘Type of loan 
Active duty 
veteran 
Reservist 
Other 
obligor 
(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 
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, 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 
January 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 
(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
‘‘Type of loan 
Active duty 
veteran 
Reservist 
Other 
obligor 
(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 
section 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 
(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. 
SEC. 7. INFORMATION GATHERING FOR DEPARTMENT OF 
VETERANS AFFAIRS HOME LOAN APPRAIS-
ALS. 
(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 
appraiser has entered into an agreement for such serv-
ices.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to an appraisal under 
section 3731 of such title, on or after January 1, 2020.