Union Calendar No. 110
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2535
[Report No. 103–198]
A BILL
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.
JULY 29, 1993
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee
of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and
ordered to be printed
IB
Union Calendar No. 110
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2535
[Report No. 103–198]
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.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 28, 1993
Mr. ROWLAND (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr.
EVANS, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. MONTGOMERY, Mr. STUMP,
Mr. KREIDLER, Mr. BUYER, and Mr. BILIRAKIS) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
JULY 29, 1993
Additional sponsors: Ms. BROWN of Florida, Mr. BISHOP, Ms. LONG, Mr. ED-
WARDS of Texas, Mr. TEJEDA, Mr. BACHUS of Alabama, Mr. HAMILTON,
Mr. CANADY, Mr. LINDER, Mr. SLATTERY, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. EVERETT,
Mr. PENNY, Mr. QUINN, Mr. RUSH, Mr. HEFNER, Mr. KING, Mr. RICH-
ARDSON, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. PAYNE of Virginia, Mr. PARKER, Mrs.
ROUKEMA, and Mr. DURBIN
JULY 29, 1993
Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]
A BILL
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)(1) 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.
The amendments made by section 1 shall take effect
as of August 10, 1992.
SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by sec-
tion 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 section 1.