Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2022
Bill: S.3548 | Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina (D-MN)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2022
This bill provides a presumption of service-connection for hearing-related issues in certain veterans for purposes of wartime disability compensation. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific conditions diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.
Per the bill, certain veterans with diagnosed hearing loss, tinnitus, or both shall be presumed to have incurred or aggravated such conditions during active military, naval, or air service.
This bill applies to veterans who (1) served in combat, or (2) were assigned to a military occupational specialty that likely exposed them to a sufficiently high level of acoustic trauma.
The bill also requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to adjust the schedule of rating disabilities to establish a minimum disability rating for a veteran who requires a hearing aid because of a service-connected disability.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of 
service-connection for certain veterans with tinnitus or hearing loss, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR HEARING LOSS AND 
              TINNITUS.

    Section 1112 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d)(1) For purposes of section 1110 of this title, and subject to 
the provisions of section 1113 of this title, diagnosed hearing loss, 
tinnitus, or both of a veteran described in paragraph (2) shall be 
considered to have been incurred in or aggravated by the active 
military, naval, or air service of the veteran, notwithstanding that 
there is no record of evidence of such hearing loss or tinnitus, as the 
case may be, during the period of such service.
    ``(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who while 
on active military, naval, or air service--
            ``(A) was assigned to a military occupational specialty or 
        equivalent described in paragraph (3); or
            ``(B) served in combat.
    ``(3) A military occupational specialty or equivalent referred to 
in paragraph (2)(A) is a military occupational specialty or equivalent 
in which individuals assigned to such military occupational specialty 
or equivalent in the active military, naval, or air service are or were 
likely to be exposed to a sufficiently high level of acoustic trauma as 
to result in permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, or both, as determined 
by the Secretary.''.

SEC. 3. MODIFICATION TO SCHEDULE FOR RATES FOR DISABILITY COMPENSATION.

    Pursuant to section 1155 of title 38, United States Code, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall adjust the schedule of rating 
disabilities to establish a minimum disability rating for a veteran who 
requires a hearing aid because of a service-connected disability, 
including pursuant to section 1112(d) of such title, as amended by 
section 2.
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