Keeping Our Promises Act
Bill: H.R.2268 | Sponsor: Rep. Westerman, Bruce (R-AR)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Keeping Our Promises Act
This bill expands the list of diseases that are provided a presumption of service-connection for veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975.
The bill extends through September 30, 2030, the requirement for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make determinations and submissions related to the connection between herbicide exposure and occurrence of disease. Additionally, the VA is prohibited from taking the costs of compensation into account when determining the association between exposure to an herbicide agent and occurrence of a disease.
The bill requires the VA to determine within 120 days (currently 60) whether a presumption of service-connection is warranted for diseases covered by a National Academy of Sciences report.

To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that certain diseases 
 are covered by the presumption of service connection relating to the 
 exposure to herbicides by certain veterans who served in the Republic 
                  of Vietnam, 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 ``Keeping Our Promises Act''.

SEC. 2. ADDITION OF DISEASES TO PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE CONNECTION FOR 
              VETERANS EXPOSED TO CERTAIN HERBICIDES WHILE SERVING IN 
              THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.

    (a) Specified Diseases.--Subsection (a)(2) of section 1116 of title 
38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subparagraphs:
            ``(L) Prostate cancer becoming manifest to a degree of 
        disability of 10 percent or more.
            ``(M) AL amyloidosis becoming manifest to a degree of 
        disability of 10 percent or more.
            ``(N) Early-onset peripheral neuropathy becoming manifest 
        to a degree of 10 percent or more within one year after the 
        last date on which the veteran was exposed to an herbicide 
        agent during active military, naval, or air service.
            ``(O) Ischemic heart disease becoming manifest to a degree 
        of disability of 10 percent or more.
            ``(P) Stroke becoming manifest to a degree of disability of 
        10 percent or more.
            ``(Q) Hypertension becoming manifest to a degree of 
        disability of 10 percent or more.''.
    (b) Additional Diseases.--
            (1) Extension of sunset.--Subsection (e) of such section 
        1116 is amended by striking ``2015'' and inserting ``2030''.
            (2) Prohibition of cost as factor.--Subsection (b) of such 
        section 1116 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        paragraph:
    ``(4) In making determinations for the purpose of this subsection, 
the Secretary may not take into account the costs to the United States 
relating to paying compensation under this section pursuant to such 
determination.''.
            (3) Timing and submission of determinations.--Subsection 
        (c)(1) of such section 1116 is amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``60 days'' 
                both places it appears and inserting ``120 days''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B)--
                            (i) by inserting ``and submit to the 
                        Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
                        Representatives and the Senate'' after 
                        ``publish in the Federal Register''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``, and any other factor 
                        that contributed to,'' after ``scientific basis 
                        for''.
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