To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the eligibility of children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida for benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Bill: 114-hr-5248
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2]
Introduced: 2016-05-16
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Birth defects

Child health

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2016-05-16
text: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-05-16
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill states that the effective date for an award of Department of Veterans Affairs benefits for a child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina bifida is the date of the child's birth.</p> <p>This amendment shall be effective as if included in the Agent Orange Benefits Act.</p> <p>(Under current law the effective date for the provision of such benefits is January, 1, 1997 [but not before receipt of the application for benefits]. This bill thus provides &quot;retroactive&quot; benefits eligibility for children born before January 1, 1997.)</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5248 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 16, 2016 Mr. Bishop of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Dent , and Ms. Brown of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the eligibility of children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida for benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

1. Clarification of eligibility for spina bifida-related benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs (a) In general Section 1832 of title 38, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (a), by striking The provisions and inserting Except as provided by subsection (c), the provisions ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: (c) Exception for benefits for spina bifida Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the effective date for an award of benefits under subchapter I of this chapter for a child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina bifida is the date on which the child is born. . (b) Effective date The amendment made by subsection (a) shall be effective as if included in the enactment of chapter 18 of such title 38.