A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe regulations providing that a presumption of service connection is warranted for a disease with a positive association with exposure to a herbicide agent, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-s-3507
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
Introduced: 2018-09-26
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Asia

Conflicts and wars

Hazardous wastes and toxic substances

Military personnel and dependents

Veterans' medical care

Vietnam
Latest action: action_date: 2018-09-26
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-09-26
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This bill reinstates and extends the authority of the Department of Veterans Affairs to determine and regulate diseases that warrant a presumption of service connection after exposure to a herbicide agent. Under a presumption of service connection, specific diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits may then be awarded.</p>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3507 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 26, 2018 Mr. Brown (for himself and Mr. Heller ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe regulations providing that a presumption of service connection is warranted for a disease with a positive association with exposure to a herbicide agent, and for other purposes.

1. Extension of authority of Secretary of Veterans Affairs regarding presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with exposure to herbicide agents (a) In general Section 1116(e) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking September 30, 2015 and inserting September 30, 2025 . (b) Treatment of reports received during expired period Each report described in section 1116(c)(1)(A) of such title that was received by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs during the period beginning on September 30, 2015, and ending on the date of the enactment of this Act shall be treated, for purposes of such section, as if it were received by the Secretary on the date of the enactment of this Act.