Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2019

Bill: 116-s-2810
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
Introduced: 2019-11-07
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Disability assistance

Health technology, devices, supplies

Hearing, speech, and vision care

Veterans' pensions and compensation
Latest action: action_date: 2019-11-20
text: Star Print ordered on the bill.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-11-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2019</b></p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2810 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 7, 2019 Ms. Smith (for herself and Mr. Menendez ) 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 establish a presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with tinnitus or hearing loss, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Veterans Hearing Benefits Act of 2019 . 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. . 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.