[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 533 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 533
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for health benefits
and certain other benefits to be furnished by the Department of
Veterans Affairs to any individual who has spina bifida and is the
natural child of a veteran who, while in military service, was exposed
to a herbicide agent.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2003
Mr. Evans (for himself, Mr. Rodriguez, Mr. Filner, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms.
Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Snyder, Mr. McIntyre, Mr. Sanders, Mr.
Serrano, and Mr. Waxman) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for health benefits
and certain other benefits to be furnished by the Department of
Veterans Affairs to any individual who has spina bifida and is the
natural child of a veteran who, while in military service, was exposed
to a herbicide agent.
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 ``Agent Orange Veterans' Disabled
Children's Benefits Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF SPINA BIFIDA BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN OF VETERANS.
(a) Eligible Children.--Subchapter I of chapter 18 of title 38,
United States Code, is amended by inserting before section 1802 the
following new section:
``Sec. 1801. Persons eligible for benefits
``(a) Eligible Child.--An individual is an eligible child for
purposes of this subchapter if the individual is suffering from spina
bifida and is--
``(1) a child as defined in section 1821(1) of this title;
or
``(2) the natural child, regardless of age or marital
status, of a parent who performed qualifying herbicide-risk
service, if the individual was conceived after the parent
performed such service.
``(b) Qualifying Herbicide-Risk Service.--(1) An individual
performed qualifying herbicide-risk service if (as determined by the
Secretary) the individual, while performing active military, naval, or
air service (without regard to the characterization of that
individual's service)--
``(A) served in an area in which a Vietnam-era herbicide
agent was used during a period during which such agent was used
in that area; or
``(B) otherwise was exposed to a Vietnam-era herbicide
agent.
``(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the term `Vietnam-era
herbicide agent' has the meaning given the term `herbicide agent' in
section 1116(a)(3) of this title.''.
(b) Health Care.--Section 1803(a) of such title is amended by
striking ``a child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina
bifida'' and inserting ``an eligible child''.
(c) Vocational Training and Rehabilitation.--Section 1804(a) of
such title is amended by striking ``a child of a Vietnam veteran who is
suffering from spina bifida'' and inserting ``an eligible child''.
(d) Monetary Allowance.--Section 1805(a) of such title is amended
by striking ``any child of a Vietnam veteran'' and inserting ``any
eligible child''.
(e) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) The heading of chapter 18 of such title is amended to
read as follows:
``CHAPTER 18--DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS AND
OTHER VETERANS EXPOSED TO HERBICIDE AGENTS''.
(2) The heading of subchapter I of such chapter is amended
to read as follows:
``SUBCHAPTER I--CHILDREN BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA''.
(3) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter
is amended--
(A) by striking the item relating to subchapter I
and inserting the following:
``subchapter i--children born with spina bifida'';
and
(B) by inserting before the item relating to
section 1802 the following new item:
``1801. Persons eligible for benefits.''.
(4) The items relating to chapter 18 in the tables of
chapters at the beginning of title 38, United States Code, and
at the beginning of part II of such title, are amended to read
as follows:
``18. Disability Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans 1801''.
and Other Veterans Exposed to
Herbicide Agents.
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