US Congress House Bill 203 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 18-1)
Status: Introduced on January 3 2019 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2019-02-01 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Addresses certain health benefit and home loan programs for veterans. Specifically, the bill extends the presumption of service-connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide (e.g., Agent Orange) exposure to veterans who served (1) offshore of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or (2) in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities or diseases 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. The bill extends eligibility for health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary allowance to children with spina bifida who have at least one veteran parent who may have been exposed to an herbicide agent while serving in Thailand between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Additionally, the bill revises the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan guaranty program to adjust loan fee rates and eliminate the limit on the amount of a loan for which the VA may provide a guaranty of 25%. Under current law, these loan guarantees are subject to a limit on loan size determined by Freddie Mac. The bill also waives loan fees for active duty Purple Heart recipients. The VA shall permit a VA-approved appraiser to make a housing loan appraisal based solely on information gathered by a person with whom the appraiser has entered into an agreement for such services.

Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019

Rep. David Roe [R-TN]	Rep. Gus Bilirakis [R-FL]	Rep. Jackie Walorski [R-IN]	Rep. Mike Bost [R-IL]
Rep. Bruce Westerman [R-AR]	Rep. Vern Buchanan [R-FL]	Rep. Brian Mast [R-FL]	Rep. John Joyce [R-PA]
Rep. Christopher Smith [R-NJ]	Rep. Vicky Hartzler [R-MO]	Rep. Jeff Duncan [R-SC]	Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers [R-WA]
Rep. Steve Watkins [R-KS]	Rep. Harold Rogers [R-KY]	Sen. Jim Banks [R-IN]	Rep. Troy Balderson [R-OH]
Rep. John Rose [R-TN]	Rep. Steve Chabot [R-OH]	Rep. Lucy McBath [D-GA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2019-02-01	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
2019-01-03	House	Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
2019-01-03	House	Introduced in House

HB299 (Similar To) 2019-06-25 - Became Public Law No: 116-23. (TXT | PDF)
SB1195 (Related) 2019-04-11 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
SB576 (Related) 2019-02-27 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/203/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/hr203/BILLS-116hr203ih.pdf