[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2397 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2397

   To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend eligibility for 
 hospital care and medical services under chapter 17 of that title to 
    veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 4, 1997

 Mr. Christensen (for himself and Mr. Bliley) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend eligibility for 
 hospital care and medical services under chapter 17 of that title to 
    veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ELIGIBILITY OF VETERANS FOR HOSPITAL CARE AND MEDICAL 
              SERVICES BASED ON AWARD OF PURPLE HEART.

    (a) Eligibility.--Section 1710(a)(2) of title 38, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking out ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (F);
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (G) as subparagraph (H); 
        and
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (F) the following new 
        subparagraph (G):
                    ``(G) who has been awarded the Purple Heart; or''.
    (b) Enrollment Priority.--Section 1705(a)(3) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) by striking out ``and veterans'' and inserting in lieu 
        thereof ``veterans''; and
            (2) by inserting ``, and veterans whose eligibility for 
        care and services under this chapter is based solely on the 
        award of the Purple Heart'' before the period at the end.
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--(1) Section 1722(a) of such title is 
amended by striking out ``section 1710(a)(2)(G)'' and inserting in lieu 
thereof ``section 1710(a)(2)(H)''.
    (2) Section 5317(c)(3) of such title is amended by striking out 
``subsections (a)(2)(G),'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``subsections 
(a)(2)(H),''.
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