[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1940 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1940

 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a study on 
the effects on children of exposure of their parents to herbicides used 
 in support of the United States and allied military operations in the 
  Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era, and for other purposes.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 27, 2009

Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a study on 
the effects on children of exposure of their parents to herbicides used 
 in support of the United States and allied military operations in the 
  Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era, 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. STUDY ON ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DISEASES IN CHILDREN AND 
              EXPOSURE OF PARENTS TO HERBICIDE AGENTS USED IN SUPPORT 
              OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN VIETNAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall complete 
a study on the effects on children of exposure of their parents to 
herbicides used in support of the United States and allied military 
operations in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era.
    (b) Review of Scientific Evidence.--As part of the study required 
by subsection (a), the Secretary shall review and evaluate the 
available scientific evidence regarding associations between diseases 
in children, including multiple sclerosis and asthma, and the exposure 
of their parents to dioxin and other chemical compounds in herbicides 
described in subsection (a).
    (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs 
of the House of a Representatives a report on the findings of the 
Secretary as a result of the study required by subsection (a).
    (d) Vietnam Era Defined.--In this section, the term ``Vietnam era'' 
has the meaning given the term in section 101 of title 38, United 
States Code.
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