[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 299 Reported in House (RH)]

<DOC>





                                                 Union Calendar No. 523
115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 299

                          [Report No. 115-680]

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating 
 to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the 
              Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 5, 2017

  Mr. Valadao (for himself, Mr. Walz, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Courtney, Mr. 
   Ross, and Mr. LoBiondo) introduced the following bill; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

                              May 18, 2018

 Additional sponsors: Mr. Palazzo, Ms. Sinema, Mr. Thomas J. Rooney of 
 Florida, Mr. Ruppersberger, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. 
McCollum, Mr. Zeldin, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. DelBene, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Neal, 
  Mr. Kildee, Mr. Mooney of West Virginia, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Curbelo of 
   Florida, Mr. Webster of Florida, Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire, Mr. 
     Knight, Ms. Tsongas, Ms. Slaughter, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Clark of 
 Massachusetts, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Farenthold, Mrs. Walorski, 
  Mr. Rush, Mr. Yoder, Mr. Nunes, Miss Rice of New York, Mr. Kelly of 
 Pennsylvania, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. DeFazio, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Jones, 
   Mr. Peters, Mr. Himes, Mrs. Beatty, Mr. Langevin, Mr. Meehan, Mr. 
Larsen of Washington, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Massie, Mr. Welch, Mr. Gallego, 
      Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Ms. Frankel of Florida, Mr. Thompson of 
   Pennsylvania, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Delaney, Mr. 
    LaMalfa, Mr. King of New York, Mrs. Comstock, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. 
Costello of Pennsylvania, Mr. Barletta, Ms. Brownley of California, Mr. 
    Heck, Mr. Marino, Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, Mr. 
Blumenauer, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Johnson of Ohio, Mr. Byrne, Ms. 
  Herrera Beutler, Mr. Poe of Texas, Mr. Katko, Mr. Cramer, Ms. Shea-
    Porter, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Latta, Mr. 
 Yarmuth, Mr. Young of Iowa, Mr. Walberg, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Ellison, Mr. 
Hudson, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. Rogers of Kentucky, Ms. Pingree, Ms. Castor of 
   Florida, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Cardenas, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. 
  Lowenthal, Ms. Gabbard, Mr. Jenkins of West Virginia, Mr. Vela, Mr. 
Gonzalez of Texas, Mr. Cole, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
 Lance, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Hill, Mr. Calvert, Mr. McKinley, Mr. Gene Green 
 of Texas, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. McGovern, Ms. Bonamici, 
Mr. Pocan, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Olson, 
Mr. Duffy, Mr. Costa, Mr. Kind, Mr. MacArthur, Ms. Meng, Mr. Bishop of 
   Utah, Mr. Sires, Mr. Perlmutter, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. 
Sanchez, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Ms. Esty of Connecticut, 
  Mr. Swalwell of California, Ms. Moore, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. Graves of 
   Missouri, Mr. Keating, Ms. Jenkins of Kansas, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. 
 Vargas, Ms. Norton, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Babin, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Faso, Mr. 
Huizenga, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Upton, Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Quigley, 
  Mr. Fortenberry, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr. Bishop of 
Michigan, Mr. Crawford, Mr. Mast, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Paulsen, 
 Mr. Soto, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Hastings, Mr. Kennedy, Ms. 
 Roybal-Allard, Mr. Amodei, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Gaetz, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. 
Renacci, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Weber of Texas, Mr. 
 Kilmer, Mr. Foster, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ms. DeGette, 
 Ms. Hanabusa, Mr. Bridenstine, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Castro of Texas, Mrs. 
Love, Mr. Pallone, Mrs. Torres, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr. King 
  of Iowa, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Poliquin, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Rice of 
  South Carolina, Mr. Hultgren, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Turner, Mr. Young of 
Alaska, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Blum, Mr. O'Rourke, Mr. Rothfus, Mr. Grothman, 
 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Miss Gonzalez-Colon of Puerto Rico, Ms. Rosen, Mr. 
    Dunn, Mr. Williams, Mr. Westerman, Mrs. Bustos, Mr. Correa, Mr. 
Donovan, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, 
   Mr. Aguilar, Mr. Ruiz, Mrs. Noem, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. 
Rutherford, Mr. Nolan, Mrs. Roby, Ms. Adams, Mr. Yoho, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. 
Gottheimer, Mr. Thompson of California, Mrs. Hartzler, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. 
Tiberi, Mr. Tipton, Mrs. Murphy of Florida, Mr. Harper, Mrs. Radewagen, 
 Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Cook, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Lynch, Mr. 
   Marshall, Mr. Smith of Missouri, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Rodney Davis of 
Illinois, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Issa, Mr. Newhouse, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mrs. 
   Demings, Mr. Takano, Mr. Butterfield, Mr. Perry, Mr. Capuano, Ms. 
Barragan, Mr. Crist, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Mr. Richmond, Ms. Clarke of 
    New York, Mr. Schrader, Mr. DeSantis, Mr. Carter of Texas, Mr. 
 DeSaulnier, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Schneider, 
Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, 
Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Meeks, Mr. Walden, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Posey, Mr. 
  O'Halleran, Mr. Smucker, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. 
 McSally, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Engel, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Conyers, 
Mr. Crowley, Mrs. Brooks of Indiana, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Mr. Kihuen, 
 Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Stivers, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Reed, 
  Mr. Evans, Mr. Payne, Mr. Jordan, Ms. Velazquez, Mr. Norcross, Ms. 
Granger, Mr. Dent, Mr. Graves of Louisiana, Mr. McEachin, Mr. Carbajal, 
   Mr. Brat, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mr. Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
 Michael F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Speier, Mrs. McMorris Rodgers, 
Mr. Amash, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. Messer, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Estes of 
 Kansas, Mr. Norman, Mr. Reichert, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Denham, 
     Mr. Panetta, Ms. Maxine Waters of California, Mr. Roskam, Mr. 
 Espaillat, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Garrett, Mr. Kinzinger, Mr. Khanna, Mr. 
  Polis, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Gosar, Ms. Fudge, Mr. 
Frelinghuysen, Ms. Titus, Mr. Shuster, Mrs. Handel, Mr. McClintock, Ms. 
    Bass, Mr. Collins of New York, Mr. Goodlatte, Mr. Aderholt, Mr. 
           Jeffries, Mr. Beyer, Mrs. Black, and Mr. Sessions

                              May 18, 2018

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 
                                5, 2017]


_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating 
 to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the 
              Republic of Vietnam, 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. CLARIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS OF EXPOSURE FOR VETERANS WHO 
              SERVED IN VICINITY OF REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 1116 the following new section:
``Sec. 1116A. Presumptions of service connection for veterans who 
              served in the territorial seas of the Republic of Vietnam
    ``(a) Service Connection.--For the purposes of section 1110 of this 
title, and subject to section 1113 of this title, a disease covered by 
section 1116 of this title becoming manifest as specified in that 
section in a veteran who, during active military, naval, or air 
service, served in the territorial seas of the Republic of Vietnam 
during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 
1975, shall be considered to have been incurred in or aggravated by 
such service, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of 
such disease during the period of such service.
    ``(b) Exposure.--A veteran who, during active military, naval, or 
air service, served in the territorial seas of the Republic of Vietnam 
during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 
1975, shall be presumed to have been exposed during such service to an 
herbicide agent containing dioxin or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 
and may be presumed to have been exposed during such service to any 
other chemical compound in an herbicide agent, unless there is 
affirmative evidence to establish that the veteran was not exposed to 
any such agent during that service.
    ``(c) Effective Date of Award.--(1) Except as provided by paragraph 
(2), the effective date of an award under this section shall be 
determined in accordance with section 5110 of this title.
    ``(2)(A) Notwithstanding subsection (g) of section 5110 of this 
title, the Secretary shall determine the effective date of an award 
based on a claim under this section for a veteran described in 
subparagraph (B) by treating the date on which the veteran filed the 
prior claim specified in clause (i) of such subparagraph as the date on 
which the veteran filed the claim so awarded under this section.
    ``(B) A veteran described in this subparagraph is a veteran who 
meets the following criteria:
            ``(i) The veteran submitted a claim for disability 
        compensation on or after September 25, 1985, and before January 
        1, 2019, for a disease covered by this section, and the claim 
        was denied by reason of the claim not establishing that the 
        disease was incurred or aggravated by the service of the 
        veteran.
            ``(ii) The veteran submits a claim for disability 
        compensation on or after January 1, 2019, for the same 
        condition covered by the prior claim under clause (i), and the 
        claim is approved pursuant to this section.
    ``(d) Herbicide Agent.--In this section, the term `herbicide agent' 
has the meaning given that term in section 1116 (a)(3) of this 
title.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
1116 the following new item:

``1116A. Presumptions of service connection for veterans who served in 
                            the territorial seas of the Republic of 
                            Vietnam.''.
    (c) Health Care.--Section 1710(e)(4) of such title is amended by 
inserting ``(including the territorial seas of such Republic)'' after 
``served on active duty in the Republic of Vietnam''.
    (d) Outreach.--
            (1) Requirement.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
        conduct outreach to inform veterans described in paragraph (2) 
        of the ability to submit a claim for disability compensation 
        under section 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added 
        by subsection (a).
            (2) Veteran described.--A veteran described in this 
        paragraph is a veteran who, during active military, naval, or 
        air service, served in the territorial seas of the Republic of 
        Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and 
        ending on May 7, 1975.
    (e) Reports.--Not later than January 1, 2020, and not later than 
January 1, 2022, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate a report on claims for disability compensation under section 
1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). Each 
report shall include the following with respect to the period covered 
by the report, disaggregated by the regional offices of the Department 
of Veterans Affairs:
            (1) The number of claims filed under such section.
            (2) The number of such claims granted.
            (3) The number of such claims denied.
    (f) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on January 1, 2019.

SEC. 2. PRESUMPTION OF HERBICIDE EXPOSURE FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WHO 
              SERVED IN KOREA.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 1116A, as added by section 1, the 
following new section:
``Sec. 1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans 
              who served in Korea
    ``(a) Presumption of Service-Connection.--(1) For the purposes of 
section 1110 of this title, and subject to section 1113 of this title, 
a disease specified in subsection (b) that becomes manifest as 
specified in that subsection in a veteran described in paragraph (2) 
shall be considered to have been incurred or aggravated in the line of 
duty in the active military, naval, or air service, notwithstanding 
that there is no record of evidence of such disease during the period 
of such service.
    ``(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who, 
during active military, naval, or air service, served in or near the 
Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ), during the period beginning on 
September 1, 1967, and ending on August 31, 1971.
    ``(b) Diseases.--A disease specified in this subsection is--
            ``(1) a disease specified in paragraph (2) of subsection 
        (a) of section 1116 of this title that becomes manifest as 
        specified in that paragraph; or
            ``(2) any additional disease that--
                    ``(A) the Secretary determines in regulations 
                warrants a presumption of service-connection by reason 
                of having positive association with exposure to an 
                herbicide agent; and
                    ``(B) becomes manifest within any period prescribed 
                in such regulations.
    ``(c) Herbicide Agent.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`herbicide agent' has the meaning given such term in section 1821(d) of 
this title.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
1116A, as added by section 1, the following new item:

``1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans who 
                            served in Korea.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on January 1, 2019.

SEC. 3. BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN OF CERTAIN THAILAND SERVICE VETERANS BORN 
              WITH SPINA BIFIDA.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter III of chapter 18 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans 
              born with spina bifida
    ``(a) Benefits Authorized.--The Secretary may provide to any child 
of a veteran of covered service in Thailand who is suffering from spina 
bifida the health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and 
monetary allowance required to be paid to a child of a Vietnam veteran 
who is suffering from spina bifida under subchapter I of this chapter 
as if such child of a veteran of covered service in Thailand were a 
child of a Vietnam veteran who is suffering from spina bifida under 
such subchapter.
    ``(b) Spina Bifida Conditions Covered.--This section applies with 
respect to all forms and manifestations of spina bifida, except spina 
bifida occulta.
    ``(c) Veteran of Covered Service in Thailand.--For purposes of this 
section, a veteran of covered service in Thailand is any individual, 
without regard to the characterization of that individual's service, 
who--
            ``(1) served in the active military, naval, or air service 
        in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in consultation 
        with the Secretary of Defense, during the period beginning on 
        January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; and
            ``(2) is determined by the Secretary, in consultation with 
        the Secretary of Defense, to have been exposed to a herbicide 
        agent during such service in Thailand.
    ``(d) Herbicide Agent.--For purposes of this section, the term 
`herbicide agent' means a chemical in a herbicide used in support of 
United States and allied military operations in Thailand, as determined 
by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during 
the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendments.--
            (1) Subchapter heading.--The heading for subchapter III of 
        chapter 18 of such title is amended by inserting ``AND 
        THAILAND'' after ``KOREA''.
            (2) Table of sections.--The table of sections at the 
        beginning of chapter 18 of such title is amended--
                    (A) by striking the item relating to subchapter III 
                and inserting the following new item:

   ``subchapter iii--children of certain korea and thailand service 
                   veterans born with spina bifida'';

        and
                    (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 
                1821 the following new item:

``1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born 
                            with spina bifida.''.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the 
Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
Senate a report identifying--
            (1) the military installations of the United States located 
        in Thailand during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and 
        ending on May 7, 1975, at which an herbicide agent (as defined 
        in section 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
        subsection (a)) was actively used; and
            (2) the period of such use.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON CERTAIN GULF WAR ILLNESS STUDY.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees 
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 
report on the findings, as of the date of the report, of the Follow-up 
Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans under the 
epidemiology program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

SEC. 5. LOANS GUARANTEED UNDER HOME LOAN PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (a) Adjustment of Loan Limit.--Section 3703(a)(1) of title 38, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)(i)(IV)--
                    (A) by striking ``the lesser of''; and
                    (B) by striking ``or 25 percent of the loan''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``Freddie Mac'' and 
        all that follows through the period at the end and inserting 
        ``amount of the loan.''.
    (b) Loan Fees.--Section 3729(b)(2) of such title is amended by 
striking the loan fee table and inserting the following:


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  ``Type of loan                   Active duty veteran       Reservist          Other obligor
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(A)(i) Initial loan described in section 3710(a)   2.15                 2.40                 NA
 to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down,
 or any other initial loan described in section
 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down
 (closed on or after October 1, 2004, and before
 January 1, 2019)
(A)(ii) Initial loan described in section 3710(a)  2.40                 2.40                 NA
 to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down,
 or any other initial loan described in section
 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down
 (closed on or after January 1, 2019, and before
 October 1, 2026)
(A)(iii) Initial loan described in section         2.15                 2.15                 NA
 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with
 0-down, or any other initial loan described in
 section 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-
 down (closed on or after October 1, 2026, and
 before October 1, 2027)
(A)(iv) Initial loan described in section 3710(a)  1.40                 1.40                 NA
 to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down,
 or any other initial loan described in section
 3710(a) other than with 5-down or 10-down
 (closed on or after October 1, 2027)
(B)(i) Subsequent loan described in section        3.30                 3.30                 NA
 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with
 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described
 in section 3710(a) (closed on or after October
 1, 2004, and before January 1, 2019)
(B)(ii) Subsequent loan described in section       3.80                 3.80                 NA
 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with
 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described
 in section 3710(a) (closed on or after January
 1, 2019, and before October 1, 2026)
(B)(iii) Subsequent loan described in section      3.30                 3.30                 NA
 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with
 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described
 in section 3710(a) (closed on or after October
 1, 2026, and before October 1, 2027)
(B)(iv) Subsequent loan described in section       1.25                 1.25                 NA
 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with
 0-down, or any other subsequent loan described
 in section 3710(a) (closed on or after October
 1, 2027)
(C)(i) Loan described in section 3710(a) to        1.50                 1.75                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down
 (closed before January 1, 2019)
(C)(ii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to       1.75                 1.75                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down
 (closed on or after January 1, 2019, and before
 October 1, 2026)
(C)(iii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to      1.50                 1.50                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down
 (closed on or after October 1, 2026, and before
 October 1, 2027)
(C)(iv) Loan described in section 3710(a) to       0.75                 0.75                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 5-down
 (closed on or after October 1, 2027)
(D)(i) Loan described in section 3710(a) to        1.25                 1.50                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down
 (closed before January 1, 2019)
(D)(ii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to       1.45                 1.45                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down
 (closed on or after January 1, 2019, and before
 October 1, 2026)
(D)(iii) Loan described in section 3710(a) to      1.25                 1.25                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down
 (closed on or after October 1, 2026, and before
 October 1, 2027)
(D)(iv) Loan described in section 3710(a) to       0.50                 0.50                 NA
 purchase or construct a dwelling with 10-down
 (closed on or after October 1, 2027)
(E) Interest rate reduction refinancing loan       0.50                 0.50                 NA
(F) Direct loan under section 3711                 1.00                 1.00                 NA
(G) Manufactured home loan under section 3712      1.00                 1.00                 NA
 (other than an interest rate reduction
 refinancing loan)
(H) Loan to Native American veteran under section  1.25                 1.25                 NA
 3762 (other than an interest rate reduction
 refinancing loan)
(I) Loan assumption under section 3714             0.50                 0.50                 0.50
(J) Loan under section 3733(a)                     2.25                 2.25                 2.25''.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (c) Collection of Loan Fees.--Section 3729(c) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``A fee'' and inserting 
        ``Subject to paragraph (3), a fee''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(3) A fee shall be collected under this section from any veteran 
with a service-connected disability rated as less than total, or any 
surviving spouse of such a veteran, who, on or after January 1, 2019, 
receives a loan in an amount that exceeds the Freddie Mac conforming 
loan limit limitation determined under section 305(a)(2) of the Federal 
Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act (12 U.S.C. 1454(a)(2)) for a single-
family residence, as adjusted for the year involved.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to a loan guaranteed under section 3710 of title 38, 
United States Code, on or after January 1, 2019.
    (e) Guidance.--Notwithstanding section 501 of such title, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance to implement this 
section before prescribing new regulations under sections 3703 and 3729 
of such title, as amended by subsections (a), (b), and (c).

SEC. 6. INFORMATION GATHERING FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HOME 
              LOAN APPRAISALS.

    (a) In General.--Section 3731(b) of title 38, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
    ``(3) The Secretary shall permit an appraiser on a list developed 
and maintained under subsection (a)(3) to make an appraisal for the 
purposes of this chapter based solely on information gathered by a 
person with whom the appraiser has entered into an agreement for such 
services.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to an appraisal under section 3731 of such title, on 
or after January 1, 2019.
    (c) Guidance.--Notwithstanding section 501 of such title, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance to implement this 
section before prescribing new regulations under sections 3731 of such 
title, as amended by subsection (a).
                                                 Union Calendar No. 523

115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 299

                          [Report No. 115-680]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating 
 to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the 
              Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                              May 18, 2018

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed