[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 637 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 637

 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a task force 
                       on Agent Orange exposure.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 17, 2019

  Mr. Katko (for himself, Mr. Peterson, Mr. King of New York, and Mr. 
Carson of Indiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a task force 
                       on Agent Orange exposure.

    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 ``Lawrence J. Hackett Jr. Vietnam 
Veterans Agent Orange Fairness Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TASK FORCE ON AGENT ORANGE 
              EXPOSURE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 
establish a task force to assess and make recommendations about the 
care and compensation that should be provided to veterans who have been 
exposed to Agent Orange, their spouses, and multiple generations of 
their offspring.
    (b) Composition.--The task force shall be composed of the 
following:
            (1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) The Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits.
            (3) The Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health.
            (4) At least one representative from the Institute of 
        Medicine.
            (5) Individuals selected by the Secretary who represent 
        veterans' service organizations recognized by the Secretary for 
        the representation of veterans under section 5902 of title 38, 
        United States Code.
            (6) Such other individuals selected by the Secretary who 
        represent such other organizations and institutions as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate.
    (c) Duties.--The duties of the task force are as follows:
            (1) To make recommendations to establish a program to be 
        known as the ``Agent Orange Illness Compensation Program'' to 
        provide an exposed veteran, or eligible survivor of that 
        veteran if the veteran is deceased, a lump sum payment for the 
        injury, illness, or death of that veteran.
            (2) To make recommendations for the establishment of a 
        coordinated, ongoing, national outreach and education campaign 
        using such means as direct mail, on-line media, social media, 
        and traditional media to communicate information about Agent 
        Orange exposures and health conditions to veterans who are 
        affected by incidents of toxic exposures and their families.
            (3) To make recommendations for compensation and health 
        care for individuals with Spina Bifida, birth defects, or other 
        illnesses who are the children or descendants of members of the 
        Armed Forces who served in the Republic of Vietnam or in or 
        near the demilitarization zone in Korea during certain time 
        periods determined by the task force.
            (4) To make recommendations for the establishment of a 
        unified policy to deal with the consequences of exposure to 
        hazardous materials in the military.
    (d) Duration.--The task force established under subsection (a) 
shall terminate not later than two years after the date on which the 
task force is established under such subsection.
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) Submittal of report.--Not later than one year after the 
        date of the establishment of the task force, the Secretary of 
        Veterans Affairs shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        findings of the task force this section.
            (2) Assessment of implementation.--Not later than 120 days 
        after the termination of the task force, the Secretary shall 
        submit to Congress a report containing the assessment of the 
        Secretary regarding the implementation of the findings of the 
        task force.
    (f) Definition of Agent Orange.--In this section, the term ``Agent 
Orange'' means a chemical in an herbicide used in support of the United 
States and allied military operations in the Republic of Vietnam during 
the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975.
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