[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 150 (Monday, September 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H4361-H4362]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS AND CERTAIN OTHER 
                                VETERANS

  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (S. 112) to amend title 38, United States Code, to strengthen 
benefits for children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida, and 
for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 112

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

     SECTION 1. BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN OF VIETNAM VETERANS 
                   AND CERTAIN OTHER VETERANS.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 1831 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
     (4) and (5), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(2) The term `covered child' means a child who is 
     eligible for health care and benefits under this chapter.
       ``(3) The term `covered veteran' means an individual whose 
     children are eligible for health care and benefits under this 
     chapter.''.
       (b) In General.--Subchapter IV of chapter 18 of title 38, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new sections:

     ``Sec. 1835. Advisory council

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish an 
     advisory council on health care and benefits for covered 
     children.
       ``(b) Membership.--The advisory council established under 
     subsection (a) shall be composed of Federal employees.
       ``(c) Duties.--The advisory council established under 
     subsection (a) shall solicit feedback from covered children 
     and covered veterans on the health care and benefits provided 
     under this chapter and communicate such feedback to the 
     Secretary.

     ``Sec. 1836. Care and coordination teams

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish care and 
     coordination teams for covered children.
       ``(b) Outreach.--A care and coordination team established 
     under subsection (a) shall attempt to contact each covered 
     child--
       ``(1) not less frequently than once every 180 days, to 
     ensure the continued care of the child and assist with any 
     changes in care needed due to a changed situation of the 
     child; and
       ``(2) as soon as practicable after the identification of a 
     condition listed in the report required by subsection (c).
       ``(c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to 
     the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the 
     Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a report setting forth a list of conditions 
     that will trigger outreach to covered children under 
     subsection (b)(2).

     ``Sec. 1837. Duration of health care and benefits provided

       ``The Secretary shall provide a covered child with health 
     care and benefits under this chapter--
       ``(1) for the duration of the life of the child; and
       ``(2) notwithstanding any death of a parent of the child 
     that precedes the death of the child.

     ``Sec. 1838. Biennial report

       ``Not less frequently than once every two years, the 
     Secretary shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the 
     following:

[[Page H4362]]

       ``(1) The number of covered children receiving health care 
     or benefits under this chapter as of the date on which the 
     report is submitted.
       ``(2) The number of covered children for which the 
     Department is paying for or providing a social worker as of 
     such date.
       ``(3) Metrics on outreach conducted under section 1836(b) 
     of this title.''.
       (c) Memorandum of Understanding.--Not later than 90 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under 
     Secretary for Benefits of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     and the Under Secretary for Health of the Department shall 
     enter into a memorandum of understanding--
       (1) to better assist covered children (as defined in 
     section 1831 of title 38, United States Code, as amended by 
     subsection (a)); and
       (2) to establish conditions to be included in the report 
     required by section 1836(c) of title 38, United States Code, 
     as added by subsection (b).
       (d) Implementation.--
       (1) Advisory council.--Not later than 270 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs shall establish the advisory council required under 
     section 1835 of title 38, United States Code, as added by 
     subsection (b).
       (2) Care and coordination teams.--Not later than one year 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall establish the care and coordination 
     teams required under section 1836 of such title, as added by 
     subsection (b).
       (e) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 18 of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new items:

``1835. Advisory council.
``1836. Care and coordination teams.
``1837. Duration of health care and benefits provided.
``1838. Biennial report.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on 
S. 112.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of Senator Braun of Indiana's 
bill, S. 112, which strengthens the spina bifida program at VA.
  Children who are born to veterans exposed to Agent Orange and other 
herbicides have a higher risk of being born with this condition. Their 
condition can range from mild to severe, but children faced with this 
lifelong impact of spina bifida have many special needs.
  Under current law, the VA Spina Bifida Health Care Benefits Program 
provides monetary and healthcare benefits to select children of 
Vietnam-era veterans and veterans of covered service in Korea or 
Thailand.
  Senator Braun's commonsense legislation would improve the current 
program by establishing care and coordination teams for these children 
to ensure they have the care and support and continued connections that 
they need for their entire lives.
  Additionally, this bill would require VA to create an advisory 
council on healthcare and benefits for children living with spina 
bifida. This council would solicit feedback on healthcare, job 
training, and monetary benefits to ensure that these children have 
access to leading therapies and medical research.
  For a lot of veterans' families, I know this legislation would make a 
real difference in their daily lives.
  I thank Representative Baird for his work on this issue and for 
introducing the House companion to this bill, H.R. 3888.
  I know these Members have heard from Hoosiers about this problem for 
many years, and I appreciate their efforts to help their constituents 
and other families.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S. 112 
today, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to express my support for S. 112, a bipartisan 
bill sponsored by Senator Braun of Indiana.
  This legislation aims to strengthen the Department of Veterans 
Affairs' administration of an existing program that provides healthcare 
benefits and compensation to children of Vietnam war veterans who were 
born with spina bifida. This bill is endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans 
of America.
  Spina bifida is a birth defect that can cause paralysis, nerve 
damage, and bowel and bladder problems. Children born with spina bifida 
may receive benefits from VA if one of their biological parents is a 
veteran presumed to have been exposed to herbicides such as Agent 
Orange during the Vietnam war.
  The program is jointly administered by the Veterans Benefits 
Administration, or VBA, and the Veterans Health Administration, or VHA. 
It provides a monetary allowance, healthcare coverage, and vocational 
training and rehabilitation. As of 2022, fewer than 1,000 beneficiaries 
were enrolled in the program.
  According to a 2021 VA Office of Inspector General report examining 
the VA's administration of this program, VBA and VHA were not 
adequately communicating or sharing data on spina bifida program 
beneficiaries. This contributed to delays in some new beneficiaries 
being enrolled in healthcare and improper payments being sent to some 
beneficiaries after their deaths.
  The inspector general also found the VA did not consistently conduct 
outreach to eligible and enrolled beneficiaries and did not provide 
effective case management services for the most seriously disabled 
beneficiaries. In some cases, VA's call center agents provided 
inaccurate information about the spina bifida program or could not 
direct callers to reliable sources of information.
  S. 112 directs VA to establish an advisory council for the spina 
bifida program, which would be responsible for soliciting feedback from 
covered children and veterans about the program's effectiveness. This 
legislation also requires VA to establish care coordination teams, 
which will contact beneficiaries at least once every 180 days to ensure 
they are accessing needed care. Finally, S. 112 would require VA to 
report to Congress every 2 years on the number of covered children 
receiving benefits, the number of children receiving care coordination, 
and the outcome of the outreach conducted to these populations.
  Madam Speaker, I support this important piece of legislation, and I 
ask all of my colleagues to join me in passing S. 112 to strengthen 
VA's benefits for children of Vietnam veterans born with spina bifida.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I encourage all Members to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, S. 112.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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