,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cage  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #bh1     
#bjah,mrs4 ,mc,caskill 7for herself and 
,mr4 ,blunt7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs
  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend title #ch1       
,united ,states ,code1 to provide health
 care1 vocational training and          
rehabilitation1 and monetary allowance  
to children suffering from spina bifida 
whose parents are veterans who served in
 ,thailand and were exposed to herbicide
 agents1 and for other purposes4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,thailand ,veteran ,agent ,orange   
,parity ,act of #bjah4  #b4 ,benefits   
for children of certain ,thailand       
service veterans born with spina bifida 
7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,,iii of    
chapter #ah of title #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following new section3      
#ahbb4 ,benefits for children of certain

 ,thailand service veterans born with   
spina bifida  7a7 ,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 care1 vocational      
training and rehabilitation1 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 subchapter4  7b7      
,spina bifida conditions covered ,this  
section applies with respect to all     
forms and manifestations of spina       
bifida1 except spina bifida occulta4    
7c7 ,veteran of covered service in      
,thailand ,for purposes of this section1
 a veteran of covered service in        
,thailand is any individual1 without    
regard to the characterization of that  
individual's service1 who--  7#a7 served

 in the active military1 naval1 or air  
service in ,thailand1 as determined by  
the ,secretary in consultation with the 
,secretary of ,defense1 during the      
period beginning on ,january #i1 #aifb1 
and ending on ,may #g1 #aige2 and  7#b7 
is determined by the ,secretary1 in     
consultation with the ,secretary of     
,defense1 to have been exposed to a     
herbicide agent during such service in  
,thailand4  7d7 ,herbicide agent ,for   
purposes of this section1 the term      
herbicide agent means a chemical in a   
herbicide used in support of ,united    
,states and allied military operations  
in ,thailand1 as determined by the      
,secretary in consultation with the     
,secretary of ,defense1 during the      
period beginning on ,january #i1 #aifb1 
and ending on ,may #g1 #aige4  4  7b7   
,conforming amendment to definition of  
child ,section #ahca7a7 of such title is
 amended-- 7#a7 in subparagraph 7,b7--  
7,a7 in the matter before clause 7i71 by
 striking subchapter ,,iii of this      

chapter and inserting section #ahba of  
this title2 and  7,b7 in clause 7i71 by 
striking section #ahba of this title and
 inserting such section2 and  7#b7 by   
adding at the end the following new     
subparagraph3  7,c7 ,for purposes of    
section #ahbb of this title1 an         
individual1 regardless of age or marital
 status1 who--  7i7 is the natural child
 of a veteran of covered service in     
,thailand 7as determined for purposes of
 such section72 and  7ii7 was conceived 
after the date on which that veteran    
first entered service described in      
subsection 7c7 of such section4  4  7c7 
,clerical amendments  7#a7 ,subchapter  
heading ,the heading for subchapter     
,,iii of chapter #ah of such title is   
amended by inserting and ,thailand after
 ,korea4  7#b7 ,table of sections ,the  
table of sections at the beginning of   
chapter #ah of such title is amended--  
7,a7 by striking the item relating to   
subchapter ,,iii and inserting the      
following new item3  ,subchapter        

,,iii--,children of certain ,korea and  
,thailand service veterans born with    
spina bifida  2  and  7,b7 by inserting 
after the item relating to section #ahba
 the following new item3  #ahbb4        
,benefits for children of certain       
,thailand service veterans born with    
spina bifida4  4  7d7 ,effective date   
,the amendments made by this section    
shall take effect on the date that is   
one year after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act4