,i  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cjeb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,april #bh1 #bjbe,ms4 
,tlaib 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,simon1 ,mr4     
,nadl]1 ,mr4 ,?an$>1 ,mr4 ,c>son1 & ,ms4
 ,mc,bride7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i*
 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'  
,affairs1 & 9 addition to ! ,committee  
on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce1 = a p]iod to be   
subsequ5tly det]m9$ by ! ,speak]1 9 ea* 
case = consid]ation ( su* provisions z  
fall )9 ! jurisdiction ( ! committee    
conc]n$  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct !        
,secret>y ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices & !
 ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs to       
provide assi/ance = individuals affect$ 
by exposure to ,ag5t ,orange1 & = o!r   
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,ag5t ,orange ,relief ,act 
( #bjbe4  #b4 ,f9d+s & purpose  7a7     
,f9d+s ,congress makes ! foll[+ f9d+s3  
7#a7 ,f #aifa to #aiga1 approximately   
#ai1jjj1jjj gallons ( #ae diff]5t       
h]bicides 7 spray$ ov] ! s\!rn region ( 
,vietnam by ! ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y4    

7#b7 ,! h]bicides includ$ #ac1jjj1jjj   
gallons ( ,ag5t ,orange1 #d1ejj1jjj     
gallons ( ,ag5t ,:ite1 #a1jjj1jjj       
gallons ( ,ag5t ,blue1 #dbj1jjj gallons 
( ,ag5t ,purple1 & relatively small]    
quantities ( ! o!r h]bicides4 ,_m ( !   
h]bicides1 includ+ ,ag5ts ,orange1      
,purple1 ,gre51 ,p9k1 ,d9oxol1 &        
,tr9oxol1 conta9$ ! toxic contam9ant    
diox9 7,,tcdd74 ,ag5t ,blue conta9$ high
 levels ( ars5ic4 ,! #ae h]bicides1     
includ+ ! contam9ant diox91 are usually 
collectively ref]r$ to z ,ag5t ,orange4 
7#c7 ,betwe5 #aifa & #aiga1 ne>ly       
#bj1jjj spray+ missions 7 c>ri$ out 9 an
 area ( ab\t #a1gjj1jjj hect>es4 ,?is   
repres5t$ ab\t #aj p]c5t ( ,s\? ,vietnam
 & portions ( ,laos & ,cambodia4 ,^!    
am\nts only acc\nt = ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
,air ,=ce ,op]ation ,ran* ,h& spray+ & d
 n include ! widespread use ( ,ag5t     
,orange by ! ,army ,*emical ,corps1     
,c5tral ,intellig5ce ,ag5cy1 & ,s\?     
,vietnamese ,gov]nm5t4  7#d7 ,/udies h  
f\nd t betwe5 #b1ajj1jjj & #d1hjj1jjj   

,vietnamese1 ,lao1 & ,cambodian p & t5s 
( ?\s&s ( ,am]icans 7 expos$ to ,ag5t   
,orange dur+ ! spray+ op]ations4 ,_m o!r
 ,vietnamese p 7 or cont9ue to be expos$
 to ,ag5t ,orange ?r\gh contact ) !     
environm5t & food t 0 contam9at$4 ,_m   
(fspr+ ( ^? :o 7 expos$ h bir? defects1 
developm5tal disabilities1 & o!r        
diseases4  7#e7 ,ag5t ,orange exposure  
cont9ues to negatively affect ! lives ( 
vet]ans ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces1  
,vietnamese p1 ,vietnamese ,am]icans1 & 
_! *ildr54 ,! lives ( _m victims are cut
 %ort1 & o!rs live ) disease1           
disabilities1 & pa91 :i* are (t5        
untreat$ or unrecogniz$4  7#f7 ,!       
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs recognizes
 #ai illnesses & diseases 9 ,unit$      
,/ates ,vietnam w> vet]ans1 includ+ ,,al
 amyloidosis1 bladd] canc]1 *ronic ,b-  
cell leukemia1 *loracne1 diabetes       
mellitus type #b1 high blood pressure   
7hyp]t5sion71 ,hodgk9's disease1        
hypo?yroidism1 is*emic he>t disease1    
monoclonal gammopa?y ( undet]m9$        

significance 7,,mgus71 multiple myeloma1
 non-,hodgk9's ,lymphoma1 ,p>k9son's    
disease1 ,p>k9sonism1 acute & sub-acute 
p]iph]al neuropa?y1 porphyria cutanea   
t>da1 pro/ate canc]1 respiratory canc]s1
 & s(t-tissue s>comas associat$ ) !     
spray+ & use ( ,ag5t ,orange by ! ,unit$
 ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces dur+ ! ,vietnam era4
  7#g7 ,no simil> recognition has be5   
giv5 to affect$ ,vietnamese or          
,vietnamese ,am]icans4  7#h7 ,!         
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs provides  
comp5sation = _m sev]e bir? defects     
among ! *ildr5 ( ,unit$ ,/ates wom5     
vet]ans :o s]v$ 9 ,vietnam4 ,! li/ (    
bir? defects cov]$ includes1 b is n     
limit$ to1 a*ondroplasia1 cleft lip1    
cleft palate1 cong5ital he>t disease1   
cong5ital talipes equ9ov>us 7clubfoot71 
esophageal & inte/9al atresia1          
,hall]man-,/reiff syndrome1 hip         
dysplasia1 ,hirs*sprung's disease       
7cong5ital megacolon71 hydrocephalus due
 to aqu$uctal /5osis1 hypospadias1      
imp]=ate anus1 neural tube defects1     

,pol& syndrome1 pyloric /5osis1         
syndactyly 7fus$ digits71               
tra*eoesophageal fi/ula1 undesc5d$      
te/es1 & ,williams syndrome4 ,affect$   
*ildr5 ( ^! wom5 vet]ans receive m$ical 
c>e & o!r b5efits4  7#i7 ,h[ev]1 ! c>e &
 comp5sation provid$ by ! ,dep>tm5t (   
,vet]ans ,affairs to ! cov]$ *ildr5 (   
,unit$ ,/ates vet]ans is insuffici5t to 
meet _! ne$s relat$ to ,ag5t ,orange4   
7#aj7 ,! only bir? defect recogniz$ = ! 
*ildr5 ( male ,am]ican vet]ans is sp9a  
bifida 7b n occulta74 ,h[ev]1 _m *ildr5 
( male ,vietnam w> vet]ans h ! same     
range ( bir? defects & diseases z se5 9 
! *ildr5 ( female ,vietnam w> vet]ans4  
,?is discrepancy results 9 mo/ ,ag5t    
,orange affect$ *ildr5 ( ,unit$ ,/ates  
vet]ans receiv+ no c>e or b5efits4      
7#aa7 ,no assi/ance has be5 giv5 to !   
*ildr5 ( male or female ,vietnamese or  
,vietnamese ,am]icans connect$ ) _!     
exposure1 or _! p>5ts' or gr&p>5ts'     
exposure4  7#ab7 ,! ,in/itute ( ,m$ic9e 
= ! pa/ sev]al ye>s has not$ t x is     

consid]ably m plausible ?an previ\sly   
believ$ t exposure to ! h]bicides spray$
 9 ,vietnam might h caus$ pat]nally     
m$iat$ transg5]ational effects          
attributable to ! ,,tccd contam9ant 9   
,ag5t ,orange4 ,9 rec5t ye>s1 sci5tific 
/udies h id5tifi$ likely epig5etic l9ks 
betwe5 exposure to tox9s & bir? defects 
& developm5tal disord]s 9 subsequ5t     
g5]ations4 ,"s ( ! *ildr5 & gr&*ildr5 ( 
expos$ p]sons 7,am]icans1 ,vietnamese1 &
 ,vietnamese ,am]icans7 :o 7 9 s\!rn    
,vietnam dur+ ! ,vietnam w> era likely  
suff] f disord]s1 bir? defects1 &       
illnesses relat$ to ,ag5t ,orange4      
7#ac7 ,! assi/ance t ! ,unit$ ,/ates has
 provid$ = environm5tal rem$iation (    
contam9ation at ! ,da ,nang & ,bi5 ,hoa 
airports has1 9 rec5t ye>s1 includ$     
funds = public heal? & disabilities     
activities = individuals resid+ 9 "s    
affect$ areas4  7#ad7 ,laos & ,cambodia 
7 also spray$ ) ,ag5t ,orange dur+ !    
,vietnam w> era4 ,at lea/ #ebg1jjj      
gallons ( ,ag5t ,orange 7 spray$ 9 ,laos

 & significant am\nts 7 also spray$ 9   
,cambodia4 ,affect$ ,lao & ,cambodian p 
ov] sev]al g5]ations suff] f m$ical     
conditions1 bir? defects1 & disabilities
 simil> to ^? se5 9 ,vietnam & ! ,unit$ 
,/ates4 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates has !          
responsibility to take action to        
mitigate & provide comp5sation = ^?     
effects4 ,fur!r action w be ne$$ to     
asc]ta9 & effectively address ?is legacy
 ( ! ,vietnam w>4  7b7 ,purpose ,x is ! 
purpose ( ?is ,act to address & rem$iate
 ! ongo+ damage t arose or w cont9ue to 
arise f ! use ( ,ag5t ,orange dur+ !    
,vietnam w>4  #c4 ,provision ( b5efits =
 *ildr5 ( male vet]ans :o s]v$ 9        
,vietnam :o are affect$ by c]ta9 bir?   
defects  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,sub*apt] ,,ii (  
*apt] #ah ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates    
,code1 is am5d$--  7#a7 by /rik+ woman  
,vietnam vet]an ea* place x appe>s &    
ins]t+ ,vietnam vet]an2  7#b7 by /rik+  
wom5 ,vietnam vet]ans ea* place x appe>s
 & ins]t+ ,vietnam vet]ans2 &  7#c7 9 ! 
head+ ( su* sub*apt]1 by /rik+ ,woman4  

7b7 ,access to records = rese>* purposes
 ,section #ahac ( title #ch1 ,unit$     
,/ates ,code1 is am5d$--  7#a7 by       
r$esignat+ subsection 7c7 z subsection  
7d72 &  7#b7 by ins]t+ aft] subsection  
7b7 ! foll[+3  7c7 ,access to records = 
rese>* purposes  7#a7 ,! ,secret>y %all 
require any heal? c>e provid] ) :om !   
,secret>y ent]s into a contract "u ?is  
subsection to provide access to ! m$ical
 records ( individuals :o receive heal? 
c>e "u ?is section to ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,vet]ans ,affairs = ! purpose ( conduct+
 rese>* or provid+ support = rese>* into
 ! int]g5]ational effects ( ,ag5t       
,orange exposure4  7#b7 ,9 ?is          
subsection1 ! t]m ,ag5t ,orange includes
 any *emical comp\nd :i* became "p1 ei!r
 by design or ?r\gh impurities1 ( an    
h]bicide ag5t us$ 9 support ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates & alli$ milit>y op]ations 9 !    
,republic ( ,vietnam4  4  7c7 ,cl]ical  
am5dm5t ,! table ( sections at ! beg9n+ 
( su* *apt] is am5d$ by /rik+ ! item    
relat+ to sub*apt] ,,ii & ins]t+ !      

foll[+ new item3  ,,sub*apt]            
,,ii--,,*ildr5 ,,( ,,vietnam ,,vet]ans  
,,born ,,) ,,c]ta9 ,,bir? ,,defects  4  
7d7 ,effective date ,! am5dm5ts made by 
?is section %all take effect on ! date t
 is #cj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t (   
?is ,act4  #d4 ,public rese>*  7a7      
,support = rese>* ,! ,secret>y (        
,vet]ans ,affairs1 9 coord9ation ) !    
heads ( o!r appropriate ,f$]al ag5cies &
 nongov]nm5tal organizations1 %all      
id5tify & provide assi/ance to support  
rese>* relat+ to heal? issues (         
individuals affect$ by ,ag5t ,orange4   
,su* rese>* %\ld include recomm5d$ focus
 provid$ by ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,in/itute ( 
,m$ic9e z id5tifi$ 9 _! bi5nial ,vet]ans
 & ,ag5t ,orange ,update & support$ by !
 active involvem5t ( s*ools ( public    
heal? & m$ic9e locat$ 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1
 ,vietnam1 & o!r int]e/$ c\ntries4  7b7 
,survey ,! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs
 %all conduct a survey ( *ildr5 (       
vet]ans :o 7 expos$ to ,ag5t ,orange & h
 receiv$ heal? c>e "u sub*apt] ,,ii (   

*apt] #ah ( title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates    
,code4 ,! survey %all be design$ to     
det]m9e ! ext5t to :i* su* *ildr5 are   
receiv+ adequate treatm5t = _! m$ical   
conditions & disabilities4 ,! ,secret>y 
%all make recomm5dations bas$ on !      
survey z to any actions necess>y to     
rem$y any defici5cies id5tifi$ pursuant 
to ! survey4  #e4 ,dep>tm5t ( ,heal? &  
,human ,s]vices heal? assessm5t &       
assi/ance = ,vietnamese ,am]icans  7a7  
,heal? assessm5t ,! ,secret>y ( ,heal? &
 ,human ,s]vices %all make grants to    
appropriate public heal? organizations &
 ,vietnamese ,am]ican organizations = ! 
purpose ( conduct+ a broad heal?        
assessm5t ( ,vietnamese ,am]icans :o may
 h be5 expos$ to ,ag5t ,orange & _!     
*ildr5 or desc5dants to det]m9e !       
effects to _! heal? ( su* exposure4  7b7
 ,assi/ance ,! ,secret>y ( ,heal? &     
,human ,s]vices %all e/abli% c5t]s 9    
locations 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates :]e l>ge    
populations ( ,vietnamese ,am]icans     
reside = ! purpose ( provid+ assessm5t1 

c\nsel+1 & treatm5t = conditions relat$ 
to exposure to ,ag5t ,orange4 ,!        
,secret>y may c>ry out ?is subsection   
?r\gh appropriate community &           
nongov]nm5tal organizations or o!r      
suitable organizations1 z det]m9$ by !  
,secret>y4  #f4 ,deadl9e = implem5tation
 ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date (    
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (      
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices & ! ,secret>y (
 ,vet]ans ,affairs %all ea* complete a  
plan = ! implem5tation ( ! provisions ( 
?is ,act1 & ! am5dm5ts made by ?is ,act1
 t are applicable to su* ,secret>y &    
%all issue a reque/ = proposals1 if     
applicable4 ,! ,secret>y ( ,heal? &     
,human ,s]vices & ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans
 ,affairs %all ea* implem5t ! applicable
 provisions ( ?is ,act by n lat] ?an #ah
 mon?s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is     
,act4  #g4 ,qu>t]ly reports ,n lat] ?an 
#cj days aft] ! la/ day ( ea* fiscal    
qu>t] beg9n+ on or aft] #ah mon?s aft] !
 date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y
 ( ,heal? & ,human ,s]vices & !         

,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs %all ea*  
submit to ,congress a report on !       
implem5tation ( ! provisions ( ?is ,act 
applicable to su* ,secret>y dur+ !      
imm$iately prec$+ fiscal qu>t]4  #h4    
,def9ition ,= purposes ( ?is ,act1 ! t]m
 ,ag5t ,orange includes any *emical     
comp\nd :i* became "p1 ei!r by design or
 ?r\gh impurities1 ( an h]bicide ag5t   
us$ 9 support ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & alli$ 
milit>y op]ations 9 ! ,republic (       
,vietnam4