S 1518 IS
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1518
To amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 27, 2009
Mr. BURR introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
SEC. 2. HOSPITAL CARE, MEDICAL SERVICES, AND NURSING HOME CARE FOR VETERANS STATIONED AT CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, WHILE THE WATER WAS CONTAMINATED AT CAMP LEJEUNE.
(a) In General- Section 1710(e)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
‘(F) Subject to paragraph (2), a veteran who, as a member of the Armed Forces, was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, during a period, determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, in which the water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated by volatile organic compounds, including known human carcinogens and probable human carcinogens, is eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care under subsection (a)(2)(F) for any illness, notwithstanding that there is insufficient medical evidence to conclude that such illness is attributable to such contamination.’.
(b) Family Members-
(1) IN GENERAL- Subchapter VIII of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
‘Sec. 1786. Health care of family members of veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune
‘(a) In General- A family member of a veteran described in subparagraph (F) of section 1710(e)(1) of this title who resided at Camp Lejeune during the period described in such subparagraph or who was in utero during such period while the mother of such family member resided at such location shall be eligible for hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care furnished by the Secretary for any condition, or any disability that is associated with such condition, that is associated with exposure to the contaminants in the water at Camp Lejeune during such period.
‘(b) Regulations- The Secretary shall prescribe regulations that specify which--
‘(1) conditions are associated with exposure to the contaminants described in subsection (a); and
‘(2) disabilities are associated with such conditions.’.
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1785 the following new item:
‘1786. Health care of family members of veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune.’.
Full Text of Legislation