Bill for Lejeune Vets- Water Contamination

[111th CONGRESS Senate Bills]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access]
[DOCID: s1518is.txt]
[Introduced in Senate]
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.
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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
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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.

This Act may be cited as the ``Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act
of 2009''.

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.''.