Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
Latest action · Jun 25, 2019 Became Public Law No: 116-23.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedJan 8, 2019
- Passed HouseMay 14, 2019
- Passed SenateJun 12, 2019
- To the PresidentJun 19, 2019
- Became lawJun 25, 2019
Summary
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
This bill addresses certain health benefit and home loan programs for veterans.
Specifically, the bill extends the presumption of service-connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide (e.g., Agent Orange) exposure to veterans who served (1) offshore of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or (2) in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities or diseases diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.
The bill extends eligibility for health care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary allowance to children with spina bifida who have at least one veteran parent who may have been exposed to an herbicide agent while serving in Thailand between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must report on the Follow-up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War and Gulf War Era Veterans.
Additionally, the bill revises the VA home loan guaranty program to adjust loan fee rates and eliminate the limit on the amount of a loan for which the VA may provide a guaranty of 25%. Under current law, these loan guarantees are subject to a limit on loan size determined by Freddie Mac.
The bill removes the cap on a direct housing loan amount that may be made to a Native American veteran purchasing a home located on tribal land held in federal trust.
The bill also waives loan fees for active duty Purple Heart recipients.
The VA shall permit a VA-approved appraiser to make a housing loan appraisal based solely on information gathered by a person with whom the appraiser has entered into an agreement for such services.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 203 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended | Passed410–0 | May 14, 2019 |
Cosponsors 333
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 8, 2019 to May 7, 2019, with 82 there on the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-VA | A. Donald McEachin | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-NY | Adriano Espaillat | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-FL | Al Lawson, Jr. | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-NJ | Albio Sires | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-FL | Alcee L. Hastings | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-NC | Alma S. Adams | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| R-KY | Andy Barr | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-NH | Ann M. Kuster | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-MD | Anthony G. Brown | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-MS | Bennie G. Thompson | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-MN | Betty McCollum | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-IL | Bill Foster | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-NJ | Bill Pascrell, Jr. | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-IL | Bobby L. Rush | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
| D-NJ | Bonnie Watson Coleman | Original | Jan 8, 2019 |
Actions 23
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jun 25, 2019Became Public Law No: 116-23.
- Jun 25, 2019Signed by President.
- Jun 19, 2019Presented to President.
- Jun 13, 2019Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jun 12, 2019Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S3450)
Related bills 3
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR 203 | Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 | Related bill | Feb 1, 2019 |
| S 576 | Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act of 2019 | Related bill | Feb 27, 2019 |
| S 1195 | Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 | Related bill | Apr 11, 2019 |
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security.
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Asia
- Birth defects
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Child health
- Conflicts and wars
- Congressional oversight
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Digestive and metabolic diseases
- Disability and paralysis
- Government information and archives
- Government lending and loan guarantees
- Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
- Housing finance and home ownership
- Musculoskeletal and skin diseases
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Veterans' education, employment, rehabilitation
- Veterans' loans, housing, homeless programs
- Veterans' medical care
- Veterans' pensions and compensation
- Vietnam
Text 5
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- —Enrolled Bill
- May 15, 2019Received in Senate
- May 14, 2019Engrossed in House
- May 10, 2019Reported in House
- Jan 8, 2019Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov.