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, 2019Public Law 116-23
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; 82 are original cosponsors, there from 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 |
Committees 1
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Referred Jan 8, 2019Markup May 8, 2019Reported May 10, 2019 |
| Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee | Referred Feb 1, 2019Hearings May 1, 2019 |
Actions 21
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jun 25, 2019Signed by President.
- Jun 25, 2019Became Public Law No: 116-23.
- Jun 19, 2019Presented to President.
- Jun 13, 2019Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Jun 12, 2019Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S3450)
- May 15, 2019Received in the Senate, read twice.
- May 14, 2019Mr. Takano moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- May 14, 2019Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3743-3751)
- May 14, 2019DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 299.
- May 14, 2019At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- May 14, 2019Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3771)
- May 14, 2019Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 410 - 0 (Roll no. 203). (text: CR H3743-3746)
- May 14, 2019Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- May 10, 2019Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. H. Rept. 116-58.
- May 10, 2019Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 36.
- May 8, 2019Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- May 8, 2019Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- May 1, 2019Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- Feb 1, 2019Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
- Jan 8, 2019Introduced in House
- Jan 8, 2019Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
In the Congressional Record 7
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House | Debate and remarks H17 | Bruce Westerman R-AR | Jan 8, 2020 |
| House | Debate and remarks H8838 | Bruce Westerman R-AR | Nov 14, 2019 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S6427 | Steve Daines R-MT | Nov 6, 2019 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S3460 | Johnny Isakson R-GA, Jon Tester D-MT | Jun 13, 2019 |
| Senate | Debate and remarks S3450 | James Lankford R-OK | Jun 12, 2019 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- May 13, 2019H.R. 299, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019As reported by the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on May 10, 2019
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 165, no. 3, January 8, 2019, page H286.
Printed hearings 9
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 116-58 | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 202183 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Feb 27, 2020 |
| Serial No. 116-43 | PREPARING FOR BLUE WATER CLAIMS-- VA STATUS UPDATE ON IMPLEMENTATION72 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Oct 30, 2019 |
| Serial No. 116-30 | COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS MEMBER DAY112 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Sep 10, 2019 |
| Serial No. 116-9 | LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON H.R. 1199, H.R. 1200, H.R. 1126, H.R. 1628, H.R. 1826, A DRAFT BILL TO PERMIT THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM TO CONDUCT CEMETERY RESEARCH AND PRODUCE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE VETERANS LEGACY PROGRAM, AND A DRAFT UPDATE OF H.R. 29993 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | May 1, 2019 |
| Serial No. 116-5 | LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON: H.R. 95, H.R. 444, H.R. 1718, AND VARIOUS DISCUSSION DRAFTS79 pages | Veterans' Affairs Committee | Apr 9, 2019 |
CRS reports 16
Congressional Research Service work that CRS links to this bill or the law it became, newest first.
Cite it 16
Products on other subjects that cite it, usually among other measures.
| Product | Title | Kind | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| RS21282 | Military Service Records, Awards, and Unit Histories: A Guide to Locating Sources | Report | Jul 16, 2026 |
| R48968 | Department of Veterans Affairs FY2026 Appropriations | Report | Jun 3, 2026 |
| R42504 | VA Home Loan Programs | Report | May 20, 2026 |
| R45104 | Guide to Committee Activity Reports: Purpose, Rules, and Contents | Report | Jun 2, 2025 |
| R47094 | Fact Sheet: Joint Resolutions of Disapproval Under the Arms Export Control Act | Report | Dec 20, 2024 |
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 |
Titles 7
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and for other purposes.
- Short Titles as Passed Senate
- Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
- Short Titles as Enacted
- Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
- Short Title(s) as Introduced
- Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
- Short Title(s) as Reported to House
- Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
- Short Title(s) as Passed House
- Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019
- Short Titles from ENR (Enrolled) bill text
- Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 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; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
