As retrieved on Mar 5, 2008
To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a
presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with
Hepatitis C, and for other purposes. (Introduced in Senate)
S 2599 IS
Ms. SNOWE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in
Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE CONNECTION FOR CERTAIN VETERANS WITH HEPATITIS C .
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(a) PRESUMPTION- Section 1112 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
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`(d)(1) For the purposes of section 1110 of this title,
and subject to the provisions of section 1113 of this
title, the disease Hepatitis C becoming manifest to a
degree of 10 percent or more in any veteran described in
paragraph (2) after active military, naval, or air
service covered by that paragraph shall be considered to
have been incurred in or aggravated by such service,
notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of
that disease during such service.
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`(2) Paragraph (1) applies in the case of the following:
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`(A) Veterans who received during a period of
service before December 31, 1992, a transfusion of
blood or blood products.
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`(B) Veterans who were exposed to blood on or
through the skin or a mucous membrane during a
period of service.
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`(C ) Veterans who underwent hemodyalisis during a
period of service.
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`(D) Veterans who underwent tattooing, body
piercing, or acupuncture during a period of service.
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`(E) Veterans diagnosed with unexplained liver
disease during a period of service.
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`(F) Veterans who experienced an unexplained liver
dysfunction value or test during a period of
service.
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`(G) Veterans who served in a health-care position
or specialty during a period of service under such
circumstances as the Secretary shall prescribe for
purposes of this subsection.'.
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(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this
Act. No benefit may be paid or provided by reason of
that amendment for any period before such date.