Bill > HR3639

This bill, known as the "Veterans Exposed to Toxic PFAS Act" or "VET PFAS Act," addresses healthcare and benefits for veterans and their families who were exposed to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at military installations. The bill provides hospital care and medical services for veterans who served at covered military installations with PFOA or PFAS exposure, establishing eligibility for treatment of specific health conditions including high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. It also extends healthcare eligibility to family members of these veterans who resided at or were in utero at the affected installations. Additionally, the bill creates a presumption of service connection, meaning that veterans with specified diseases who served at these installations will automatically qualify for service-related disability benefits, even without direct medical evidence linking their condition to military service. The legislation requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit annual reports detailing the number of veterans and family members receiving care, the illnesses treated, and information about applications and denials. Importantly, the bill allows reserve component members who served at these installations to be treated as active-duty service members for the purposes of healthcare and benefits eligibility.

Health and Social Services, Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/3639/all-info