Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 3.djvu/360

 98 STAT. 2732 Federal Register, publication.

38 USC 219 note.

Ante, p. 2727. Federal Register, publication.

PUBLIC LAW 98-542—OCT. 24, 1984

section. To the extent that the Administrator determines that any amendments to such regulations are needed, the Administrator, not later than 90 days after such submission, shall develop and publish in the Federal Register, for public review and comment, proposed amendments to such regulations.". (b) Paragraph (5) of section 601(a) of the Veterans' Health Care Amendments of 1983 (Public Law 98-160; 97 Stat. 1007) is amended by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C) and inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph (B): "(B) Immediately after the submission of each report under subparagraph (A), the Administrator, based on the results described in such report and the comments and recommendations included therein and any other available pertinent information, shall evaluate the need for any amendments to regulations, prescribed pursuant to section 5 of the Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act, for the resolution of claims for service connection based on the exposure specified in subsection (a)(1)(B) of such section. To the extent that the Administrator determines that any amendments to such regulations are needed, the Administrator, not later than 90 days after such submission, shall develop and publish in the Federal Register, for public review and comment, proposed amendments to such regulations.". INTERIM BENEFITS FOR DISABILITY OR DEATH IN CERTAIN CASES

38 USC 354 note.

SEC. 9. (a)(1) In the case of a veteran— \ (A) who served in the active military, naval, or air service in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era; and (B) who has a disease described in subsection (b) that became manifest within one year after the date of the veteran's most recent departure from the Republic of Vietnam during that service, the Administrator shall (except as provided in subsection (c)) pay a monthly disability benefit to the veteran in accordance with this section. (2) If a veteran described in paragraph (1) dies from the disease, the Administrator shall pay a monthly death benefit to the survivors of the veteran in accordance with this section. (b) The diseases referred to in subsection (a) are chloracne and porphyria cutanea tarda. (c) Benefits may not be paid under this section with respect to a disease occurring in a veteran— (1) where there is affirmative evidence that the disease was not incurred by the veteran during service in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era; (2) where there is affirmative evidence to establish that an intercurrent injury or disease which is a recognized cause of the disease was suffered by the veteran between the date of the veteran's most recent departure from the Republic of Vietnam during active military, naval, or air service and the onset of the disease; or (3) if the Administrator determines, based on evidence in the veteran's service records and other records of the Department of Defense, that the veteran was not exposed to dioxin during active military, naval, or air service in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era.

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