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Pub. L.
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Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022

117th Congress · Approved Aug 10, 2022 · 136 Stat. 1759

An Act

To improve the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant and the Children of Fallen Heroes Grant.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa­tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short Title; References to Title 38, United States Code; Table of Contents.

(a)
Short Title.— This Act may be cited as the “Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022” or the “Honoring our PACT Act of 2022”.
(b)
Matters Relating to Amendments to Title 38, United States Code.—
(1)
References.— Except as otherwise expressly provided, when in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of title 38, United States Code.
(2)
Amendments to tables of contents.— Except as otherwise expressly provided, when an amendment made by this Act to title 38, United States Code, adds a section or larger organizational unit to that title or amends the designation or heading of a section or larger organizational unit in that title, that amendment also shall have the effect of amending any table of sections in that title to alter the table to conform to the changes made by the amendment.
(c)
Table of Contents.— The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; references to title 38, United States Code; table of contents.

TITLE I— EXPANSION OF HEALTH CARE ELIGIBILITY

Subtitle A— Toxic-exposed Veterans

Sec. 101. Short title.

Sec. 102. Definitions relating to toxic-exposed veterans.

Sec. 103. Expansion of health care for specific categories of toxic-exposed veterans and veterans supporting certain overseas contingency operations.

Sec. 104. Assessments of implementation and operation.

Subtitle B— Certain Veterans of Combat Service and Other Matters

Sec. 111. Expansion of period of eligibility for health care for certain veterans of combat service.

TITLE II— TOXIC EXPOSURE PRESUMPTION PROCESS

Sec. 201. Short title.

Sec. 202. Improvements to ability of Department of Veterans Affairs to establish presumptions of service connection based on toxic exposure.

Sec. 203. Outreach to claimants for disability compensation pursuant to changes in presumptions of service connection.

Sec. 204. Reevaluation of claims for dependency and indemnity compensation involving presumptions of service connection.

TITLE III— IMPROVING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SERVICE CONNECTION PROCESS FOR TOXIC-EXPOSED VETERANS

Sec. 301. Short title.

Sec. 302. Presumptions of toxic exposure.

Sec. 303. Medical nexus examinations for toxic exposure risk activities.

TITLE IV— PRESUMPTIONS OF SERVICE CONNECTION

Sec. 401. Treatment of veterans who participated in cleanup of Enewetak Atoll as radiation-exposed veterans for purposes of presumption of service connection of certain disabilities by Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 402. Treatment of veterans who participated in nuclear response near Palomares, Spain, or Thule, Greenland, as radiation-exposed veterans for purposes of presumption of service connection of certain disabilities by Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 403. Presumptions of service connection for diseases associated with exposures to certain herbicide agents for veterans who served in certain locations.

Sec. 404. Addition of additional diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents for which there is a presumption of service connection for veterans who served in certain locations.

Sec. 405. Improving compensation for disabilities occurring in Persian Gulf War veterans.

Sec. 406. Presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with exposure to burn pits and other toxins.

Sec. 407. Rule of construction.

TITLE V— RESEARCH MATTERS

Sec. 501. Interagency working group on toxic exposure research.

Sec. 502. Analysis and report on treatment of veterans for medical conditions related to toxic exposure.

Sec. 503. Analysis relating to mortality of veterans who served in Southwest Asia.

Sec. 504. Study on health trends of post–9/11 veterans.

Sec. 505. Study on cancer rates among veterans.

Sec. 506. Study on health effects of waste related to Manhattan Project on certain veterans.

Sec. 507. Study on toxic exposure and mental health outcomes.

Sec. 508. Study on veterans in Territories of the United States.

Sec. 509. Department of Veterans Affairs public website for toxic exposure research.

Sec. 510. Report on health effects of jet fuels used by Armed Forces.

TITLE VI— IMPROVEMENT OF RESOURCES AND TRAINING REGARDING TOXIC-EXPOSED VETERANS

Sec. 601. Short title; definitions.

Sec. 602. Publication of list of resources of Department of Veterans Affairs for toxic-exposed veterans and veterans who report toxic exposures and outreach program for such veterans and caregivers and survivors of such veterans.

Sec. 603. Incorporation of toxic exposure screening for veterans.

Sec. 604. Training for personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to veterans who report toxic exposures.

TITLE VII— RESOURCING

Sec. 701. Authority to use appropriations to enhance claims processing capacity and automation.

Sec. 702. Authorization of major medical facility leases of Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2023.

Sec. 703. Treatment of major medical facility leases of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 704. Authority to enter into agreements with academic affiliates and other entities to acquire space for the purpose of providing health-care resources to veterans.

Sec. 705. Modifications to enhanced-use lease authority of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 706. Authority for joint leasing actions of Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 707. Appropriation of amounts for major medical facility leases.

TITLE VIII— RECORDS AND OTHER MATTERS

Sec. 801. Epidemiological study on Fort McClellan veterans.

Sec. 802. Biennial briefing on Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record.

Sec. 803. Correction of exposure records by members of the Armed Forces and veterans.

Sec. 804. Federal cause of action relating to water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Sec. 805. Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund.

Sec. 806. Appropriation for fiscal year 2022.

Sec. 807. Authorization of electronic notice in claims under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 808. Burn pit transparency.

TITLE IX— IMPROVEMENT OF WORKFORCE OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Sec. 901. National rural recruitment and hiring plan for Veterans Health Administration.

Sec. 902. Authority to buy out service contracts for certain health care professionals in exchange for employment at rural or highly rural facilities of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 903. Qualifications for human resources positions within Department of Veterans Affairs and plan to recruit and retain human resources employees.

Sec. 904. Modification of pay cap for certain employees of Veterans Health Administration.

Sec. 905. Expansion of opportunities for housekeeping aides.

Sec. 906. Modification of authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to hours, conditions of employment, and pay for certain employees of Veterans Health Administration.

Sec. 907. Waiver of pay limitation for certain employees of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 908. Elimination of limitation on awards and bonus for employees of Department of Veterans Affairs.

Sec. 909. Additional authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs relating to recruitment and retention of personnel.