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THERAPEUTIC AND REHABILITATIVE DEVICES FOR CERTAIN VETERANS

SEC. 109. Subsection (b) of section 617 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out "to any veteran" and all that follows through the end thereof and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "to any veteran in receipt of pension under chapter 15 of this title based on need of regular aid and attendance."

PENSION FOR "OLD LAW" VETERANS WHO ARE HOUSEBOUND

SEC. 110. (a) The Administrator of Veterans' Affairs shall pay to a veteran who is entitled to pension under section 521 of title 38, United States Code, as in effect on June 30, 1960, and who—

(1) has, in addition to a disability rated as permanent and total, additional disability or disabilities independently ratable at 60 per centum or more, or

(2) by reason of his disability or disabilities, is permanently housebound but does not qualify for pension under such section 521 based on need of regular aid and attendance, in lieu of the pension otherwise payable to him under such section 521, a pension at the monthly rate of $100.

(b) (1) Effective on January 1, 1968, no pension shall be paid under section 521 of title 38, United States Code, as in effect on June 30, 1960, to any unmarried veteran whose annual income exceeds $1,700, or to any married veteran or any veteran with children whose annual income exceeds $3,100, and the income limitations of section 522(a) of such title, as in effect on such date, shall be void and have no effect on the payment of pension under such section 521. (2) Effective on January 1, 1968, no pension shall be paid under sections 541-544 of title 38, United States Code, as in effect on June 30, 1960, to any widow without child, or to or on account of any child, whose annual income exceeds $1,700, or to a widow with a child whose annual income exceeds $3,100, and the income limitations of section 545 (a) of such title, as in effect on such date, shall be void and have no effect on the payment of pension under such sections 541-544.

TITLE II-READJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR VIETNAM ERA

VETERANS

VIETNAM ERA A PERIOD OF WAR

SEC. 201. (a) Paragraph (11) of section 101 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(a) The term 'period of war' means the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, and the period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the Congress and ending on the date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress."

(b) Such section is further amended by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph:

“(29) The term 'Vietnam era' means the period beginning August 5, 1964, and ending on such date as shall thereafter be determined by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress."

PENSION

SEC. 202. (a) Subsection (a) of section 521 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(a) The Administrator shall pay to each veteran of World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era, who meets the service requirements of this section, and who is permanently and totally disabled from nonservice-connected disability not the result of the veteran's willful misconduct or vicious habits, pension at the rate prescribed by this section."

(b) Such section is further amended by amending subsection (g) to read as follows:

"(g) A veteran meets the service requirements of this section if he served in the active military, naval, or air service

"(1) for ninty days or more during either World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era;

"(2) during World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era, and was discharged or released from such service for a service-connected disability;

"(3) for a period of ninety consecutive days or more and such period ending World War I, or began or ended during World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era; or

"(4) for an aggregate of ninety days or more in two or more separate periods of service during more than one period of war."

(c) The catchline of section 521 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"§ 521. Veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era"

(d) Subsection (a) of section 541 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(a) The Administrator shall pay to the widow of each veteran of World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era who met the service requirements of section 521 of this title, or who at the time of his death was receiving (or entitled to receive) compensation or retirement pay for a service-connected disability, pension at the rate prescribed by this section." (e) Paragraph (1) of subsection (e) of such section is amended to read as follows:

"(1) before (A) December 14, 1944, in the case of a widow of a World War I veterans, or (B) January 1, 1957, in the case of a widow of a World War II veterans, or (C) February 1, 1965, in the case of a widow of a Korean conflict veteran, or (D) before the expiration of ten years following termination of the Vietnam era in the case of a widow of a Vietnam era veteran; or".

(f) The catchline of section 541 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"§ 541. Widows of World War I, World War II, Korean conflict, or Vietnam era veterans"

(g) Subsection (a) of section 542 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out "or the Korean conflict" and inserting in lieu thereof "the Korean conflict. or the Vietnam era".

(h) The catchline of section 542 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"S 542. Children of World War I, World War II, Korean conflict, or Vietnam era veterans"

(i) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out

"521. Veterans of World War I, World War II, or the Korean conflict."

and substituting in lieu thereof

"521. Veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era."; by striking out the subheading

"WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, AND THE KOREAN CONFLICT"

and substituting in lieu thereof

"WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, THE KOREAN CONFLICT, AND THE VIETNAM ERA";

by striking out

"541. Widows of World War I, World War II, or Korean conflict veterans."

and substituting in lieu thereof

"541. Widows of World War I, World War II, Korean conflict, or Vietnam era veterans."; and by striking out

"542. Children of World War I, World War II, or Korean conflict veterans."

and ubstituting in lieu thereof

"542. Children of World War I, World War II, Korean conflict, or Vietnam era veterans." (j) Chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out the subheading "WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, AND THE KOREAN CONFLICT" immediately preceding section 541 of such title, and substituting in lieu thereof "WORLD WAR I, WORLD WAR II, THE KOREAN CONFLICT, AND THE VIETNAM ERA”.

HOSPITAL, DOMICILIARY, AND MEDICAL CARE

SEC. 203. (a) Section 602 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"§ 602. Presumption relating to psychosis

"For the purposes of this chapter, any veteran of World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era who developed an active psychosis (1) within two years after his discharge or release from the active military, naval, or air service, and (2) before July 26, 1949, in the case of a veteran of World War II, or February 1, 1957, in the case of a veteran of the Korean conflict, or before the expiration of two years following termination of the Vietnam era in the case of a Vietnam era veteran, shall be deemed to have incurred such disability in the active military, naval, or air service.".

(b) Subsection (h) of section 612 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(h) The Administrator shall furnish to each veteran who is receiving additional compensation or allowance under chapter 11, or increased pension as a veteran of World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, or the Vietnam era, by reason of being in need of regular aid and attendance, such drugs and medicines as may be ordered on prescription of a duly licensed physician as specific therapy in the treatment of any illness or injury suffered by such veteran."

SPECIALLY EQUIPPED AUTOMOBILES

SEC. 204. (a) Section 1901 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c), and by adding after subsection (a) the following new subsection (b):

"(b) The benefits of this chapter shall also be made available to each veteran who is suffering from any disability described in subsection (a), if such disability is the result of an injury incurred or disease contracted in or aggravated by active military, naval, or air service since January 31, 1955, and if the injury was incurred or the disease was contracted in line of duty as a direct result of the performance of military duty."

(b) Section 1905 of title 38, United States Code, is amended (1) by striking out at the beginning of the first sentence thereof "The benefits", and inserting in lieu thereof "(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the benefits", and (2) by adding at the end thereof a new subsection as follows:

"(b) (1) In the case of any veteran who is eligible for the benefits provided in this chapter by reason of section 1901 (b) and who was discharged or released from active military, naval, or air service before the date of enactment of this subsection, any applicable time limitation contained in subsection (a) of this section which otherwise would have begun to run before the date of enactment of this subsection shall not begin to run until that date.

"(2) In the case of any veteran whose entitlement to the benefits provided in this chapter first arose by reason of the enactment of Public Law 85-857, application for such benefits may, notwithstanding the time limitations contained in subsection (a) of this section, be made within one year from the date of enactment of this amendatory Act."

BURIAL ALLOWANCE

SEC. 204. If the burial allowance authorized by section 902 of title 38, United States Code, is payable solely by virtue of the enactment of this Act, the twoyear period for filing applications, referred to in section 904 of such title 38,

shall not end, with respect to an individual whose death occurred prior to the enactment of this Act, before the expiration of the two-year period which begins on the date of enactment of this Act, or, in any case involving the correction of a discharge after the date of enactment of this Act, before the expiration of two years from the date of such correction.

TITLE III-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

STATUTORY AWARDS

SEC. 301. Section 314 (k) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(k) if the veteran, as the result of service-connected disability, has suffered the anatomical loss or loss of use of one or more creative organs, or one foot, or one hand, or both buttocks, or blindness of one eye, having only light perception, or has suffered complete organic aphonia with constant inability to communicate by speech, or deafness of both ears, having absence of air and bone conduction, the rate of compensation therefor shall be $47 per month for each such loss or loss of use independent of any other compensation provided in subsections (a) through (j) or subsection (s) of this section but in no event to exceed $400 per month; and in the event the veteran has suffered one or more of the disabilities heretofore specified in this subsection, in addition to the requirement for any of the rates specified in subsection (1) through (n) of this section, the rate of compensations shall be increased by $47 per month for each such loss or loss of use, but in no event to exceed $600 per month;".

EFFECTIVE DATE

SEC. 302. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Act, and except for section 103 which shall take effect on January 1, 1968, the provisions of this Act shall take effect on the first day of the second calendar month which begins after the date of the enactment of this Act.

WARTIME COMPENSATION RATES FOR CERTAIN SERVICE

SEC. 303. Section 336 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking out "or (3)" and inserting in lieu thereof “(3)" and by inserting immediately before the period at the end thereof the following: ", or (4) after January 31, 1955".

[H.R. 3132, 90th Cong., first sess.]

A BILL To amend section 503 of title 38, United States Code, to provide that certain incomes be excluded from determinations of annual income for pension and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 503 of title 38, United States Code, is amended as follows:

(a) Paragraph (4) is amended to read:

"(4) not exceeding $10,000 in aggregate face amount of (A) payments under policies of United States Government life insurance, national service life insurance, or servicemen's group life insurance, (B) payments of servicemen's indemnity, and (C) in the case of claims for death pension, payments under policies or contracts of private or commercial life insurance;". (b) Paragraph (6) is amended to read:

"(6) 10 per centum of the amount of payments to an individual under public or private retirement, annuity, endowment, or similar plans or programs, provided, that these payments shall not be considered income until the total of payments received exceeds the amount of his personal contributions thereto;".

(c) Subparagraph (B) of paragraph (7) is amended to read:

"(B) the expenses of his last illness (whether paid before or after his death), and":

(d) This section is further amended by changing the period at the end of paragraph (13) to a semicolon and adding the following:

"(14) amounts equal to amounts paid for unusual medical expenses by— "(A) a veteran in connection with his own illness, or the illness of his wife or child,

"(B) a widow of a veteran in connection with her own illness, or the illness of a child of the veteran, and

"(C) a child in connection with his own illness;

“(15) payments to patients participating in a community-hospital-industrial rehabilitation program while hospitalized in a Veterans' Administration, other Federal, or State hospital."

[H.R. 3133, 90th Cong,, first sess.]

A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, so as to revise the rates of disability and death pension, and for other purposes

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 521 (b) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(b) If the veteran is unmarried (or married but not living with and not reasonably contributing to the support of his spouse) and has no child, pension shall be paid at the monthly rate set forth in column II of the following table opposite the veteran's annual income as shown in column I:

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(b) Section 521 (c) of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

"(c) If the veteran is married and living with or reasonably contributing to the support of his spouse, or has a child or children, pension shall be paid at the monthly rate set forth in column II of the following table opposite the veteran's annual income as shown in column I, except that if the veteran has more than one dependent the rate payable under this subsection shall be increased by $5 for each additional dependent:

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