Reports. 

Time period. 

Time period. 

Consultation. 

Time period. 

38 USC 1822 note. 

(1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance to imple- ment section 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), before prescribing new regulations under such section. 

(2) UPDATES.—(A) Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate regarding the plans of the Secretary to respond to inquiries from veterans regarding claims for disability compensation under section 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section. 

(B) On a quarterly basis during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on the date on which regulations are prescribed to carry out such section 1822, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Vet- erans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate updates on the status of such regulations. 

(3) PENDING CASES.— 

(A) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary may stay a claim described in subparagraph (B) until the date on which the Secretary commences the implementation of sec- tion 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 

(B) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—A claim described in this subparagraph is a claim for benefits— 

(e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consulta- tion with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report identifying— 

(1) the military installations of the United States located in Thailand during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, at which an herbicide agent (as defined in section 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)) was actively used; and 

(2) the period of such use. 

(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 

## SEC. 5. UPDATED REPORT ON CERTAIN GULF WAR ILLNESS STUDY. 

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate an updated report on the findings, as of the date of the updated report, of the Follow-up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War and Gulf Era Veterans under the epidemiology program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

(i) relating to the spina bifida and service covered by such section 1822; and 

(ii) that is pending at the Veterans Benefits Administration or the Board of Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of the enactment of this Act and before the date on which the Secretary commences the implementation of such section 1822. 

