38 USC 1101 prec. 

38 USC 1116A note. 

Reports. 

Time period. 

Time period. 

38 USC 1116A note. 

Web posting. Notice. 

Notification. 

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the begin- ning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1116 the following new item: 

‘‘1116A. Presumptions of service connection for veterans who served offshore of the Republic of Vietnam.’’. 

(c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

(1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance to imple- ment section 1116A 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— 

(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 1116A, 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. 

(d) OUTREACH.— 

(1) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct outreach to inform veterans described in paragraph (2) of the ability to submit a claim for disability compensation under section 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a). Such outreach shall include the following: 

(i) to conduct outreach under subsection (d); and 

(ii) to respond to inquiries from veterans regarding claims for disability compensation under section 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section. 

(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 such section 1116A. 

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

(i) relating to the service and diseases covered by such section 1116A; 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 1116A. 

(A) The Secretary shall publish on the website of the Department a notice that a veterans described in paragraph (2) may submit or resubmit a claim for disability compensa- tion under such section 1116A. 

(B) The Secretary shall notify in writing the veteran service organization community of the ability of veterans described in paragraph (2) to submit or resubmit claims for disability compensation under such section 1116A. 

