Legis Daily

A bill to provide for the reconsideration of claims for disability compensation for veterans who were the subjects of experiments by the Department of Defense during World War II that were conducted to assess the effects of mustard gas or lewisite on people, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-75| Senate 
| Updated: 6/15/2017
Claire McCaskill

Claire McCaskill

Democratic Senator

Missouri

Cosponsors (2)
Roy Blunt (Republican)Bill Nelson (Democratic)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Arla Harrell Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reconsider and make a new determination regarding each claim for disability compensation in connection with exposure to mustard gas or lewisite during active military, naval, or air service during World War II that was denied before this bill's enactment. The VA or the Department of Defense (DOD): (1) shall presume that a veteran experienced full-body exposure to mustard gas or lewisite unless proven otherwise; and (2) may not use information contained in the DOD and VA Chemical Biological Warfare Database or any list of known testing sites for mustard gas or lewisite maintained by the VA or DOD as the sole reason for determining that the veteran did not experience such exposure. The VA shall report to Congress every 90 days on reconsidered claims that were denied. The VA and DOD shall jointly establish a policy for processing future claims in connection with such exposure. The bill requires DOD, for purposes of determining whether a site should be added to the list of DOD sites where mustard gas or lewisite testing occurred, to: (1) investigate and assess sites where the Army Corps of Engineers has uncovered evidence of mustard gas or lewisite testing or where more than two veterans submitted claims in connection with exposure that were denied; and (2) report on experiments conducted by DOD during World War II to assess the effects of mustard gas and lewisite. The VA shall: (1) investigate and assess VA actions to reach out to individuals who had been exposed in such experiments, the disability compensation claims that were filed, and the percentage of such claims that were denied; and (2) submit a comprehensive list of each location where such an experiment was conducted.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jan 9, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Jan 9, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 23, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-1359
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Jun 15, 2017
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-215.
  • January 9, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • January 9, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • March 23, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-1359
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.


  • June 15, 2017
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-215.

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • HR 115-1359: To provide for the reconsideration of claims for disability compensation for veterans who were the subjects of experiments by the Department of Defense during World War II that were conducted to assess the effects of mustard gas or lewisite on people, and for other purposes.
Chemical and biological weaponsConflicts and warsCongressional oversightDisability and paralysisGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHazardous wastes and toxic substancesMilitary facilities and propertyVeterans' pensions and compensation

A bill to provide for the reconsideration of claims for disability compensation for veterans who were the subjects of experiments by the Department of Defense during World War II that were conducted to assess the effects of mustard gas or lewisite on people, and for other purposes.

USA115th CongressS-75| Senate 
| Updated: 6/15/2017
Arla Harrell Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reconsider and make a new determination regarding each claim for disability compensation in connection with exposure to mustard gas or lewisite during active military, naval, or air service during World War II that was denied before this bill's enactment. The VA or the Department of Defense (DOD): (1) shall presume that a veteran experienced full-body exposure to mustard gas or lewisite unless proven otherwise; and (2) may not use information contained in the DOD and VA Chemical Biological Warfare Database or any list of known testing sites for mustard gas or lewisite maintained by the VA or DOD as the sole reason for determining that the veteran did not experience such exposure. The VA shall report to Congress every 90 days on reconsidered claims that were denied. The VA and DOD shall jointly establish a policy for processing future claims in connection with such exposure. The bill requires DOD, for purposes of determining whether a site should be added to the list of DOD sites where mustard gas or lewisite testing occurred, to: (1) investigate and assess sites where the Army Corps of Engineers has uncovered evidence of mustard gas or lewisite testing or where more than two veterans submitted claims in connection with exposure that were denied; and (2) report on experiments conducted by DOD during World War II to assess the effects of mustard gas and lewisite. The VA shall: (1) investigate and assess VA actions to reach out to individuals who had been exposed in such experiments, the disability compensation claims that were filed, and the percentage of such claims that were denied; and (2) submit a comprehensive list of each location where such an experiment was conducted.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jan 9, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Jan 9, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 23, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-1359
Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.
Jun 15, 2017
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-215.
  • January 9, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • January 9, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.


  • March 23, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-1359
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Military Personnel.


  • June 15, 2017
    Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 115-215.
Claire McCaskill

Claire McCaskill

Democratic Senator

Missouri

Cosponsors (2)
Roy Blunt (Republican)Bill Nelson (Democratic)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

Armed Forces and National Security

Related Bills

  • HR 115-1359: To provide for the reconsideration of claims for disability compensation for veterans who were the subjects of experiments by the Department of Defense during World War II that were conducted to assess the effects of mustard gas or lewisite on people, and for other purposes.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Chemical and biological weaponsConflicts and warsCongressional oversightDisability and paralysisGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHazardous wastes and toxic substancesMilitary facilities and propertyVeterans' pensions and compensation