This bill expands health benefits for veterans who were exposed to toxic substances while serving at Karshi Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan during the post-9/11 era. The legislation adds fourteen new diseases and health conditions—including cancers, thyroid disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and several others—to the list of illnesses automatically presumed to be service-connected for K2 veterans. Under current VA law, if a condition is on the presumptive list, veterans don't need to prove their illness was caused by military service; the VA presumes the connection exists. This bill makes it easier for K2 veterans to access disability compensation and health care without having to provide extensive medical evidence linking their conditions to their time at the base. The legislation has no specified funding amount or implementation timeline in the text provided, meaning it would operate within existing VA appropriations.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.