Sec 1708 Presumption of Service-Connection for Mental health disorders

[Jason Perry]

SEC. 1708. SERVICE-CONNECTION AND ASSESSMENTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS IN VETERANS.

• (a) Presumption of Service-Connection for Mental Illness in Persian Gulf War Veterans-

• • (1) IN GENERAL- Section 1702 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

• • • (A) by inserting `(a) Psychosis- ' before `For the purposes'; and

• • • (B) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

• `(b) Mental Illness- For purposes of this chapter, any veteran of the Persian Gulf War who develops an active mental illness (other than psychosis) shall be deemed to have incurred such disability in the active military, naval, or air service if such veteran develops such disability--

• • `(1) within two years after discharge or release from the active military, naval, or air service; and

• • `(2) before the end of the two-year period beginning on the last day of the Persian Gulf War.'.

• • (2) HEADING AMENDMENT- The heading of such section is amended to read as follows:

-`Sec. 1702. Presumptions: psychosis after service in World War II and following periods of war; mental illness after service in the Persian Gulf War'.

• • (3) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 1702 and inserting the following new item:

• • `1702. Presumptions: psychosis after service in World War II and following periods of war; mental illness following service in the Persian Gulf War.'.

• (b) Provision of Mental Health Assessments for Certain Veterans- Section 1712A(a) of such title is amended--

• • (1) in paragraph (1)(B), by adding at the end the following new clause:

• • `(iii) Any veteran who served on active duty--

• • • `(I) in a theater of combat operations (as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense) during a period of war after the Persian Gulf War; or

• • • `(II) in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities (as defined in paragraph (2)(B)) after November 11, 1998.'; and

• • (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

• `(3) Upon request of a veteran described in paragraph (1)(B)(iii), the Secretary shall provide the veteran a preliminary general mental health assessment as soon as practicable after receiving the request, but not later than 30 days after receiving the request.'.