text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Reducing Barriers to Veterans' 
  Benefits Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) Tinnitus is the most common service-connected 
          disability for veterans from all periods of service, accounting 
          for almost 841,000 individuals.
              (2) Hearing loss is the second leading service-connected 
          disability for veterans from all periods of service, accounting 
          for almost 702,000 individuals.
              (3) Since fiscal year 1999, the number of veterans with 
          service-connected disability for tinnitus has increased by an 
          average rate of 17 percent each year.
              (4) The number of tinnitus disabilities has grown from 
          128,600 in fiscal year 1999 to 840,900 in fiscal year 2011, an 
          increase of more than 500 percent.
  
  SEC. 3. PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE-CONNECTION FOR HEARING LOSS AND 
                TINNITUS.
  
      (a) Presumption.--
              (1) In general.--Subchapter II of chapter 11 of title 38, 
          United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
          following new section:
  ``Sec. 1119. Presumption of service connection for hearing loss 
                associated with particular military occupational 
                specialties or combat service
      ``(a) In General.--(1) For purposes of section 1110 of this title, 
  and subject to section 1113 of this title, diagnosed hearing loss, 
  tinnitus, or both of a veteran described in paragraph (2) shall be 
  considered to have been incurred in or aggravated by the service of the 
  veteran, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of such 
  hearing loss or tinnitus, as the case may be, during the period of such 
  service.
      ``(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who while 
  on active military, naval, or air service--
              ``(A) was assigned to a military occupational specialty or 
          equivalent described in subsection (b); or
              ``(B) served in combat against a hostile force during a 
          period of hostilities (as defined in section 1712A(a)(2)(B) of 
          this title).
      ``(b) Military Occupational Specialty.--A military occupational 
  specialty or equivalent referred to in subsection (a)(2)(A) is a 
  military occupational specialty or equivalent, if any, that the 
  Secretary determines in regulations prescribed under this section in 
  which individuals assigned to such military occupational specialty or 
  equivalent in the active military, naval, or air service are or were 
  likely to be exposed to a sufficiently high level of acoustic trauma as 
  to result in permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, or both.
      ``(c) Determination.--(1) If the Secretary determines under 
  subsection (b) that a presumption of service connection is warranted 
  for a military occupational specialty or equivalent, the Secretary 
  shall, not later than 60 days after the date of the determination, 
  issue proposed regulations setting forth the Secretary's determination.
      ``(2) If the Secretary determines under subsection (b) that a 
  presumption of service connection is not warranted for a military 
  occupational specialty or equivalent, the Secretary shall, not later 
  than 60 days after the date of the determination--
              ``(A) publish the determination in the Federal Register; 
          and
              ``(B) submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
          Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the 
          determination, including a justification for the 
          determination.''.
              (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of sections at the 
          beginning of chapter 11 of such title is amended by inserting 
          after the item relating to section 1118 the following new item:
  
  ``1119. Presumption of service connection for hearing loss associated 
                              with particular military occupational 
                              specialties or combat service.''.
      (b) Presumption Rebuttable.--Section 1113 of title 38, United 
  States Code, is amended by striking ``or 1118'' each place it appears 
  and inserting ``1118, or 1119''.
      (c) Presumption During Peacetime Service.--Section 1137 of title 
  38, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and 1113'' and 
  inserting ``1113, and 1119''.
      (d) Effective Date.--Section 1119 of title 38, United States Code, 
  as added by subsection (a)(1), shall apply with respect to a claim for 
  compensation made on or after the date that is 60 days after the date 
  on which the Secretary prescribes regulations pursuant to subsection 
  (c)(1) of such section.
  
  SEC. 4. AUDIOMETRIC TEST REQUIRED BEFORE SEPARATION OF MEMBERS OF THE 
                ARMED FORCES.
  
      (a) In General.--Chapter 59 of title 10, United States Code, is 
  amended by adding at the end the following new section:
  ``Sec. 1179. Audiometric test required
      ``Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the 
  Secretary of a military department shall ensure that a member of the 
  armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary receives an 
  audiometric test at the 8000 Hz frequency (or other test that the 
  Secretary of Defense determines has the ability to discover potential 
  future hearing loss) to evaluate the hearing of the member during the 
  90-day period before the date on which the member is discharged, 
  separated, or retired.''.
      (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
  such chapter is amended by adding after the item relating to section 
  1178 the following new item:
  
  ``1179. Audiometric test required.''.
      (c) Effective Date.--Section 1179 of title 10, United States Code, 
  as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to a member being 
  discharged, separated, or retired from the Armed Forces on or after the 
  date that is 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
target: Reducing Barriers to Veterans' Benefits Act - Presumes a service connection, for veterans' benefits purposes, for diagnosed hearing loss, tinnitus, or both, for veterans who, during active military service: (1) were assigned to a military occupational specialty in which the veterans were likely to be exposed to a level of acoustic trauma sufficient to result in permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, or both; or (2) served in combat against a hostile force during a period of hostilities.
  
  Directs the Secretary of each military department to ensure that each member of the Armed Forces under their jurisdiction receives an audiometric test at the 8000 Hz frequency (or an equivalent test) to evaluate the hearing of such member during the 90-day period before the member is discharged, separated, or retired.
feat_title: To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service connection for certain veterans with tinnitus or hearing loss, and for other purposes.