{"abstract":"The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulation governing individuals presumed to have been exposed to certain herbicides. Specifically, VA is expanding the regulation to include an additional group consisting of individuals who performed service in the Air Force or Air Force Reserve under circumstances in which they had regular and repeated contact with C-123 aircraft known to have been used to spray an herbicide agent (\"Agent Orange\") during the Vietnam era. In addition, the regulation will establish a presumption that members of this group who later develop an Agent Orange presumptive condition were disabled during the relevant period of service, thus establishing that this service constituted \"active, naval, military or air service.\" The effect of this action is to presume herbicide exposure for these individuals and to allow individuals who were exposed to herbicides during reserve service to establish veteran status for VA purposes and eligibility for some VA benefits. The need for this action results from a recent decision by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge that individuals who had regular and repeated exposure to C-123 aircraft that the United States Air Force used to spray the herbicides in Vietnam during Operation Ranch Hand were exposed to Agent Orange.","action":"Interim final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS","name":"Veterans Affairs Department","id":520,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/veterans-affairs-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/520","parent_id":null,"slug":"veterans-affairs-department"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2015/06/19/2015-14995.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":3,"title":38}],"citation":"80 FR 35246","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective Date: This interim final rule is effective on June 19, 2015.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":[],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2015-14995","effective_on":"2015-06-19","end_page":35249,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2015/06/19/2015-14995.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/06/19/2015-14995/presumption-of-herbicide-exposure-and-presumption-of-disability-during-service-for-reservists","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2015-14995?publication_date=2015-06-19","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2015-06-19/2015-14995/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":4,"page_views":{"count":4379,"last_updated":"2026-08-24 22:15:11 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-06-19/pdf/2015-14995.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2015-14995.pdf?1434631528","publication_date":"2015-06-19","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2015/06/19/2015-14995.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"2900-AP43":{"issue":"201810","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2900-AP43/presumption-of-herbicide-exposure-and-presumption-of-disability-during-service-for-reservists-presum","title":"Presumption of Herbicide Exposure and Presumption of Disability During Service for Reservists Presumed Exposed to Herbicide","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201810&RIN=2900-AP43&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2900-AP43"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"AP43(F) IA (10-10-18 f)VBA-Presumption of herbicide exposure C-123","document_id":"VA-2015-VBA-0015-0052"},{"title":"RegMgmt_ImpactAnalysisAP43InterimFinal_20150504","document_id":"VA-2015-VBA-0015-0002"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2900-AP43/presumption-of-herbicide-exposure-and-presumption-of-disability-during-service-for-reservists-presum","title":"Presumption of Herbicide Exposure and Presumption of Disability During Service for Reservists Presumed Exposed to Herbicide"},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=VA-2015-VBA-0015","supporting_documents_count":2,"docket_id":"VA-2015-VBA-0015","regulation_id_number":"2900-AP43","title":"AP43 - Interim Final Rule - Presumption of Herbicide Exposure\nand Presumption of Disability During\nService for Reservists Presumed\nExposed to Herbicide","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2015-08-19T05:00:57Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":35246,"subtype":null,"title":"Presumption of Herbicide Exposure and Presumption of Disability During Service for Reservists Presumed Exposed to Herbicide","toc_doc":"Presumption of Herbicide Exposure and Presumption of Disability During Service for Reservists Presumed Exposed to Herbicide","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Claims","Disability benefits","Health care","Pensions","Radioactive materials","Veterans","Vietnam"],"type":"Rule","volume":80}