A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with Hepatitis C, and for other purposes.

Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 107-489.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 5, 2001

Considers hepatitis C becoming manifest in a veteran to a degree of ten percent or more to be service-connected, and therefore compensable under veterans' disability provisions, notwithstanding that there is no record of evidence of such illness during the period of such service, as long as it is shown that during such service the veteran experienced: (1) a blood transfusion before December 31, 1992; (2) blood exposure on or through skin or a mucous membrane; (3) hemodialysis; (4) a needle-stick accident or medical event involving a needle, not due to willful misconduct; (5) unexplained liver disease; (6) an unexplained liver dysfunction value or test; or (7) working in a health-care position or specialty.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME] · R–ME

Committees

Veterans' Affairs Committee

11 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jun 28, 2001
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 107-489.
Mar 5, 2001
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Mar 5, 2001
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1826-1827)
Mar 5, 2001
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Mar 5, 2001 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: May 29, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.457 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.457, 107th Congress: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with Hepatitis C, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/senate-bill/457

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2001-03-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/s457/BILLS-107s457is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-05-29T10:56:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.457 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.457 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.457, 107th Congress: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with Hepatitis C, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/senate-bill/457

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2001-03-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/s457/BILLS-107s457is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-05-29T10:56:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.457 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.457 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.457, 107th Congress: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with Hepatitis C, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/senate-bill/457

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2001-03-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/s457/BILLS-107s457is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-05-29T10:56:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.457 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.457 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.457, 107th Congress: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a presumption of service-connection for certain veterans with Hepatitis C, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/107th-congress/senate-bill/457

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2001-03-05.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/107/bills/s457/BILLS-107s457is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-05-29T10:56:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.457 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.