
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document affected by Public Law 107-103 Section 207(a)(2)]
[CITE: 38USC1501]

 
                      TITLE 38--VETERANS' BENEFITS
 
                        PART II--GENERAL BENEFITS
 
CHAPTER 15--PENSION FOR NON-SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY OR DEATH OR FOR 
                                 SERVICE
 
                          SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL
 
Sec. 1501. Definitions

    For the purposes of this chapter--
    (1) The term ``Indian Wars'' means the campaigns, engagements, and 
expeditions of the United States military forces against Indian tribes 
or nations, service in which has been recognized heretofore as 
pensionable service.
    (2) The term ``World War I'' includes, in the case of any veteran, 
any period of service performed by such veteran after November 11, 1918, 
and before July 2, 1921, if such veteran served in the active military, 
naval, or air service after April 5, 1917, and before November 12, 1918.
    (3) The term ``Civil War veteran'' includes a person who served in 
the military or naval forces of the Confederate States of America during 
the Civil War, and the term ``active military or naval service'' 
includes active service in those forces.
    (4) The term ``period of war'' means the Mexican border period, 
World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, the 
Persian Gulf War, and the period beginning on the date of any future 
declaration of war by the Congress and ending on the date prescribed by 
Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress.

(Pub. L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1134, Sec. 501; Pub. L. 94-169, 
title I, Sec. 106(1), Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1017; Pub. L. 95-588, 
title I, Sec. 101, Nov. 4, 1978, 92 Stat. 2497; Pub. L. 102-25, title 
III, Sec. 333(a), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 88; renumbered Sec. 1501, Pub. 
L. 102-83, Sec. 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406.)


                            Prior Provisions

    Prior sections 1500 and 1501 were renumbered sections 3100 and 3101 
of this title, respectively.
    Another prior section 1501, Pub. L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 
1171; Pub. L. 93-508, title I, Sec. 101(1), Dec. 3, 1974, 88 Stat. 1578, 
defined ``World War II'' and ``vocational rehabilitation'' for purposes 
of chapter 31 of this title, prior to the general revision of chapter 31 
of this title by Pub. L. 96-466. Section 802(a)(3) of Pub. L. 96-466, 
set out as an Effective Date note under section 3100 of this title, 
provided that this prior section 1501 continue in effect until Mar. 31, 
1981.


                               Amendments

    1991--Pub. L. 102-83 renumbered section 501 of this title as this 
section.
    Par. (4). Pub. L. 102-25 inserted ``the Persian Gulf War,'' after 
``the Vietnam era,''.
    1978--Par. (4). Pub. L. 95-588 added par. (4).
    1975--Par. (2). Pub. L. 94-169 substituted ``such veteran'' for 
``him''.


                    Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 95-588 effective Jan. 1, 1979, see section 401 
of Pub. L. 95-588, set out as a note under section 101 of this title.


                    Effective Date of 1975 Amendment

    Section 106 of Pub. L. 94-169 provided that the amendment made by 
that section is effective Jan. 1, 1976.


Pension Program for Nonservice-Connected Disability or Death; Report by 
                              Administrator

    Pub. L. 94-432, title IV, Sec. 404, Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1372, 
provided that, due to certain insufficiencies in pension program for 
nonservice-connected disability or death authorized by this chapter, and 
lack of sufficient long-range information as to actual and anticipated 
financial characteristics of potential pensioners and their families 
upon which to estimate costs of existing alternative pension programs, 
it was necessary for Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to study 
existing and alternative nonservice-connected pension programs and to 
submit a report to Congress and the President not later than Oct. 1, 
1977, on alternative courses of legislative and administrative action 
and long-range cost estimates therefor.


  Study of Needs and Problems of Veterans and Their Widows Seventy-Two 
             Years of Age or Older; Report by Administrator

    Pub. L. 93-527, Sec. 8, Dec. 21, 1974, 88 Stat. 1705, directed 
Administrator of Veterans' Affairs to study needs and problems of 
veterans and their widows seventy-two years of age or older and required 
him to report to Congress and President not later than one hundred and 
eighty days after convening of Ninety-fourth Congress results of study 
together with any recommendations for legislative or administrative 
action.
