H.R. 5915: K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025
Sponsor
Stephen Lynch
Democrat · MA-8
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Nov 4, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Why it matters
Introduced on 2025-11-04, HR5915 would immediately broaden Department of Veterans Affairs disability and health claim pathways for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan by presuming service connection for 15 categories of disease.
In practical terms, the bill is narrowly targeted by location but broad by medical coverage. It applies specifically to veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan, yet the medical list spans cancer, organ disease, immune disorders, chronic multisymptom illness, and cataracts. There are no dollar amounts, benefit formulas, application deadlines, age limits, or civil or criminal penalties in the text provided; the bill works by changing eligibility rules inside title 38 rather than creating a new grant program or enforcement regime.
What does H.R. 5915 do?
Adds new paragraph (15) to Title 38
HR5915 amends section 1120(b) of title 38, United States Code, by inserting a new paragraph (15) after paragraph (14) and redesignating the existing paragraph (15) as paragraph (16). That structural change is what creates a new presumptive service-connection rule specifically for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan.
Covers 15 disease categories for K2 veterans
The new paragraph (15) establishes presumptive service connection for 15 categories of illness: any cancer; any thyroid disease; any bone disease; any cardiovascular disease; any skin disease; any neurological disease; any reproductive disease; any respiratory disease; any endocrine disease; any liver disease; any kidney disease; any blood disorder; primary immune regulatory disorders; medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness; and cataracts.
Applies to veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base
The bill's eligibility target is veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan. It does not create a worldwide rule for all veterans; it ties the new presumption to service at that specific installation, often called K2.
Uses broad 'any disease' language
For 12 of the listed categories, the bill uses the word 'any'—including any cancer, any thyroid disease, any bone disease, any cardiovascular disease, any skin disease, any neurological disease, any reproductive disease, any respiratory disease, any endocrine disease, any liver disease, any kidney disease, and any blood disorder. That is broader than naming a short list of diagnoses.
Expands existing presumptions, doesn't replace them
The bill states that the newly listed K2 diseases are covered 'in addition to diseases specified in other paragraphs of this subsection.' In other words, new paragraph (15) adds to the existing presumptive framework in section 1120(b) rather than taking away any condition already recognized elsewhere in title 38.
Who benefits from H.R. 5915?
Veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base
These veterans are the direct beneficiaries. If they develop any 1 of the 15 listed disease categories in new paragraph (15), they would be able to seek VA benefits under a presumptive service-connection standard instead of having to prove the full medical link from scratch.
K2 veterans with cancer or organ-system disease
Veterans with any cancer, any liver disease, any kidney disease, any respiratory disease, or any cardiovascular disease would benefit from explicit inclusion in the bill's 15-condition list. The use of 'any' broadens coverage beyond a narrow diagnosis-by-diagnosis approach.
K2 veterans with chronic or hard-to-classify illnesses
Veterans with primary immune regulatory disorders, medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness, neurological disease, or blood disorders would benefit because the bill specifically names those categories in paragraph (15), including conditions that can be difficult to document under ordinary claims rules.
Families of eligible K2 veterans
Families could benefit indirectly if a veteran's claim is easier to establish under the new title 38 presumption. A simpler path to recognition for 15 listed categories of disease can improve access to VA disability compensation and related support.
Who is affected by H.R. 5915?
Department of Veterans Affairs
VA would have to implement the new presumption in section 1120(b) of title 38 for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan. That means reviewing claims under the new paragraph (15) covering 15 disease categories.
Veterans currently filing or appealing K2-related claims
Veterans with pending or future claims tied to service at K2 could see their cases evaluated under a more favorable legal standard if their condition falls into one of the 15 listed categories, such as any cancer or cataracts.
Congressional budget scorekeepers and appropriators
Although HR5915 includes no funding amount, authorization level, or dollar figure, broader presumptive eligibility for 15 categories of disease could increase VA benefit costs and health care utilization, which budget analysts would likely estimate as the bill moves.
Advocacy groups for toxic-exposed veterans
Groups representing veterans exposed to hazards during overseas service would likely use HR5915, introduced on 2025-11-04, as a benchmark for whether Congress is willing to recognize location-specific toxic exposure claims with broad presumptive disease lists.
H.R. 5915 Common Questions
What conditions are presumed service-connected for K2 veterans under HR5915?
Under the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 (Section 2), 15 categories are presumed service-connected for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, including any cancer, thyroid, bone, cardiovascular, skin, neurological, reproductive, respiratory, endocrine, liver, kidney, and blood diseases, plus primary immune regulatory disorders, medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness, and cataracts.
Can K2 veterans get VA presumptive service connection for any cancer?
Yes. Under the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 (Section 2), any cancer is presumed service-connected for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan.
Does HR5915 cover medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness for K2 veterans?
Yes. According to HR5915 Section 2, medically unexplained chronic multisymptom illness is one of the listed presumptive conditions for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base.
Can K2 veterans get presumptive VA coverage for cataracts?
Yes. Under the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 (Section 2), cataracts are expressly included as a presumptive condition for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base.
Which veterans does the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act apply to?
The bill applies to veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan. HR5915 Section 2 ties the new presumptions to that specific service location.
Does HR5915 only apply to veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan?
Yes. According to HR5915 Section 2, the new presumptive service-connection rule is limited to veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan.
Can K2 veterans claim any thyroid disease or endocrine disease as presumptive under HR5915?
Yes. Under the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 (Section 2), both any thyroid disease and any endocrine disease are presumed service-connected for eligible K2 veterans.
Does the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act include respiratory and cardiovascular diseases?
Yes. HR5915 Section 2 lists any respiratory disease and any cardiovascular disease as presumptive conditions for veterans who served at Karshi Khanabad Air Base.
Can K2 veterans get presumptive coverage for kidney, liver, or blood disorders?
Yes. Under the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025 (Section 2), any liver disease, any kidney disease, and any blood disorder are covered presumptively for eligible K2 veterans.
Does HR5915 add K2 illnesses to existing VA presumptions or replace them?
It adds them. According to HR5915 Section 2, the new K2 disease categories are covered in addition to diseases already specified in other paragraphs of 38 U.S.C. 1120(b).
Based on H.R. 5915 bill text
HR5915 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Nov 4, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
About the Sponsor
Stephen Lynch
Democrat, Massachusetts's 8th congressional district · 25 years in Congress
Committees: Oversight and Government Reform, Financial Services
View full profile →
Cosponsors (1)
This bill has 1 cosponsor: 1 Democrat. Cosponsors represent 1 state: Oregon.
Committee Sponsors
Veterans' Affairs Committee
0 of 25 committee members cosponsored
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
11 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 5915 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Veterans' Affairs
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Introduced
- Nov 4, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Nov 4, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill page with text, actions, sponsors, and status for the K2 Veterans Total Coverage Act of 2025.
The bill directly amends 38 U.S.C. 1120(b), so the preliminary U.S. Code page is the core statutory reference.
VA’s official hub for toxic exposure and deployment-related health issues, relevant to veterans seeking recognition of exposure-related conditions.
Official VA benefits page explaining disability compensation, which is the main claims pathway affected by this bill’s presumptive service-connection changes.
VA guidance on presumptive disability eligibility for exposure-related conditions provides official context for how presumptions work under veterans law.
VA’s official center focused on deployment-related and toxic exposure health concerns, relevant to K2 veterans with chronic multisymptom or hard-to-diagnose illnesses.
If CBO publishes a score for H.R. 5915, it would appear in the official congressional cost estimates database.
H.R. 5915 Bill Text
“To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish additional presumptions of service connection for certain diseases that occur in veterans who suffered toxic exposure while serving at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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