M A K I N G  W A V E S

Urge Senate to Approve Agent Orange Reform

The House has amended and approved (382-0) the House version of the “Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act” (H.R.299). The bill now will go to the Senate for further consideration.

The original proposal would clarify that service members serving off the coast of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam conflict have a presumption for filing disability claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for ailments associated with exposure to the Agent Orange herbicide. The House bill has been amended to include certain veterans that served in Korea near the demilitarized zone and in Thailand.

FRA believes Congress should recognize these veterans were exposed to Agent Orange herbicide and authorize presumptive status for VA disability claims associated with this exposure.

Now is the time to contact your Senators to ask them to support this bill.