http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfAUG08/nf082208-6.htm

"House Vets'

Chair says reintroduced bill will cover "all veterans"

exposed to Agent Orange "anywhere" and "at any time."

i had to sit down and cry..i'm still not believing this could happen.

Please read my other post on the latest-

this was a joint effort by countless veterans and advocates-

The FLyer was prepared by Blue Water NAvy Vietnam Veterans Association and HELPPP (Herbicide Exposure Legislative Proposal and Promotion Project)

we need the flyer passed on to every vet rep, NSO,any affected veteran or widow of veteran- and are requesting veterans contact their Senators and COngressman to support HR 6562.

berta,
is this bill still alive? is there hope?

Absolutely still alive-

Congress wont be back in session until end of this week-

this will take time -as all bills do----I will post hear if the H VAC has a hearing or mark up on this bill.

thank god.i feared it would be pulled because of the hoopla last week.

They need to pass this quick.

When it comes up for a vote in Congress (and, hopefully, the Senate) I want to see the Yays and Nays. We need to hold our elected representative's feet to the fire on this one. Unlike many other bills that are passed, this one should be a slam dunk.....I mean, lookit, there should be NO corporate resistance, nor resistance from any other political entity. It should sail through.
May G-d Bless Bob Filner.

Spoke to a lady in DC today and she said they are going to have to re-file this. This is TYPICAL beauracy from Washington.

You have got that right. Lets hold them to the wall on this one.

This injustice has been ongoing for way too long. The more Blue water sailors die from AO relarted illnesses the more urgent this becomes.

J

This is the one I just put a post on. The new bill number is HR 2254. The press release is dated May 8th, 2009. I pray the information I am getting is correct. Let your congressmen know they need to vote for this.

here is a competing bill - correct me please if I am wrong -

Thank you for contacting me about H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care
Budget Reform and Transparency Act. I am grateful for the service of
America's veterans and support them in any way that I can. I appreciate
hearing from you on this important issue.



H.R. 1016 would allow Congress to pass advanced appropriations for the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Advanced appropriations are
necessary for the VA to have sufficient time to plan and evaluate the
upcoming year's budget. This bill would provide funding for the VA a
year in advance, allowing VA hospitals and other VA facilities to better
prepare for the upcoming year and better provide care to our veterans.



For this reason, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1016. In the past, I have
signed several letters to the House and Senate leadership urging them to
pass this bill as quickly as possible. Quick action is needed because
the President and Congress have been unable to pass the VA budget on
time once in the past ten years, costing veterans hundreds of millions
of dollars in funding and putting unnecessary burdens on the VA system.
Even when the budget was passed on time, however, it still did not
provide the necessary time for the VA leadership to properly plan how to
use that funding. This bill will alleviate many of the burdens put on
the VA by the short time line they are given to work with, allowing them
to provide more efficient care and better use of taxpayer's dollars.



H.R. 1016 has been referred to the House Committee on
Veterans' Affairs. While I am not a member of that committee, as a
cosponsor, I will continue to do everything in my power to see that this
bill is passed.



Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue. If you
haven't already, I would encourage you to sign up for my e-newsletter at
http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm
<http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm> and my YouTube
channel at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RepDonYoung
<http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RepDonYoung> . Doing so will
allow me to provide you with updates on this and other important issues.
If I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to
contact me.

Thanks Vet 4800 that is the new AO Equity bill-

lets hope it flies!!!!!

There has been much discussion on the wording in the AO community-

It seems very inclusive to me- then again so did 6562---

Even if it's passed as law, hopefully the VA won't tie the vets hands so tight they will never be able to prove exposure.

Text of H.R.2254 as Introduced in House
Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009
To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam.
current 111st session of congress
Back to Bill Details

Version History
Loading Bill Text

HR 2254 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink




111th CONGRESSCommentsClose CommentsPermalink




1st SessionCommentsClose CommentsPermalink




H. R. 2254CommentsClose CommentsPermalink



To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink




IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESCommentsClose CommentsPermalink




May 5, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. FILNER (for himself, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. KAGEN, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. HALL of New York, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. REYES, Mr. PASTOR of Arizona, Mr. ORTIZ, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania, and Mr. PLATTS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' AffairsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A BILLCommentsClose CommentsPermalink



To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink




SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the 'Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink




SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS OF EXPOSURE FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN THE VICINITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.
(a) Clarification- Section 1116 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink



(1) in subsections (a)(1) and (f), by striking 'a veteran who, during active military, naval, or air service, served in the Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975' and inserting 'a veteran described in subsection (g)'; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink



(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink



'(g) A veteran described in this subsection is a veteran who--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink



'(1) during active military, naval, or air service--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink



'(A) served in the Republic of Vietnam (including the inland waterways, ports, and harbors of such Republic, the waters offshore of such Republic, and the airspace above such Republic) during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink



'(B) served in Johnston Island during the period beginning on April 1, 1972, and ending on September 30, 1977; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink



'(2) received the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal.'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink



(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect as of September 25, 1985.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2254

(Chair says reintroduced bill will cover "all veterans"

exposed to Agent Orange "anywhere" and "at any time.")



It's not in HR 2254.

Actually Filner's new bills will be split up. The HR 2254 actually restores what the original Agent Orange Act of 1991 granted, presumption of exposure for award of the Vietnam Service Ribbon. It also covers those who served on Johnson's Island for certain periods of time.

There are additional bills to be introduced that will cover other veterans for chemical exposure, including Gulf War.

When it comes to Agent Orange, it shouldn't matter where or when you served.

If you have the illnesses associated with it & served where it was used(Vietnam & vicinity, all US military bases/ foreign or domestic, Gulf war, etc) you should be covered.
If these bills are not written that way, then many, many vets will be cheated out of it. One island here, one vet there, one unit over here, one base over there, doesn't cut it.

I've seen "NOTHING" that convinces me "ALL" vets will be covered when it comes to exposure to dioxins. And if their not covered in these bills now, they won't be alive when congress thinks about doing the right thing the next time around.
For goodness sakes look at how many vets with claims that died & never had their claims approved since Vietnam. Look at how many Gulf war vets have died from exposures.

Can't it be done right & finished once and for all?

I wonder if it would apply.
The minesweep i was on stopped and refueled twice in 1973 on the way to and coming back from haiphong sweep operation we also filled our fresh water tanks a more then a couple times while we were there because everyone wanted a long showers as our evap system seldom keep up and underway we were on rationing.
I know from a ex employee that worked on Johnson that there distillation system took water from the lagoon and agent orange leaked tight through the coral material and into the water
There is a site on the Internet (Alvin L. Young collection i believe)that shows that the storage area for agent orange had numerous spilled BEFORE the time i was there

Berta
Explain this, does this mean if your were in RVN, they will agree you were exposed
Is there anything that is in the works of expanded the medical problems caused by agent orange.
I got info on bladder claims, but I don't understand why Bladder problems isn't covered by Agent orange.

This got buried, what does the bill mean, and is there going to be any expansion of illness cause by AO

sqmdae,
you can read the bill here...........

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-2254

HR 2254 does not add any more illnesses to the AO presumptive list.

It adds Johnson Island to the known exposure list for vets stationed on Johnston Island from April 1,1972 until Sept 30, 1977.

I spoke to Congressman Filner 2 months ago about Sec 2,(2)(g)91) (A) -asking him if this would mean ALL offshore waters thus meaning the entire Seventh Fleet but he replied this would be determined at later date-and obviously he couldnt commit to any definition of offshore waters-this is a difficult point-one could even try to say San Francisco is 'offshore' of Vietnam-

I would think the entire 7th Fleet,if in the Pacific during the war-would in fact be considered in off shore waters- but that is my way of thinking - I am just a civilian.

Please ask your Congressmen and women and Senators to support this important legislation-
our Blue Water veterans are disabled by diseases on the AO presumptive list.

but the phrase 'territorial" waters is not here.



again we are faced with limiting definitions of "offshore" waters as well as "Airscape above such Republic"
but this bill has gotten further than the first one did.

There are MANY veterans and widows who are advocating for HR 2254.
A lawyer from NVLSP agreed with me 2 years ago that this would have to put any vets under this bill-if it becomes a reg-as Nehmer CLass Action vets.

The bill also kicks in the receipt of the VSM or VCM under Sec 2, (, (2) following "or" --- a key point in this bill that will make its hopeful passage viable for many many veterans.

Also the bills retro date for this amendment is Sept 25,1985.

This isnt perfect but it is closer than what we had.

My father served in Vietnam, but I have no idea if he was exposed. Does anyone have a link showing the areas which were impacted by AO?

Every incountry Vietnam vet who served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War-is considered having been exposed to Agent Orange.

If he has a presumptive disability or disease on the AO list (and they just added 3 more) he should definitely file a VA claim.




As of last week the Presumptivces were: chloracne or other acneform disease consistent with chloracne, Type 2 diabetes (also known as Type II diabetes mellitus or adult-onset diabetes), Hodgkin's disease, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy, porphyria cutanea tarda, prostate cancer, respiratory cancers (cancer of the lung, bronchus, larynx, or trachea), and soft-tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or mesothelioma). 38 U.S.C.A. § 1116(a)(2); 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.307(a)(6), 3.309(e). VA has just added Parkinson's Disease, Hairy Cell B neoplasm cancers, and Ischemic heart disease.

Cybersarge's web site has a Vietnam spraying map and there are many other maps on the net-

but VA will concede exposure for any Vietnam Vet who servied incountry (as well as certain Korean vets and any other vet who can prove they have presumptive disability and were exposed to AO.

Vietnam Spray map...............

Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment

Boot on the ground and VA considers exposed.

Does this also apply to stateside exposure??????????

No

Thanks for the link, Berta

This still doesn't clarify for those exposed at Ft. McClellan does it.

jan,
No it doesn't.
carlie

True carlie, however, JMHO. I think it's just a matter of time..... The truth is what it is... Too much dioxn dust swept under the carpet...I just hope all this happens in our lifetime....

They better hurry up since every time I go to the VAMC I see a lot of sick vets about my age. I bet the Vietnam vets are the sickest group of vets in their age cohort of any group. The Korea and WWII vets you expect to be sick since they are all nearly 80 years old, but I see mostly Vietnam era vets looking haggard and yellowed in wheelchairs and using canes.

Hmm... I lived right outside of Ft.McClellan for about six months and spent a good bit of time on base too. I was a dependent at that time.

Latest on HR 2254:

H.R. 2254 Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009 picks up 200 cosponsors

NEWS FROM... CHAIRMAN BOB FILNER HOUSE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 20, 2009 Contact Kristal DeKleer at (202) 225-9756 http://veterans.house.gov
Washington, D.C. - House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) released the following statement in response to H.R. 2254, The Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009, reaching 200+ cosponsors:
More than 200 Members of Congress Agree: Agent Orange Veterans Deserve Compensation for Their Sacrifice!!
"Republicans and Democrats alike have joined together to stand up for Agent Orange veterans. More than 200 Members of the House of Representatives have added their support for H.R. 2254, a bill to expand the eligibility for presumptive conditions to all combat veterans of the Vietnam War, regardless of where they served. Current law requires VA to provide care for service members exposed to Agent Orange by virtue of their 'boots on the ground,' but ignores veterans that served in the blue waters and the blue skies of Vietnam. H.R. 2254 will provide veterans with benefits based on their exposure to Agent Orange regardless of an arbitrary geographic line or location. These are benefits that they have earned, yet the Department of Veterans' Affairs illogically refuses to acknowledge them. "Time is running out for these Vietnam veterans. Many are dying from their Agent Orange related diseases, uncompensated for their sacrifice. If, as a result of service, a veteran was exposed to Agent Orange and it has resulted in failing health, this country has a moral obligation to care for each veteran the way we promised we would. And as a country at war, we must prove that we will be there for all of our veterans, no matter when they serve. "There is still a chance for America to meet its obligations to these estimated 800,000 noble veterans. The courts have turned their backs on our veterans, but I believe this Congress will not allow veterans to be cheated of their earned benefits. I would like to thank the more than 200 Members of the House who have bravely joined the fight to stand up for the rights of Agent Orange veterans. I also urge Senators to cosponsor S. 1939, Senator Gillibrand's companion legislation."

You can show your support for this bill via http://news.opencongress.org/bill/111-h2254/show

In loving memory of my Father
Traci

I got a look a while back at other legislation that may be in the works surrounding this issue of AO and SC for all vets exposed. I support HR2254 and Sen Gillibrands legislation.

Back to the followup legislation. It's real bad and throws AO vets, exposed outside of Viet Nam, under the DoD bus. It puts us at the mercy of the arbitrary DoD list of places where there was use in testing and experimentation and that list is incomplete. They will reject all claims of exposure by way of base use, storage and disposal. It will bring us back to square one, direct basis with years of arguing with DVA.

I commented about and have seen nothing further about it