Call to Action: Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act

I’ve talked about some of the difficulty Veteran’s have had in proving Agent Orange exposure in the past (see https://www.ocjobinjury.com/blog-1/agent-orange-boots-on-ground). Today, I want to look at the topic again in light of some recent information.

The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2017 sits in the Senate without action. This bill “extends the presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide exposure..” ..read: Agent Orange.. "to veterans who served: (1) in the territorial seas of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, or (2) in or near the Korean demilitarized zone between September 1, 1967, and August 31, 1971. Under a presumption of service-connection, specific disabilities diagnosed in certain veterans are presumed to have been caused by the circumstances of their military service. Health care benefits and disability compensation may then be awarded.” (H.R.299, 2017 - https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/299)

While this bill passed 382-0 in the House of Representatives in June 2018, it waits in the Senate as Senator Mike Enzi (WY-R) debates the cost and budget impacts of the bill. Though Senator Enzi was able to easily vote for the bill that gave tax cuts to the wealthy and increased our deficit, he is stalling the passage of a bill that both parties agree is needed to help Veterans. This is when flexing your muscles as a voting citizen is important— we can’t let people like Enzi allow for vital needs to be suppressed. I urge you to call your Senators and tell them how YOU want THEM to vote! We can’t allow them to withhold help from such a deserving population of people.

Sources: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/09/21/opinion-do-whats-right-for-our-blue-water-vietnam-veterans/, https://www.alternet.org/2018/12/republicans-squash-bill-pay-vietnam-vets-health-care-citing-deficit-woes/