Explaining two important bills

H.R. 2254, the Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009 was introduced on May 5,



2009 by Congressman Bob Filner of California . He is the Chairman of the


US House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The bill currently has 253


co-sponsors in the House and is "stuck" in the Subcommittee on


Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. Chairman Filner has never


called hearings on H.R. 2254 and is evasive when asked about when


hearings will be held. A companion bill in the US Senate (S-1939) was


introduced by Senator Susan Gillibrand of New York on October 27, 2009


and has only sixteen Senate co-sponsors. It currently sits in the Senate


Veterans Affairs Committee. Senator Akaka, Chairman of that committee


has not responded to requests for information. And, it was just learned


today, that the Institute of Medicine will hold a day-long hearing on


Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans and Agent Orange Exposure on May 3,


2010 in Washington , DC from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.




This life-saving bill is designed to extend the presumption of herbicide


(Agent Orange) exposure to US Navy veterans serving offshore.


Informally, we are told that members of the House are hesitant to move


because of its potential cost. It is estimated that approximately


265,000 "blue water" Navy and/or US Marine Corps personnel or their


surviving family members will file claims if these two bills become law.




In 1999, the Royal Australian Department of Veterans Affairs discovered


Agent Orange related cancers among sailors of their Navy who had never


set foot in Vietnam . Australian Sailors were developing cancer at an


even higher rate than those who served on the ground. The Australians


found that the distilling process, used by ships to convert salt water


to potable drinking water, was using contaminated water. That process


actually enhanced the effect of the dioxin producing an Agent Orange


cocktail that was ingested by the sailors through their drinking water.


The American VA has inexplicably rejected the study. Although the


Australians have granted an exposure presumption for over five years,


the Americans continue to deny the claims.




In July of 2009, the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM)'s committee


on Agent Orange independently validated the Australian report and


recommended that the exposure presumption be extended to the Navy


veterans. The IOM is required by law to provide recommendations and


scientific support to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA has


rejected the IOM recommendation without adequate explanation.






H. R. 2254 and S-1939 will correct this problem.