Justice delayed is justice denied, Congress must pass H.R. 299 the Blue Water Navy Act

[boardman]

Justice delayed is justice denied, Congress must pass H.R. 299 the Blue Water Navy Act

VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA

PRESS RELEASE

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 1, 2018
No. 17-18
Mokie Porter
301-996-0901


Justice and Science Demand Passage of the Blue Water Navy Act,
and Passage of the Dental Care Eligibility Act, VVA Tells Senate Veterans Committee

(Washington, DC)—“The passage of The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act by the Senate will correct a long-standing wrong,” said John Rowan, VVA National President. In testimony today before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, VVA testified that “when signed into law, this bipartisan legislation will reverse the Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2002 decision, which prevented Blue Water Navy veterans and those veterans who served near the DMZ in Korea and in bases in Thailand from claiming presumptive status if they suffer with diseases associated with herbicide exposure.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. Congress must delay no further and acknowledge that it is as likely as not these veterans were exposed to herbicides and should be accorded presumptive service connection for their disability claims,” said Rowan. “The scientific evidence links Agent Orange and other herbicides to life-threatening health conditions such as ischemic heart disease, various cancers, Type II diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease,” said Rowan. “A study by the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) found the route to exposure of ships in the South China Sea to be biologically plausible. We believe such exposure has also led to birth defects, learning disabilities, and other health issues in the progeny of Vietnam veterans.”

Also pending before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee is the Veterans Dental Care Eligibility Expansion and Enhancement Act, which calls for the VA to carry out a pilot program “to assess the feasibility and advisability of furnishing dental services and treatment to enrolled veterans who currently are not eligible for such services and treatment.” This bill also calls for the VA to initiate a program to educate veterans on the importance of dental health, a program that illustrates the association between dental health and overall health and well-being. “If this pilot project proves successful, as we believe it will, the introduction of dental services for veterans who have a disability rating of less than 100 percent will have a positive effect on their overall health and wellness,” Rowan said.

Mokie Pratt Porter
Director of Communications

Vietnam Veterans of America
8719 Colesville Road, Suite 100
Silver Spring, Maryland 20912
301-585-4000 x146

[boardman]

Department of Veterans Affairs opposes enactment of H.R. 299, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2018

Vietnam Veterans of America

August 7 2018

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on H.R. 299, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee held legislative hearing on August 1, 2018, on nine pending bills before the Committee. VVA testimony at the hearing focused on our support for H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which passed the House on June 25, 382-0.

The Department of Veterans Affairs during their testimony presented by the Undersecretary for Benefits, Paul R. Lawrence, opposed passage of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veteran Act because there’s still no credible scientific evidence to support extending Agent Orange-related benefits to shipboard personnel who never went ashore in Vietnam or patrolled its rivers. Without such evidence, he said, it would be wrong, and would create a disastrous precedent, to award VA benefits. VA also is opposed to paying for the provisions of this bill by increasing the cost that some veterans must pay to access their home loan benefits. Veterans will either have to finance the VA funding fee with interest, or pay up front with cash. This means fewer veterans will buy homes or will buy homes using non-VA options, potentially opening them to predatory lenders. However, Rick Weidman, VVA Executive Director for Policy and Government Affairs stated before the Committee that Congress already presumes veterans who served anywhere in Vietnam were exposed to Agent Orange and doesn't try to calculate the level of exposure. “That benefit of the doubt should be applied to shipboard personnel too. ”How much exposure makes no difference.”

Senator Gillibrand, D-NY, cosponsor of the companion bill S.422, stated those who served on the ground and on the rivers of Vietnam are already able to claim Agent Orange benefits, and “it doesn’t make any sense” to exclude the blue water sailors, said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York. “I think this is an injustice that we can and must rectify,” as she testified before the committee supporting passage of H.R. 499.

Chairman Isakson has considered the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act a top priority for the committee and last week’s hearing was held to ensure that the committee is not overlooking needed improvement to the bill.

The Senate as well as the House are now in recess.

VVA will continue to advocate and request your grassroots support on behalf of our Blue Water Navy Veterans until justice prevails and the bill become law.

To view the hearing and witness testimonies go to https://www.veterans.senate.gov/hearing ... n-08012018, You must scroll down on the page to download witness testimonies.

VVA Government Relations Team