Agent Orange Equity Act of 2011 Introduced in Senate

The bill is a restoration act to give back what once existed, and was taken away.

The Blue Water Navy are those who served at sea.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Forward by editor: One sad chapter in U.S. history involves the use of a chemical herbicide in the Vietnam War known ominously as 'Agent Orange'. The chemical was developed, tested and marketed by Monsanto, a company that has never been forced to account for why its adverse health effects were overlooked. Hundreds of thousands of Americans and Vietnamese have died of cancer because of Agent Orange, and the U.S. government has fought tooth and nail to avoid responsibility or accountability. Among those affected who have received the least support, are the Navy sailors who were also contaminated by Agent Orange, while aboard ship.

Last Friday U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand-(D) of Albany, N.Y. and Lindsey Graham-(R) of South Carolina introduced Agent Orange Equity Act of 2011, which would amend the Agent Orange Act to include Navy veterans of Vietnam who served aboard ships but not on land.

S. 1629 amends 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, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

Bill Miltenberger, CEO VASVW, sent Salem-News.com the update on this development, adding, "This bill, if enacted, will be huge for Vietnam Blue Water Navy Veterans since it restores the benefits taken away by the Veterans Administration."

S 1629 IS

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, and for other purposes.

September 23, 2011

Mrs. GILLIBRAND (for herself and Mr. GRAHAM) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

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, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Agent Orange Equity Act of 2011'.

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS OF EXPOSURE FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN VICINITY OF REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.

(a) Compensation- Subsections (a)(1) and (f) of section 1116 of title 38, United States Code, are amended by inserting `(including the territorial seas of such Republic)' after `served in the Republic of Vietnam' each place it appears.

(b) Health Care- Section 1710(e)(4) of such title is amended by inserting `(including the territorial seas of such Republic)' after `served on active duty in the Republic of Vietnam'.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect as of September 25, 1985.