FW: Support Extension of Agent Orange Act (HR 3423)

       

> Subject: Support Extension of Agent Orange Act (HR 3423)
> From: commobunker388@charter.net
> Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 14:56:12 -0700
> To:
>
>
> The following was received from the Fleet Reserve Association's national
> headquarters.
> ____________________________________________________________________
> Support Extension of Agent Orange Act (HR 3423)
> Time is Running Out for Agent Orange Act
>
>
> Congressman Tim Walz (MN) recently introduced the FRA-supported "Agent
> Orange Extension Act," (H.R. 3423) which would extend by two years the
> original sunset deadline of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 to ensure that
> Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange receive just compensation and
> care. The Act expires on September 30, 2015 and the legislation would
> extend the sunset to September 30, 2017. FRA warned the House and
> Senate Veterans Affairs Committees regarding the sunset of the Act
> during its March 18, 2015 testimony.
>
> The Agent Orange Act of 1991 (AOA) established a presumption of service
> connection for diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure, relieving
> Vietnam veterans from the burden of providing evidence that their
> illness was a result of military service. This law directs the the
> National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to periodically research and review
> diseases that might be associated with Agent Orange exposure. The VA is
> required to add diseases the NAS finds to have a positive association to
> Agent Orange exposure to the VA's list of presumptive service connected
> diseases. Since the enactment of the AOA, the NAS has issued reports
> that have led to the presumption of service connection for diseases such
> as Parkinson's, B-cell leukemia and early onset peripheral neuropathy.
> Without these studies, thousands of Vietnam era veterans would have gone
> without the benefits they greatly deserve.
>
> If the AOA expires before the final report is issued, the VA would no
> longer be obligated to review the NAS report or add any new diseases to
> the presumption of service list, in the process denying thousands of
> veterans their right to compensation.
>
> Members are urged to ask their Representatives to support this important
> legislation.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>