Stop Agent Orange Act’s Twilight Now

Agent Orange Advocacy http://covvha.net/

© 2014 ‎(COVVHA) Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance INC
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H.R. 3423 is currently in the hands if the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs. If the Agent Orange Act of 1991 is allowed to expire, there will be no new ailments added to presumptive exposure list. It is set to expire September 30th, 2015.

It’s Monday morning and before I go to work, I am sitting here reviewing the progress on H.R. 3423, The Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015. There are only sixteen days left. Since early last week we have made good progress. Last week we had a sponsor, three co-sponsors and five signatures. This morning we have a sponsor, thirteen co-sponsors and at last check 760 signatures on PopVox. Pop Vox is a real time on-line civic engagement platform for citizens to connect with their representatives. Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance uses Pop Vox so we can see the progress being made as it’s happening.

Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance would like to ask for the continued action of everyone on behalf of sick Vietnam Veterans and their children whose illnesses are not yet recognized as being related to their Agent Orange exposure. If the Agent Orange Act of 1991 is allowed to expire, there will be no new ailments added to presumptive exposure list. It is set to expire September 30th, 2015.

H.R. 3423 is currently in the hands if the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance & Memorial Affairs. Members of this committee include:
Ralph Abraham (LA)
Doug Lamborn (CO)
Lee Zeldin (NY)
Ryan Costello (PA)
Mike Bost (IL)
Dina Titus (NV)
Julia Brownley (CA)
Raul Ruiz (CA)
If any of these legislators are your representative or even if they are not, we would ask you to call their office and send them a letter in support of the Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015, IMMEDIATELY! There are only 16 days left. There are many ways to connect to your representatives. If you cannot find a way to connect to yours please email us and we will help you find yours.

Some have the belief that the Toxic Exposure Act (H.R. 1769) will replace the Agent Orange Act of 1991. This is not the Case. The Toxic Exposure Act is for the research of the descendants of Veterans only. It is not for the Vietnam Veteran to gain access to compensation if their ailment is not currently recognized. We can work on both of these platforms simultaneously. However, we cannot let this legislation lapse in hopes of implementing the other. The Agent Orange Act of 1991 has and is the pathway for Vietnam Veterans ailment to become service connected. If this legislation is allowed to end it will be a sad and abrupt end of the line for many Vietnam Veterans and their families.

Act Now Please support H.R. 3423, The Agent Orange Extension Act

Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015

This bill extends for two years the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) presumption of service connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicides, including Agent Orange, with respect to veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975.

The Agent Orange Act of 1991 is amended to extend for two years the authority of the VA to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate the scientific evidence regarding associations between diseases and exposure to dioxin and other chemical compounds in herbicides, including the association between exposure to a herbicide used in U.S. and allied military operations in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era and each disease suspected to be associated with such exposure.

Some messages from Friends and families in Support:

I support H.R. 3423 Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015 because a friend of mine and her brother were born with kidney defects that caused her brother to die and her to need a donor kidney to live. Their father was a Vietnam War Veteran who died of cancer as a result of his exposure to Agent Orange while in service to his country. The research needs to continue so that we can fully understand how this chemical will effect future generations. -FL

I support H.R. 3423 Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015 because…my husband died at age 57 from cancer, diabetes, and liver problems. My daughter died at age 15 while doctoring for female issues. My son has diabetes and reproductive problems. – OH

I support H.R. 3423 Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015 because…I am a Nam Vet with renal cell carcinoma. No family history with rcc. I have lost one kidney and have had 4 tumors removed from my spine. VA says it’s not A O related. I disagree. MI

I support H.R. 3423 Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015 because both of my parents were exposed to these chemicals while serving overseas. Both of my parents now suffer from a range of ailments at a young age. My mother and I have thyroid issues, and my sister has heart problems. My husband, whose father was a helicopter gunner in Vietnam, was born with the bones fused together in both of his forearms. I believe there is enough information currently available to to prove these issues are related and more than enough information to warrant an extension of this bill to further the research. OR

I support H.R. 3423 Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015 because… My dad has suffered long enough from his exposure to AO in Vietnam and we as his children are learning that the problems we are facing could be caused from his Agent Orange exposure. I am not even 30, non smoker/ drinker, no drug use… but yet have already had cancer. The government sprayed them and betrayed them, it’s time to stand up and be heard, they have suffered long enough in silence. -NE

I support H.R. 3423 Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015 because…My dad is a Vietnam veteran. I see his health deteriorating rapidly. Along with myself, my children have the same kinds of joint problems he has. Which by the way has already been linked to his exposure to AO in Nam. Furthermore, my daughter has an extremely rare auto immune disease where her immune system attacks her skin. This disease can lead to full blown lymphoma cancer. Our government dropped the ball on these guys one time already. Please don’t do it again. – NC

I support H.R. 3423 Agent Orange Extension Act of 2015 because…I was exposed to AO in 1969. I have a daughter that survived a brain tumor.there was no history of cancer in my family. -NJ

Please support H.R. 3423, The Agent Orange Act of 2015, today 

Author, Heather Bowser is the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran who died of his Agent Orange exposure at age 50 after becoming ill at age 38. Her mother suffered three miscarriages. Heather was born premature in 1972, with multiple birth defects. She is co-founder of Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance. 

The post STOP AGENT ORANGE ACT’S TWILIGHT NOW appeared first on Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance.

© 2014 ‎(COVVHA) Children Of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance INC
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