Support Senate Bill S1939 - Agent Orange Equity Act

Target:

U.S. Senate

Sponsored by:

The Veterans Association of Sailors of the Vietnam War

A bill 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.
Sponsor: Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 10/27/2009)

We the undersigned strongly urge you to co sponsor, fund and enact S.1939 the Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009 introduced by Senator Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 10/27/2009).

This legislation would clarify the legal presumption of exposure to Agent Orange for veterans who served in the vicinity of Vietnam.

Currently, US Code 38 Section 1116, defines a Viet Nam veteran as "a veteran who, during active military, naval, or air service, served in the Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975." The Department of Veterans Affairs uses a conservative interpretation to mean "boots on the ground" which excludes most Navy and Air Force personnel who have Agent Orange related diseases but who cannot prove "boots on the ground".

H.R. 2254 would clarify this section by redefining a Vietnam veteran as one who during active military, naval or air service (a) served in the Republic of Vietnam (including the inland waterways, ports, and harbors of such Republic, the waters offshore of such Republic, and the airspace above such Republic) during the period January 9, 1962 May 7, 1975; (b) served in Johnston Island during the period April 1, 1972 September 30, 1977; or (c) received the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Again, we want to thank you for your support for veterans to this point and urge you strongly to co sponsor, fund and enact S.1939

We have started this petition to send to the U.S. Senate to try to open their eyes to how much support there is for correcting the egregious error the DVA made in their mandate of "boots on the ground" something not intended in the original Agent Orange Act of 1991.

Following is the text of the bill.
Be sure to sign the petition. Your help is appreciated.

A BILL

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.

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 2009'.SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS OF EXPOSURE FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN THE VICINITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.

(a) Clarification- Section 1116 of title 38, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subsections (a)(1) and (f), by striking `a veteran who, during active military, naval, or air service, served in the Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975' and inserting `a veteran described in subsection (g)'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

`(g) A veteran described in this subsection is a veteran who--

`(1) during active military, naval, or air service--

`(A) served in the Republic of Vietnam (including the inland waterways, ports, and harbors of such Republic, the waters offshore of such Republic, and the airspace above such Republic) during the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; or

`(B) served in Johnston Island during the period beginning on April 1, 1972, and ending on September 30, 1977; or

`(2) received the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal.'.

(b) Effective Date- The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect as of September 25, 1985.We the undersigned strongly urge you to co sponsor, fund and enact S.1939 the Agent Orange Equity Act of 2009 introduced by Senator Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY] (introduced 10/27/2009).

This legislation would clarify the legal presumption of exposure to Agent Orange for veterans who served in the vicinity of Vietnam.

S.1939 would clarify this section by redefining a Vietnam veteran as one who during active military, naval or air service (a) served in the Republic of Vietnam (including the inland waterways, ports, and harbors of such Republic, the waters offshore of such Republic, and the airspace above such Republic) during the period January 9, 1962 May 7, 1975; (b) served in Johnston Island during the period April 1, 1972 September 30, 1977; or (c) received the Vietnam Service Medal or the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Again, we want to thank you for your support for veterans to this point and urge you strongly to co sponsor, fund and enact S.1939

Respectfully,

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We signed the "Support Senate Bill S1939 - Agent Orange Equity Act" petition!

# 131:

1:01 pm PST, Nov 21, Carmen Surillo, Georgia

# 130:

11:11 am PST, Nov 21, Michael Tindall, South Carolina

# 129:

9:19 pm PST, Nov 20, David Rosenburg, California
I have diabetes 2 from the Vietnam war and a Vietnam service medal. I say honer president Johnnson and the resson he gave those medals to ID are rights to presumtion. Signed David Rosenburg Vietnam Vet

# 128:

8:49 pm PST, Nov 20, John Fessler, Florida

# 127:

4:52 pm PST, Nov 20, Patricia Patterson, Georgia
Our country should provide excellent ongoing medical care to those who serve. Our consciences appear to be seared when we literally look the other way when our men and women return to us with health challenges that they contracted in the service of our country. How can we survive this disrespect for our countrymen and women who risked everything for us?

# 126:

2:07 pm PST, Nov 20, Judy Levasseur, Massachusetts
Every veteran should get the best of health care for any aliment, especially for exposure to Agent Orange.

# 125:

10:52 am PST, Nov 20, Nicole Fryson, Maryland
My father was affected by Agent Orange while serving during Vietnam. He is having a hard time getting benefits and medical treatment. It is very important to me that this bill pass so that he can be treated properly.

# 124:

8:49 am PST, Nov 20, Paul Fryson, Georgia
I was stationed at the 7th RRFS 18 K outside of Udorn Thailand. In 1972 and 1973 because of the crowed conditions at the base, many were paid a housing allowance to live off base. I walked along the perimeter of my base on a daily basis, where they had sprayed agent orange. I now am having difficulty proving my exposure to agent orange because of the boots on the grounds in Vietnam, BS. We were called, We went, We Served, We were exposed. Please treat us right

# 123:

6:59 pm PST, Nov 19, Steve Randall, California
AI am a sailor who served three deployments in the waters off the coast of Vietnam.This is a fight for the rights of all sailors who served in those areas; Yankee, Dixie station's, The Tokin Gulf, they have earned the right and the respect from our government to do the right thing Pass this bill, too much time has pasted. Veterans are dying as I write this. Time is of the essence.

# 122:

1:59 pm PST, Nov 19, Richard Simonds, Washington

# 121:

12:11 pm PST, Nov 19, ROBERT BECKER, California
as a vietnam combat veteran of USN, I fully support this bill.

# 120:

11:37 pm PST, Nov 18, Heather Zucco, California

# 119:

9:35 am PST, Nov 18, Robert Gavazzi, New York
Our elected officials collect millions of dollars in salary, expenses, excessive staff, retirement, a health insurance plan hundreds of times better than they are trying to force on the public, all for a few years of service. Now it is time to give some of that money to those who really serve the country - with their lives and now life long health problems.

# 118:

2:34 pm PST, Nov 17, Lauritz Jorgensen, Florida

# 117:

2:07 pm PST, Nov 17, Armand Gavazzi, New York
By not passing this legislation, our representatives in Washington would be doing a great disservice to all who have served in the Blue Water Navy during the Viet Nam conflict! It is like saying to the thousands that served with honor--"Thanks for your service, now die in unaffordable pain."

# 116:

8:26 am PST, Nov 17, MSGT LEROY FOSTER, New York
PLEASE PASS THIS LEGISLATION AND KNOW THAT I PREPARED, MIXED AND SPRAYED AGENT ORANGE HERBICIDES ON ANDERSEN AFB GUAM AND OFF BASE AIR FORCE PIPELINES AND FUELS FACILITIES AT NAS AGANA, TUMON TANK FARM, POTTS JUNCTION TANK FARM, NAVAL FUEL SUPPLY DEPOT UNDERGROUND AIR FORCE FUEL TANKS

# 115:

5:01 am PST, Nov 16, Paula Rael, Indiana

# 114:

7:23 pm PST, Nov 15, Carlos Castro jr, New York
my father in law is a vietnam vet who is very sick had open heart operationhas diavetes high blood pressure among other thinsg and still he has been denied benefitswe need this bill to pass want to thank all

# 113:

12:56 pm PST, Nov 15, Joe L. Sutton, Alabama
I do not qualify for VA care even though I served in two wars and for a total of 22 years. My income disqualifies me. I have suffered from prostate cancer and other ailments, possibly because of exposure to Agent Orange during my tour in vietnam in 1968,

# 112:

6:36 am PST, Nov 14, Hank Black, New York
USMC

# 111:

4:14 am PST, Nov 14, Nickey Love, Tennessee

# 110:

9:51 am PST, Nov 13, Robert Birchenough, Arkansas
Do the "Right Thing," let's help our vets, and get them the treatment they need!

# 109:

6:59 am PST, Nov 13, Michael Carney, Kansas
I have been diagnosed with 4 of the 13 worst conditions you can acquire from exposure to Agent Orange yet the VA insists that proof must be shown of boots on ground. Did everyone that touched ground get ill?? No, because it is immune system based relevant to exposure anywhere.

# 108:

6:09 am PST, Nov 13, Frank Meyer, New York
I am 59 years old, and I have many friends who served in Vietnam. Many of them now suffer from the effects of Agent orange. We can not turn our backs on them now!

# 107:

11:26 am PST, Nov 12, Wanda Norgaard, California

# 106:

9:50 am PST, Nov 12, Sam Salama, Florida

# 105:

9:03 am PST, Nov 12, Ellen M. Baca, Arizona
It is ridiculous that we have to sign petitions for our government to do the right thing for our military, past present and future. As Americans however we owe them all a debt of gratitude, I will always be proud of those who have served, lost their lives, and have the balls to do so today!

# 104:

4:53 pm PST, Nov 11, Ken Morrison, California

# 103:

4:53 pm PST, Nov 11, Jose Ramos, Florida

# 102:

4:51 pm PST, Nov 11, Diana Rodriguez-Ramos, Florida

# 101:

2:46 pm PST, Nov 11, John Silva, California

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