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Published on Sunday, July 27, 2008.
Last modified on 7/27/2008 at 12:32 am
Letter: Law needed to clarify Agent Orange response
U.S. Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, is introducing legislation to restore equity to all Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange. This legislation will clarify in plain language the intent of Congress in passing the 1991 Agent Orange laws, ensuring that every service member awarded the Vietnam Service Medal will be granted presumptive exposure to herbicides for service-connected diseases. There will be no doubt that the "Blue Water Navy" and all other combat veterans of the Vietnam War are intended to be covered and compensated and will receive disability benefits they earned and deserve for exposure to Agent Orange
I urge all Montana veterans to contact the office U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., and ask him to support us by co-sponsoring this legislation in the House.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has already demonstrated his strong advocacy for Montana's veterans in his position as a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Please contact Tester's offices and urge him to introduce matching legislation in the U.S. Senate.
You can follow the progress of this legislation at the website www.bluewaternavy.org.
Mike Caulfield
Helena