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| Senator Daines meets with veterans at the Bozeman American Legion on Memorial Day |
What’s New:
Last week I celebrated my bipartisan bill, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, unanimously passing the U.S. Senate and heading to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
Why it Matters:
During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military sprayed approximately 20 million gallons of Agent Orange in Vietnam to remove jungle foliage. This toxic chemical had devastating health effects on millions serving in Vietnam.
In 1991, Congress passed a law requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide presumptive coverage to Vietnam veterans with illnesses that the Institute of Medicine has directly linked to Agent Orange exposure.
However, in 2002, the VA decided that it would only cover Veterans who could prove that they had orders for “boots on the ground” during the Vietnam War. This exclusion prevents thousands of sailors from receiving benefits even though they had significant Agent Orange exposure from drinking and bathing in contaminated water just offshore.
What’s Next:
I’m glad so many of my colleagues in the U.S. Senate unanimously passed this legislation so we can get our Blue Water Vets the care they earned.
Survey:
Best Wishes,
Steve Daines
United States Senate
