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FILNER PLEDGES "ALL VETERANS" WILL BE COVERED

BY NEW AGENT ORANGE EQUITY ACT -- House Vets'

Chair says reintroduced bill will cover "all veterans"

exposed to Agent Orange "anywhere" and "at any time."

Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman,
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Story below:

-------------------------

He said, "The issue is exposure.  Exposure to Agent Orange.  Not where it happened or when it happened."

This afternoon (Thursday, August 21, 2008) I spoke on the phone with Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.

I wanted him to clarify his Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008.  For more about the Act (with backlinks), click here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/nf08/nfAUG08/nf081108-7.htm

As introduced, Filner's original Act would do away with the VA's rule of "boots on the ground" in Vietnam to receive presumptive status for exposure to Agent Orange, and include the "Blue Water Navy" and a few others.  But, it would leave out those exposed to Agent Orange outside Vietnam.  For more on the "Blue Water Navy" ruling and Court case, click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?q=haas&op=and

Now, Filner has clarified his intent.

Filner plans to reintroduce the legislation and have it be absolutely inclusive.

As mentioned above, Filner said, "The issue is exposure."

Filner says his New Agent Orange Equity Act will be sure to include specifics such as:  Exposure to Agent Orange in Laos, Cambodia and Thailand (known as the three "nearby" countries), and will also include Guam and the United States of America.

Filner told me, "All veterans exposed to Agent Orange, anywhere, at any time, should be compensated."  "And that includes non-combat veterans," Filner added.

This is exceedingly good news for all veterans exposed to Agent Orange.

Filner plans to reintroduce the Act in January, 2009 at the start of the 111th Congress.  He said it couldn't get through the process this year because of the few number of weeks left on the legislative calendar.

It is a priority?  Filner:  "Yes."

-----

Below is the bill as it is currently written:

-----

Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008 (Introduced in House)

HR 6562 IH

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6562

To amend title 38, United States Code, relating to presumptions of exposure for veterans who served in the vicinity of Vietnam.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 22, 2008

Mr. FILNER (for himself, Mr. SESTAK, Mr. HALL of New York, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mr. LATHAM) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, relating to presumptions of exposure for veterans who served in the vicinity 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 2008'.

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

Effective on and after September 25, 1985, subsections (a) and (f) of section 1116 of title 38, United States Code, are each amended by inserting after `Republic of Vietnam' each place it appears the following: `including the inland waterways of such Republic, the waters offshore of such Republic, and the airspace above such Republic'.

-------------------------

posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org

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