4 New Agent Orange Presumptive Disease by National Academy of Medicine.

"H.R. 2200 will add bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, "Parkinson's-like symptoms," and hypertension to the presumptive disease list for Agent Orange exposure. All four of these diseases are recommended for inclusion by the National Academy of Medicine. "

Add 2 of those above on my growing list of AO NOT Service Connected, well, Not Yet anyway.

Service folks stay aware and file if this covers you.
If anyone does not know the process step forward and we will help as will all service groups.

You will need your DD214 or DD215 along with a Diagnose and a Nexus.

This is not Just Blue Water Sailors but all services.

Of course it will only be compensated starting on the Date it is approved by Congress.

HK




On April 10, 2019, Representative Bruce Westerman (AR), introduced H.R. 2200, the Keeping Our Promises Act. This legislation would add multiple diseases to the presumptive disease list for Agent Orange exposure.


In the Veterans and Agent Orange update in 2016, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) committee concluded there was compelling evidence for adding bladder cancer and hypothyroid conditions to the presumptive disease list. Further, the study clarified that Vietnam veterans with "Parkinson's-like symptoms," but without a formal diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, should be considered under the presumption of Parkinson's disease.

In November 2017, the VA issued a press release noting they were exploring these new presumptive conditions related to herbicide exposure. However, to date, the VA still has not added the NAM recommended presumptive diseases, or provided an update to its 2017 press release.

In the Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 11, released in November 2018, the NAM concluded that there is sufficient evidence of an association between Agent Orange and the development of hypertension. The report elevated hypertension from suggestive evidence to sufficient evidence of a link. The VA has not taken any action on adding hypertension since the November 2018 report.

H.R. 2200 will add bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, "Parkinson's-like symptoms," and hypertension to the presumptive disease list for Agent Orange exposure. All four of these diseases are recommended for inclusion by the National Academy of Medicine.

DAV strongly supports H.R. 2200 as it is aligned with DAV Resolution No. 174, which calls for the addition of these presumptive diseases. Please use the prepared letter or draft your own to urge your Representatives to support and cosponsor H.R. 2200.

Stand with us and support the addition of these diseases as presumptive to Agent Orange. Thank you for your continued support of the DAV Commander's Action Network.

 

HK ,, I applaud and respect you for your desire to help your fellow Veterans . That being said , I've got a question you may or may not know anything about . I've got a buddy of mine that I was in service with stationed at Camp Lejuene in the early 80's . Him and his wife lived in on base housing for a while , I think she went home after our last deployment . Anyway , they had a baby , and it was premature , was 1 lb when born , died at delivery . After he discharged , and about 1-2 years later , they had a son , it was born with no hands , and not sure what else his problems are . But the doctors said the boy wouldn't make it 6 months . Well , the kid has made it to 30+ years old , but needs a lot of care and attention . Question is , with the contaminated water issue they had at Camp Lejuene , could , or would those birth defects be attributed to the contaminated water ???Thank's , and I completely understand if this isn't your area of expertise .

 

Here is where you need to start reading and then see a Vet's Rep.
Health Issues Related to Camp Lejeune Water Contamination | Veterans Affairs
Yes we have claims out on this.

 

Down load this form and go to page 3 to decide what group you want to help you/your friend.
https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-22-ARE.pdf

 

Thank you very much . I'll read thru this tonight and hopefully find something that may help him . I'll pass it on to him , he'll have more info on any questions than I do .

 

I worked on an Air Force base in in Thailand in 1974 where Agent Orange was in use at the time (just found out about the Agent Orange use a few months ago). I was a civilian contractor. Not many civilians went to, worked or stayed for any length of time at that particular base. As things have become declassified, I'm gradually finding out some of the stuff that our government was engaged in from there.

Don't know if there is any connection, but I turned up with hypertension a few years later at a young age (26). I also developed prostate cancer about three years ago. Doubt if I would have any kind of a claim as it would be extremely difficult to prove that the defoliant was the cause, and I'm not a vet. I wouldn't file anyway and possibly take resources away from someone who actually served.

But the fact that they added hypertension to the list of ailments brought on by Agent Orange is interesting. Actually that whole time period was interesting, far more so now than when I was actually living it.

 

I will suggest that you were in country and supported the efforts of the US Government and have been determined to be part of the AO problem.

So please read the following Bill `Civilian Agent Orange Act of 2007'

Agent Orange Civilian Bill


Civilian Agent Orange Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)



HR 972 IH

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 972

To provide compensation to individuals who, during the Vietnam conflict, were employees of the Federal Government or contractor employees of the Department of Defense and suffered disability or death from exposure to Agent Orange.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 8, 2007

Mr. WEXLER (for himself, Mr. FILNER, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. MCNERNEY, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, and Mr. GONZALEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary


A BILL

To provide compensation to individuals who, during the Vietnam conflict, were employees of the Federal Government or contractor employees of the Department of Defense and suffered disability or death from exposure to Agent Orange.

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 `Civilian Agent Orange Act of 2007'.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) EXPOSED EMPLOYEE- The term `exposed employee' means an individual who--

(A) during the Vietnam conflict--

(i) was a civilian employee of the Federal Government, or an employee of a contractor (or subcontractor at any tier) of the Department of Defense; and

(ii) while so employed, was--

(I) physically present in the Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975; or

(II) in or near the Korean demilitarized zone during the period beginning September 1, 1967, and ending on August 31, 1971;

(B) contracted an Agent Orange illness; and

(C) suffered injury or death by reason of that illness.

(2) AGENT ORANGE ILLNESS- The term `Agent Orange illness' means an illness listed by the National Institute of Medicine as having at least a limited or suggestive association with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 1,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram), and cacodylic acid (dimenthylarsenic acid, DMA), and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD, or dioxin).

SEC. 3. COMPENSATION PROGRAM.

(a) In General- There is hereby established a program to be known as the `Agent Orange Illness Compensation Program' (in this Act referred to as the `compensation program'), to be carried out by the Attorney General.

(b) Purpose- The purpose of the compensation program is to provide for timely, uniform, and adequate compensation of exposed employees and, where applicable, survivors of such employees, suffering from Agent Orange illnesses incurred by such employees.

SEC. 4. COMPENSATION FUND.

(a) Establishment- There is hereby established on the books of the Treasury a fund to be known as the `Agent Orange Illness Compensation Fund' (in this Act referred to as the `compensation fund').

(b) Amounts- The compensation fund shall consist of the following amounts:

(1) Amounts appropriated to the compensation fund pursuant to an authorization of appropriations.

(2) Amounts transferred to the compensation fund.

(c) Financing- Upon the exhaustion of amounts in the compensation fund, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer directly to the compensation fund from the General Fund of the Treasury, without further appropriation, such amounts as are further necessary to carry out the compensation program.

(d) Use- Subject to subsection (e) of this section, amounts in the compensation fund shall be used to carry out the compensation program.

(e) Administrative Costs Not Paid From Fund- No cost incurred in carrying out the compensation program, or in administering the compensation fund, shall be paid from the compensation fund.

(f) Monetary Allowance Not To Be Considered as Income or Resources for Certain Purposes- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a monetary allowance paid an individual under this Act shall not be considered as income or resources in determining eligibility for, or the amount of benefits under any Federal or federally assisted program.

(g) Investment- Amounts in the compensation fund shall be invested in accordance with section 9702 of title 31, and any interest on, and proceeds from, any such investment shall be credited to and become a part of the compensation fund.

(h) Authorization of Appropriations- There is hereby authorized to be appropriated $100,000,000 to the compensation fund.

SEC. 5. COMPENSATION TO BE PROVIDED.

(a) In General- An exposed employee, or the eligible survivor of that employee if the employee is deceased, shall receive compensation for the injury, illness, or death of that employee from that employee's Agent Orange illness in an amount determined under subsection (b).

(b) Amount- For each exposed employee, the Attorney General shall provide compensation in the amount of $100,000.

(c) Payments in the Case of Deceased Persons-

(1) SURVIVORS ELIGIBLE- In the case of an exposed employee who is deceased at the time of payment of compensation under this section, whether or not the death is the result of the employee's Agent Orange illness, such payment may be made only as follows:

(A) If the employee is survived by a spouse who is living at the time of payment, such payment shall be made to such surviving spouse.

(B) If there is no surviving spouse described in subparagraph (A), such payment shall be made in equal shares to all children of the employee who--

(i) had not yet attained the age of 18 when the employee died or was permanently or totally disabled before the age of 18; and

(ii) are living at the time of payment.

(2) CLAIMS- If an employee eligible for payment dies before filing a claim under this Act, a survivor of that employee who may receive payment under paragraph (1) may file a claim for such payment.

(3) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this subsection--

(A) the `spouse' of an individual is a wife or husband of that individual who was married to that individual for at least one year immediately before the death of that individual; and

(B) a `child' includes a recognized natural child, a stepchild who lived with an individual in a regular parent-child relationship, and an adopted child.

(d) Children With Spina Bifida- In any case in which a child of an exposed employee is born with spina bifida by reason of that employee's exposure to Agent Orange, that child shall directly receive compensation in an amount determined under subsection (b).

SEC. 6. CLAIMS PROCESSING.

(a) In General- Subject to subsections (b), (c), and (d), the Attorney General shall specify standards and criteria for filing applications and for processing, determining, and paying claims.

(b) Deadline- A claim not filed within 20 years after the date of the enactment of this Act is void.

(c) Written Medical Documentation- Payment may not be made on a claim except on written medical evidence that the Attorney General, in consultation with the Surgeon General, determines to be adequate.

(d) Review- Unless otherwise specified by the Attorney General, any determination on a claim under this Act is not subject to administrative or judicial review.

SEC. 7. IMPLEMENTATION.

The Attorney General shall prescribe regulations to implement this Act.

SEC. 8. OFFSET FOR CERTAIN OTHER PAYMENTS.

A payment of compensation to an individual, or to a survivor of that individual, under this Act shall be offset by the amount of any payment made pursuant to a final award or settlement on a claim, against any person, that is based on the same illness, injury, or death of that individual on account of exposure to Agent Orange herbicides.

H.R.972
Title: To provide compensation to individuals who, during the Vietnam conflict, were employees of the Federal Government or contractor employees of the Department of Defense and suffered disability or death from exposure to Agent Orange.
Sponsor: Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] (introduced 2/8/2007) Cosponsors (8)
Latest Major Action: 2/8/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.


COSPONSORS(8), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)

Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 2/8/2007

Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20] - 2/8/2007

Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] - 2/13/2007

Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 2/15/2007

Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 2/8/2007

Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 2/8/2007

Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] - 2/8/2007

Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 2/8/2007