Washington Update - Good News for Vietnam Veterans
Thursday, June 13, 2019
By Ken Greenberg
TREA REPORTS GOOD NEWS FOR VIETNAM VETERANS
Senate clears Navy Blue Water Bill
Measure goes to President for Signature
On June 12, 2019, the Senate cleared legislation, H.R. 299, that would expand disability compensation for Vietnam-era veterans who have been unfairly denied benefits for illnesses linked to Agent Orange exposure for decades. The House passed the bill on May 14 on a 410-0 vote.
The Senate action sends the bill to the President to sign into law. TREA previously reported that a recent Justice Department decision to not appeal a January court ruling paved the way forward. The bill extends disability compensation benefits to Navy veterans who served on ships off the coast of southeast Asia. TREA notes that the law is necessary to codify the court ruling to remove any ambiguity and to make sure the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) does not apply the decision too narrowly.
TREA continues to push VA to set up an efficient process to provide benefits to these now eligible Navy Blue Water veterans.
You can review the specific provisions of the bill or review the DOJ action by clicking on one of the two links below.
House Passes Navy Blue Water Vietnam Veteran Bill
DOJ Decides not to Appeal the Decision in Procopio
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