HR 6941 Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act

5 years 5 months ago #55886 by Alan
Thanks for the informative post. I have several friends with collateral issues (such as Parkinson's) and one actually got the VA to listen to his case!

DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.

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5 years 5 months ago #55885 by mystri
Replied by mystri on topic HR 6941 Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act
Hey Jimswife: I know how busy you have been but don't think for a moment that all that busy work has been for naught. You have been instrumental in keeping this issue on the front burner, and pushing/pulling/calling/screaming from the rooftops that this is something that needs to be done and done now. I am going to take this to my Congressman and would encourage others to do the same, to get their signature as co-sponsors on this legislation. It is long overdue. As you know, and now others know, my bladder cancer has caused me to undergo surgery and removal of the bladder and the prostate which, upon inspection of the areas, was found to have a separate and distinct cancer involved so it also was removed and 21 lymph nodes. I filed for the bladder cancer and was turned down almost immediately for any compensation despite all the evidence to support the Agent Orange exposure and the "most likely" cause of the cancer(s). We press on and continue to fight the battle of the bureaucracy, and maybe, just maybe, we will get the recognition and compensation for doing our job as we were directed to do by our government. Keep up the good work my friend, and encourage others to do the same. For those of us in the same boat, continue to write to those that may be able to do some good. Support this legislation. Rattle the cages at the VFW, DAV, Legion, VVoA, and any other organizations you belong to. This is an opportunity to "Get Er' Done". Let's not pass it up.

In the battle,

Giff

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5 years 5 months ago #55878 by Jack R
Replied by Jack R on topic HR 6941 Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act
Jimswife,

Thank you for continuing to follow and report on activity toward the VA awarding benefits.
A number of us here appreciate your efforts.
Best,
Jack

6/2015 HG Papillary & CIS
3 Years and 30 BCG/BCG+Inf
Tis CIS comes back.
BC clear as of 5/17 !
RCC found in my one & only kidney 10/17
Begin Chemo; Cisplatin and Gemzar
8/18 begin Chemo# 3
Begin year 4 with cis
2/19 Chemo #4
9/19 NED again :)
1/2020 CIS is back
Tried Keytruda, stopped by side effects
Workin on a new plan for 2021

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5 years 5 months ago #55877 by jimswife
I realize I haven’t posted here in quite a while back I have been busy. I’m very pleased to know that just this week there is a new Hope for the possibility for Vietnam veterans with bladder cancer. I highly encourage each of you to contact your Congressman as well as members of the VA House committee. I’m attaching an article that I received last night. I’m quite excited and it been very busy today making all sorts of phone calls and I realize I haven’t posted here in quite a while back I have been busy. I’m very pleased to know that just this week there is a new Hope for the possibility for Vietnam veterans with bladder cancer. I highly encourage each of you to contact your Congressman as well as members of the VA House committee. I’m attaching an article that I received last night. I’m quite excited and it been very busy today making all sorts of phone calls and contacts.

Charlie Crist Wants to Reform How VA Deals With Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange
By KEVIN DERBY
October 2, 2018 - 1:30pm

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., is leading the charge in trying to change how the VA handles veterans impacted by Agent Orange.

Along with U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Dean Heller, R-Nev., and U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., Crist is championing the “Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act.”

Crist introduced the bill last week and showcased it on Monday. According to his office, the bill “requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to adhere to an expedited process to expand Agent Orange coverage for new illnesses linked to exposure by the National Academy of Sciences, automatically providing benefits to veterans exposed to Agent Orange suffering from designated conditions.” The Tampa Bay Democrat noted that some veterans impacted by Agent Orange are seeing as long as three years delay in the VA handling their cases.

Crist weighed in on the bill which was sent to the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee.

"When a veteran’s medical condition is determined to be linked to their exposure to Agent Orange, they should not have their benefits tied up in bureaucratic red tape," Crist said on Monday. "I urge Congress to take swift action on this bipartisan, bicameral bill to help our Vietnam veterans receive the care and benefits they deserve that for too many have been delayed or denied."

"When it comes to taking care of our veterans, we owe it to them to be proactive rather than reactive," said Mullin. "The Agent Orange Act of 1991 required the Secretary of the VA recommend new illnesses associated with Agent Orange until the requirement lapsed in 2015. The Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act simply puts back in place the same recommendation requirements that were in place for 25 years. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral legislation alongside Congressman Crist and Senators Heller and Brown so that our Vietnam veterans continue to receive the highest level of care we can provide."

"Vietnam veterans exposed to toxic Agent Orange chemicals should have access to the care and benefits they earned," said Brown. "VA should act quickly when presented scientific documentation related to an illness linked to toxic exposure. Our veterans have waited long enough for action."

"I have veterans in my home state of Nevada right now who are suffering from diseases, such as bladder cancer, that the National Academies of Medicine has associated with Agent Orange," said Heller. "For example, Richard from Reno, Nevada, served in 1968 in the Korean DMZ where Agent Orange was used, and today he has bladder cancer. He deserves compensation for his exposure, and the VA’s failure to act on the NAM reports should not stand in the way. This legislation holds the VA accountable by requiring the agency to make a final determination, and I’m proud to join Sen. Brown and our colleagues in the House of Representatives to right this wrong."

The bill has the support of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

"It is unacceptable that VA has failed to act on the National Academy of Medicine report linking bladder cancer and other conditions to Agent Orange exposure. VA’s inaction has denied thousands of veterans the benefits they deserve and has forced many of them to accumulate debt to cover the cost of health care for conditions which have been scientifically proven to be associated with their exposure to Agent Orange. The VFW thanks Congressman Crist for his leadership on this issue and is proud to support H.R. 6941, which will correct this injustice," said Carlos Fuentes, the national legislative service director for the VFW.

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