Contact Your Sentor tell them to vote against Coburn's Amendment - Bill would change standards for Agent Orange Victims

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To the editor:

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is adamantly opposed to an amendment proposed by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to change the manner in which presumptive disabilities related to exposure to Agent Orange would be determined.

The senator wants to require Vietnam veterans to prove a positive connection between Agent Orange exposure and one or more of the 15 presumptive illnesses that the VA now recognizes. We cannot allow this amendment to pass.

Most Vietnam veterans never knew of the existence of Agent Orange before 1980. Even the veterans who actually did the spraying did not know what they were spraying. For years the government denied any knowledge of dioxin, much less its effects. For years, the VA denied any link to the myriad of maladies that Vietnam veterans suffered from Agent Orange exposure.

Then, finally, the government made admissions. Finally, the VA admitted the link and awarded disability compensation, but not retroactive to the dates of service. The government avoided paying millions of dollars in compensation.

Vietnam veterans have suffered enough from the government deceit. For decades the government denied exposure to Agent Orange made Veterans sick. Now that the VA secretary has determined he has the scientific evidence required to recognize the disabilities, we cannot allow a change in presumptive rules.

The cost of caring for our nation's veterans continues long after the last shots are fired. America and the United States Congress must live up to that obligation.

Please contact both your U.S. senators and congressman today and tell them that Coburn Amendment No. 564 to H.R. 2055 is a deal breaker with America's veterans.

Rep. Frank LoBiondo

(609) 625-5071

(202) 225-6572



Philip Uecker

Veterans' Liaison for LoBiondo

Philip.Uecker@mail.house.gov



Sen. Robert Menendez

(202) 224-47744



Richard Locklear

Veterans' Liaison for Menendez

richard_locklear@menendez.senate.gov



Sen. Frank Lautenberg

(202) 224-3224



Bob Ford

Senior Vice Commander

VFW Memorial Post 9462

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