Forward Observer: Senate Continues to Stall on Blue Water Navy Act Passage
As an update, the Senate continues to stall since we have last written on the bill. From the VFW, which emphasizes the importance of acting now in whatever way you can:
“During the Vietnam War, veterans who served in the offshore waters of Vietnam drank, bathed in, and cooked with water contaminated by Agent Orange. They are now arbitrarily and unjustly denied benefits for illnesses associated with Agent Orange exposure. On July 25, 2018, the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2018. This bipartisan legislation would end the injustice of denying care and benefits to veterans who suffer from life-threatening health conditions.
“H.R. 299 is now stalled in the Senate. The VFW and impacted vets need your help to make sure this bill is passed before the end of the year. If the Senate fails to do so, the bill will die and may never be considered again. They request you contact your Senators to demand that the Senate swiftly pass H.R. 299. The Senate must not delay passage of this important bill while Blue Water Navy veterans sicken and die from diseases related to exposure to Agent Orange. One quick way you can do this is to go to http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=80552661 and use the editable preformatted message which can automatically forwarded to your Senators. Or, On Facebook (copy and paste the text below):
“I stand with the Veterans of Foreign Wars and call on @vachair and the full Senate to pass H.R. 299! Rather than continue studying the health of Blue Water Navy veterans for yet another decade while those veterans sicken and die from diseases related to exposure to herbicides, the Senate must grant long-overdue benefits to the thousands of veterans who served their country off the shores of Vietnam. http://capwiz.com/vfw/issues/alert/?alertid=8055266”
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As of 9 October 2018