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Politics

Charlie Crist Brings Back Proposal to Reform How VA Deals With Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

March 6, 2019 - 9:30am
Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, D-Fla., is doubling down in his effort to change how the VA handles veterans impacted by Agent Orange. 

Last year, Crist paired with U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Dean Heller, R-Nev., and U.S. Rep.  Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to bring out the “Agent Orange Exposure Fairness Act.”According to Crist’s 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 unveiled the bill in October and it did not cross the finish line in the last weeks of the 115th Congress. 

Crist and Mullin brought the proposal back this week as they hope to expedite the process for veterans hurt by Agent Orange. 

"When a veteran’s medical condition is determined to be linked to their exposure to Agent Orange, their benefits shouldn’t be tied up in bureaucratic red tape," Crist said this week. "I urge Congress to take swift action on this bipartisan, bicameral bill to help our Vietnam veterans receive the care and benefits they deserve and have earned, which 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 so that our Vietnam veterans continue to receive the highest level of care we can provide." 

"This is a much-needed extension of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 that will require the VA to continue to take seriously the unmet health problems of Vietnam veterans and their families," said John Rowan, the national president of Vietnam Veterans of America. "We strongly support the Expedite Agent Orange Coverage Act."

Crist’s bill was sent to the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee. So far, there is no counterpart over in the U.S. Senate. 

Comments

I have 20 percent for agent orange can't walk without my walker. Have increased my meds but that hasn't help I am getting weaker. Va is getting me started in june on Pt home it works. Had to wait 3 months. Have had 70 percent for 15 years and have not had a comp exam during this time seeing shrinks and counselor for 5 months she told me to my thoughts in a trash can. Told to Fvvvv off. I walk out My original counsel said it would never go away. I wake up every morning in Nam and go to bed with it. I have stopped kicking the shit out of my wife. Used to fight with her until she could wake me up. She is wonderful woman.

My brother recently passed away, he served three tours in VN. He had bladder cancer, and other urinary problems, his hands shook so badly that I bought him coffee cups with lids so he wouldn't spill all his coffee. He had severe nightmares almost every night. A couple of years ago, he told us that when he was in Nam, these two young Viet Cong kids knew where the Cong were hiding and refused to tell them. His Colonel ordered my brother to get on the helicopter with him and the two kids, when the kids still would not talk, the Colonel ordered my brother to throw one of them off the helicopter. My brother said every time he closed his eyes he could see the fear in the kids eyes as he threw him off the helicopter. He received 70%disability. I know some recent retiree's (last 20 years) that are receiving 100% disability for PTSD and bad knees and backs, however, they did NOT apply for disability until they worked 10 to 15 years for contractors then when they didn't need the clearances anymore the applied for disability and get 100%. This is just PLAIN WRONG.

I served in the Army in Vietnam, 1967, and receive a small amount from the VA monthly. I am not as unfortunate as many of my fellow Vietnam Vets. I hope and pray that the Congress and Senate do the right thing and help those of us who are in desperate need of care and support. If they do pass legislation that actually provides timely care that Vietnam Vets need I'm pretty sure President Trump will sign it.

My husband's civilian (highly respected) urologist says his prostate cancer is ACTIVE, and the VA just knocked his rating down from 100% to 80%. He has active cancer, total incontinence and must use catheters and pads. Neuropathy in both feet that affects walking and balance....zero rating on that. Anything to save a buck I guess. AO survivors, most those young men who were drafted, are just not treated right. They are not making up their diseases and symptoms. So unfair. Gas a kid conscripted to fight a war and the VA turns their back on those who managed to get back home alive, but damaged.

Why knock it down . I bnb know when i lost my husband my pension went down to one third if what we were getting. That i dont understand. As he only got b.c an extra 100.00 by being married. Can someone explain

PM or email me so we can look into your case. I am a Veterans service officer and charge nothing for any services rendered.

I am one of those, drafted.,AO sprayed on, cancer, sores on feet and legs . I am now over 70years old and still have to fight the VA.

May God guide this legislator. The VA and Congress have no empathy for our Veterans and their Families. May God place his hand on Michael Cole who is fighting for his life this very day and the VA refuses to up grade his disability rating. My God cover his family with his mercy.

May God guide this legislator. The VA and Congress have no empathy for our Veterans and their Families. May God place his hand on Michael Cole who is fighting for his life this very day and the VA refuses to up grade his disability rating. My God cover his family with his mercy.

VA knocked down my AO connected prostate cancer ( radiation applied ) disability payment, drastically, last month, with no physicals involved in their recent determination. They decided I must be alright , after all this time. Still have quite a few existing after effects. Will be fighting them again. Apparently needed the extra monies to support illegals.

I guess you could say my husband and I were blessed. It only took us a year to start receiving benefits. This was back in about 2006. He had prostate cancer that metastasized to his bones. He was in the Navy (65-69). His ship traveled up through the rivers but we still had to prove boots on the ground. He had been flown into Saigon for about a month while they looked for his ship. He kept a baggage tag for a sovereign. Little did we know this would be our life saver. My husband did pass away in 2010 but he got good care and was able to quit work without a worry we would lose everything we owned. I just wanted to put this out there so maybe it will give some of you hope. God Bless you all.

I have been granted for ischemic heart disease but shortly after bypass surgery started systems of scleroderma. Do any vets with AO exposure have scleroderma?

The Va was required to expand the Shreveport VA study done in 2011. This study showed a direct link between AO. And Kidney Cancer. They were required to expand the study but buried it, and so Kidney Cancer/RCC is not on the presumed list. Probably due to the overall cost. Other studies by The Republic of Korea and Australia also show the link between RCC and AO. When will the higher ups at the VA admit that they are killing us faster than the VC.

I have had Ishemic heart desiese, Kidney Cancer and kidney removed after 3 yrs of unsuccessful chemo, gall bladder died and removed and other issues- all I get is 30% for Ishemic Heart Deseise !

My Vet has UHD, list his gallbladder, non diabetic peripheral neuropathy and is at 30%. Now has restitive rheumatoid arthritis. Everything is auto immune linked. VA doesn’t Ed t to talk to him. Frustrating!!

I totally agree!!! The Veterans and Agent Orange 2014, published March 2016, upgraded bladder cancer to the same level as many illnesses already on the Agent Orange Presumptive list. But, because the Agent Orange Act was allowed to expire the timely implementation has not occurred. The Korean Health study of over 180,000 of their Vietnam Veterans shows an increase in bladder cancer

My husband Marvin R. Muir was diagnosed with bladder cancer last Jan. 31, 2018. They did surgery on him on March 6th 2018. His drs. told us it was stage 4 bladder cancer, which means it had moved to other places in his body. His dr choose to do Immunotherapy on him. He had that 1 time every 3 weeks, long story short he didn't make it. He passed away on July 3 2018. We checked before he passed away and found out Bladder cancer is not on the presumptive list. He was in Vietnam 1966-67. It upset him to find out that the government that sent him into a war which our young men were exposed to AO didn't want to help him any.It seems to me if one cancer is reconized then all cancers should be reconized. After all Cancer is Cancer , no matter how you look at it.My husbands bladder cancer spread into his pelvic bone, stomach, lungs, and liver. He never smoked or drank, his DR'S. said they had seen more Vietnam vets with bladder cancer and it was caused from exposure to chemicals. So please , be fair to our vets with Bladder cancer , do something for them and in my case their spouses.I hope this helps someone.

What bill or order required the VA to expand the Shreveport VA study and when was that done? When you say they buried it do you mean it has not been done or that it was done and the results were buried?

VA recognizes ischemic heart disease but not my ischemic stroke. They're waiting for us all to die before they'll ever expand the presumptive diseases caused by Agent Orange.

I had a stroke in 2003 . VA Doctor told me it was Ischemic in nature. Nothing from VA as far as Service Connected Disability. 2017 I had my Aortic Heart Valve replaced, after the VA had done exploratory study of my heart. Have A-fib, diabetes, DVT, Tremors, Venous Disease, Cirrhosis of the liver. Have been on blood thinners for 15 1/2 years now. I am at 60 % service Connected. Can’t do much of anything without pain, shortness of breath, swollen feet and legs, sore chest and more. I just keep hoping they will eventually(better hurry up) give me 100%. My wife is also a Veteran, Cold War era. She is still working .

As an AO Veteran, served in Vietnam, told the VA same “”after I die, then VA will add COPD”, already conclusive studies by Army, themself -AO was cause of Pulmonary issues -some have had for years! Va health will treat for COPD, but won’t award Service Connection? -SP 5, I Corp Vietnam, just below DMZ for over a year.

I have had tumors removed from the ear and surgery on my vocal cords, also a partial necfractamy Sp, all this happened before going to the VA.

My husband has COPD he also had a kidney removed about twenty years ago he had prostate cancer all my with PTSD now he’s had a stroke they doctors said he throwing blood clots from his heart they only rated him for his prostate and PTSD and the other was unemployable which made 100 percent They remaining kidney hascyst on it he also has Dementia and Alzheimer’s he’s not a candidate for a transplant his disability does say permanent and total

My husband has given up with the VA. We had a terrible VSO (who was eventually fired), but she called his sinus cancer frivolous even though he had letter from VA doctor saying highly attributable to AO. Would not let us file for that or his Hepatitis C. He will not deal with them. Also has numerous other conditions.

What about the addition of presumptive illnesses such as bladder cancer ?

Also Esophageal Cancer should be added. There is a military report that says it is also attributed to AO but any report that might cost more money they either ignore or hide them. My husband had it in 2010 and died in 2013. Seems like they know these veterans don’t last long so they ignore until they are gone. Then they make widows jump through dozens of hoops to try and get a little bit of back pay! Every time I have to go through medical records and try to find something that would show what they want, I relive those three horrible years of suffering and his eventual painful death! Please pass this bill and then look into the lasting heritary effects! My daughter and granddaughter both have Lupus that could very well be from AO also.

I had a very rare from of esophageal cancer that my oncologist believes it was caused by Agent Orange. My wife even found a court case the VA lost to a man that had my type of cancer. She actually got it from the VA and they still denied me. Been fighting the VA for 6 years.

Keep fighting. You will win.

Please feel free to join our group on Facebook Group: VIETNAM VETERANS WIVES & WIDOWS OF AGENT ORANGE We maintain an informed resource library and stay up-to-date on Information. We are a private group, no fundraising. Supplying support and Information.

I am a Marine Vet, Nam 68/69. I have been working with the VA on several claims and everything ties back to AO. Thanks for your work because some day, my wife of 45 years will be facing some issues related to my AO. It will be a great support for her and a confort for me knowing she is not alone trying to deal with the VA.

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