[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 182 (Friday, December 20, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S9108]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. King):
  S. 1892. A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
establish a registry of certain veterans who were stationed at or 
underwent training at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick, 
Canada, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, today I am introducing a bill addressing 
an issue important to Maine veterans who served at Canadian Forces 
Base, CFB, Gagetown. Veterans who served there may have suffered from 
adverse health impacts due to exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange, 
which was used at CFB Gagetown in 1966 and 1967. This bill would 
require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, VA, to establish a registry 
of U.S. veterans who served or trained at CFB Gagetown between 1956 and 
2006 and have subsequently experienced health issues, which may have 
resulted from exposure to these chemicals. It also directs the VA to 
commission an independent study investigating any possible linkage 
between the spraying of Agent Orange at CFB Gagetown and subsequent 
health problems among the American soldiers who served or trained 
there. The legislation I am offering with Senator King is similar to 
another bill that has been introduced by Congressman Mike Michaud in 
the House of Representatives.
  Protecting the health of those who have served our Nation is a solemn 
responsibility. I have heard from veterans in Maine about how they have 
suffered from diabetes, cancers, and respiratory illnesses. Many of 
these veterans fear their illnesses are linked to the use of Agent 
Orange in the 1960s. These veterans, however, have had difficulty in 
persuading the VA that their health problems are related to this 
chemical exposure.
  By requiring the VA to establish a registry of these veterans, we 
recognize these widespread concerns and provide veterans with a way to 
make their claims known to the VA and to identify commonalities among 
their shared experiences. It also provides the VA with the ability to 
reach out to veterans on this issue of critical importance.
  Last month, I personally raised this issue with the Canadian Minister 
of Defence. Many Canadian veterans who served or trained at CFB 
Gagetown voiced similar concerns with their government. He described 
how the Government of Canada found a way to appropriately compensate 
service members affected by the toxic chemicals used at Gagetown. 
Ultimately, the Canadian government approved one-time ex gratia 
payments of $20,000 for qualifying veterans who demonstrated that they 
were at CFB Gagetown during the days when the toxic agents were 
sprayed.
  A crucial provision in this legislation requires the VA to commission 
an independent study that investigates the connection between health 
problems and exposure to Agent Orange at CFB Gagetown. Previously, I 
requested that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the 
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry conduct an 
investigation into whether Maine veterans were exposed to toxic 
chemicals while training at CFB Gagetown. A significant deficiency with 
the CDC report, however, was that it relied solely on existing Canadian 
government studies on this subject rather than conducting interviews of 
those who trained there. Many Maine veterans feel strongly that they 
suffered negative consequences from exposure to Agent Orange while 
training at Gagetown. The United States Government should conduct its 
own independent study with interviews.
  This legislation keeps faith with our veterans by demonstrating that 
our government takes the allegations of exposure to Agent Orange 
seriously. The bill will help identify and bring together the shared 
experience of those who trained at CFB Gagetown. This bill will make it 
easier for the VA to conduct outreach on this issue pending any new 
developments. I look forward to working with Senator King and all of my 
colleagues to pass this important bill.

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