[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 107 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              BLUE WATER NAVY VIETNAM VETERANS ACT OF 2018

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. THOMAS MacARTHUR

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 25, 2018

  Mr. MacARTHUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 299, the 
Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of 
this bipartisan legislation that will help Vietnam veterans who served 
in the territorial seas of Vietnam and were exposed to Agent Orange get 
the medical care they need.
  However, these are not the only veterans who have not received needed 
care for exposure to Agent Orange. That is why I'm grateful that H.R. 
299 includes the text of my bill, the Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans 
Act, which expands eligibility for disability compensation for veterans 
who served at or near the Korean DMZ and are suffering from herbicide-
related conditions.
  Evidence shows that test spraying began six months earlier than the 
date on which regular spraying began in the Korean DMZ, thereby 
exposing veterans to the herbicide during the test period. This 
legislation will allow veterans exposed during this time period to 
receive the health care they have earned.
  This issue was brought to my attention by Garfield Harper, a veteran 
who lives in Burlington County and was exposed to Agent Orange while 
serving at the Korean DMZ.
  As the son of a veteran who served during the Korean War and 
Representative of more than 50,000 veterans, I believe we have a moral 
obligation to provide quality care for these veterans.
  I would like to thank the co-author of this bill, Congresswoman Esty, 
Chairman Roe, Ranking Member Walz, and the 46 bipartisan cosponsors of 
my legislation for helping to move this bill forward. I would also like 
to thank the VFW and the American Legion for their help drafting this 
legislation and rallying support here in Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this broadly 
bipartisan legislation.

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