[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 181 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6570]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 420--ENCOURAGING THE PRESIDENT TO EXPAND THE LIST OF 
 THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS OF PRESUMPTIVE MEDICAL CONDITIONS 
   ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE TO INCLUDE PARKINSONISM, 
            BLADDER CANCER, HYPERTENSION, AND HYPOTHYROIDISM

  Mr. BROWN (for himself, Mr. Tester, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. 
Murray, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Peters, and Mr. 
Schumer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Veterans' Affairs:

                              S. Res. 420

       Whereas veterans have sacrificed so much for the United 
     States and have proudly served the United States to secure 
     and preserve the freedoms inherent in the Constitution of the 
     United States;
       Whereas veterans and their families deserve the benefits 
     that they have earned;
       Whereas members of the Armed Forces sprayed millions of 
     gallons of Agent Orange, a tactical herbicide, and other 
     tactical herbicides on trees and vegetation during the 
     Vietnam War, from 1962 to 1975;
       Whereas 58,220 members of the Armed Forces died in combat 
     during the Vietnam War, and veterans are still dying from 
     diseases related to exposure to Agent Orange;
       Whereas approximately 83,000 veterans are currently living 
     with at least one of the presumptive medical conditions 
     associated with exposure to Agent Orange;
       Whereas the report set forth by the National Academy of 
     Medicine in 2018 entitled ``Veterans and Agent Orange 
     Exposure: Update 11'' recognized--
       (1) hypothyroidism and bladder cancer to have a limited or 
     suggestive evidence of association to exposure to Agent 
     Orange; and
       (2) Parkinson-like symptoms, also known as Parkinsonism, 
     and hypertension to have sufficient evidence of association 
     to exposure to Agent Orange;
       Whereas, due to exposure to Agent Orange, veterans and 
     their families are facing monumental hurdles with respect to 
     financial stress, mental health, substance addiction, and 
     physical health issues; and
       Whereas internal documents obtained by a veteran under 
     section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred 
     to as the ``Freedom of Information Act''), determined that 
     the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and other 
     White House officials objected to the recommendation by 
     former Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin to add 
     bladder cancer, Parkinsonism, and hypothyroidism to the list 
     of diseases related to exposure to Agent Orange: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate encourages the President--
       (1) to take care of members of the Armed Forces, veterans, 
     and their family members who have given so much, including 
     the ultimate sacrifice, in defense of the United States; and
       (2) to take action on behalf of thousands of veterans 
     across the United States who are living with chronic health 
     conditions by expanding the list of the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs of presumptive medical conditions associated 
     with exposure to Agent Orange to include Parkinsonism, 
     bladder cancer, hypertension, and hypothyroidism.

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