OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2018

Floor Speech

Date: June 25, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Veterans

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Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 299, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act.

Mr. Speaker, I witnessed firsthand the scope of Agent Orange exposure experienced by our servicemen and -women while in Vietnam. I am one of that group of veterans.

Congress recognized the dangerous health consequences of exposure by passing the Agent Orange Act of 1991, which extended disability compensation to veterans who served in Vietnam or its inland waterways between the years of 1962 and 1975. While the Agent Orange Act provided benefits for tens of thousands of Vietnam mainland veterans, it overlooked the blue water Navy veterans who served on the ships off of the coast.

Those dedicated veterans served our country honorably and are now dealing with health problems due to Agent Orange exposure. This is why I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 299, which extends the disability benefits to veterans who served in the blue water Navy in Vietnam.

Mr. Speaker, veterans in Michigan's First District have greatly sacrificed and earned these benefits, and I look forward to ensuring that their service is honored.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

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