Plan for ‘blue water’ Vietnam veterans benefits on the move again
By: Leo Shane III
come ashore in a swarm of landing crafts near the demilitarized zone in Vietnam on Sept. 15, 1966. For the second time in the last year, House lawmakers on Tuesday passed legislation to grant presumptive disability benefits to veterans who served on ships off the coast of Vietnam. (Henri Huet/AP)
For the second time in the last 12 months, House lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a measure to ease disability benefit rules for veterans who served on ships off the coasts of Vietnam and suffered serious illnesses they insist are connected to chemical defoliant exposure.
And, once again, advocates are left waiting to see if the Senate will follow suit.
The legislation — the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act — passed 410-0 with strong messages of support from both Democratic and Republican leadership. House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., said the move is needed to correct what he called years of mistakes in denying those veterans disability benefits for their injuries.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/05/14/plan-for-blue-water-vietnam-veterans-benefits-on-the-move-again/
