Rep. Nye Applauds VA Move to Expand Care for Agent Orange Exposure

10/13/09 -- Washington, DC – Congressman Glenn Nye (VA-02) today applauded the announcement that Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki has decided to establish a service-connection for Vietnam veterans with Parkinson’s disease, hairy-cell leukemia or ischemic heart disease. Veterans with these conditions, along with twelve other previously-recognized diseases, will no longer have to prove an association between their illnesses and their military service.

“Vietnam veterans struggling with Parkinson’s disease or other serious conditions shouldn’t have to argue with the VA to get treatment, it should be automatic,” said Congressman Glenn Nye, who serves on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. “If you put your life on the line for our country, and you’re injured as a result, we have an obligation to pay for your care and treatment, period. This decision recognizes what many veterans have known for years, and I hope it will enable more of our veterans to get the care they earned and deserve.”

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The press release from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can be found online at http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1796

Momentum is growing in Congress to improve and expand care for Vietnam veterans suffering from Agent Orange exposure, and Congressman Glenn Nye is leading the effort.

Nye is the author of a bill to require the VA to permanently guarantee care to veterans suffering from Agent Orange exposure or the group of ailments commonly known as Gulf War Illness. Nye’s legislation (H.R. 2926) passed the House of Representatives on July 27th as part of a larger package of legislation (H.R. 3219). It is now awaiting action in the Senate.

The legal authorization for the VA to provide care for Gulf War Illness and Agent Orange exposure expired on September 30, 2002. Since then, the VA has continued to care for affected veterans, but with increasing demands on the VA health system, Congressman Nye believes the authorization should be permanent.

Protecting Care for Service-Connected Conditions
Congressman Nye has also been at the forefront of the fight to protect veterans benefits from potential cuts. In March, Nye led the fight against an Administration proposal that would have required veterans to use private insurance to pay for the treatment of service-connected injuries or conditions. At the outset of the debate over health care, Nye stated that he would oppose any plan that reduces VA or TRICARE health benefits in order to pay for health care reform.

Source: Congressman Glenn Nye