Delay In New Agent Orange Presumptives?

[JustPLS]

I read this today on Military.com's newsletter (Copyright 2010 Tom Philpott) and hadn't heard it before. Has anyone else heard of this? I am paraphrasing a bit, but a link to the entire article is below.

Webb: Delay Agent Orange Claims, Stop Bigger Pay Raises

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va) could become a new champion, for taxpayers, against what he perceives as excessive spending on a new wave of Agent Orange claims.

Webb risked the anger of thousands of veterans from that war when he won Senate approval last week of an amendment to block, at least temporarily, the Department of Veterans Affairs from paying new disability claims on three prominent diseases presumed linked to wartime herbicide exposure.

As many as 86,000 Vietnam veterans with ischemic heart disease, Parkinson's disease or B-cell leukemia are awaiting a final VA regulation to receive disability compensation based on a decision last fall by VA Secretary Shinseki of evidence linking these diseases with exposure to deadly defoliant used during the war.

VA officials not only have published interim regulations already but, for months, have been encouraging veterans stricken with these diseases, or their surviving spouses, to file new claims or re-file claims as soon as possible because benefits would be paid back to claim filing dates.

But Webb proposed, and senators accepted May 27, an amendment to the fiscal 2010 war supplemental funding bill (HR 4899) to limit spending on claims filed for these new presumptive Agent Orange diseases for 60 days. That will allow Congress time to study the VA decision and examine more closely the link found between these diseases and herbicide exposure.

What worries Webb, said one Capitol Hill source, is that, based on modest scientific evidence, VA could be paying claims on diseases that a large proportion of any population will contract through normal aging.

Webb's amendment language, if agreed to by the House, would invoke the Congressional Review Act which allows a funding freeze on any major government regulation or initiative so Congress can review the proposed changes. If in 60 days opposition strengthens and a majority of lawmakers will risk the wrath of expectant veterans with these ailments, Congress could pass a joint resolution to prevent a final regulation from taking effect.

a link to the entire article: http://www.military....00.html?wh=news

Edited June 4, 2010 by JustPLS

[Sandra Williams]

I just emailed Mel Watt and issued my concerns about this legislation. I will post his response when I receive it. Thanks for my Hadit.com family. I could stay on the case and true to the cause if it were not for all the invaluable data that I receive from you all. I truly think of you all as my family. God bless and many happy award letters to you.

[Pete53]

Jeb Hensarling is another weasel that will not answer a simple question but unfortunately he is like the weasel I already have next door to him Pete Sessions

[johnst]

Posted 06 June 2010 - 03:32 PM

View Post25thinfdivpio, on 06 June 2010 - 08:20 AM, said:

"the consensus on another forum is that Webb's amendment will not change anything. what is the consensus here as to when compensation might appear and will it be retroactive to application or ruling? I think ruling."

"I'm thinking around mid-fall this year. I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say retroactive to the application date, rather than the ruling date."

The Nehmer COurt Order and Stipulation controls the retroactive dates of Agent Orange Claims. Not the VA.

Plenty info here on that.

We hopefully will be doing another SVR radio show on Nehmer soon.

I think this is true.Sen. Webb has called for WHAT IS MANDITORY,the Congressional Review ACT.Not for change of the Agent Orange Act.I don't see this as happing just before Congressional Elections in Nov.