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Delay In New Agent Orange Presumptives?

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JustPLS

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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 by JustPLS
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Berta,

Please don't call him a Marine. His a low-life traitor to his brethren and should be taken out and shot! As a proud Viet Nam vet and native Virginian, I intend to do everything I possibly can to get him voted out when his term is up.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Heroes don't block benefits that are due to Veterans. I am disappointed in Jim Webb I thought much better of him till I saw this.

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Makes me sick! I could go on and on with the thoughts running thru my head but I'm sure most of you are thinking the same as I am.

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This is BAD News!!!

Made me kind of laugh though.....Congress has 60 days, what could congress do in 60 days. In 60 days congress couldn't even pass a tooth pick! :-)

I'm sending my e- mail now!

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

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I AM SENDING THIS TO EVERYBODY IN MY EMAIL AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL DO THE SAME..

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

AM I MAD OR WHAT!!! WELL AS A VI ET NAM VET WITH SEVERAL ILLNESSES ASSOCIATED WITH AGENT ORANGE, NOT RECOGNIZED WITH AGENT ORANGE. KIDNEY AND BLADDER INFECTIONS PAD IHD. ALSO HAVE ONE DAUGHTER BORN WITH SPINABIFFIDA, AND IS REC. DISABILITY FOR ALL I CAN SAY I WAS NEVER EXPOSED.. RIGHT I ALSO HAVE A PICTURE OF ME IN NAM WITH ONE OF THESE BUMPS ON MY LEFT SHOULDER WHERE I STILL HAVE THE SCAR.,

WELL NOW IT SEEMS THE CONGRESS IS CONCERNED WITH SAVING TAX PAYERS MONEY. I HAVE A BETTER IDEA, LETS CUT ALL CONGRESS SENATE AND PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT

HOUSE PAY IN HALF. THAT WOULD SAVE BILLIONS, ALSO LETS HAVE THEM PAY 250.00 OR SO A MONTH FOR HEALTH CARE WHY SHOULD THEY GET IT FREE??

I AM REALLY NOT BIG ON FORWARDING THINGS BUT LETS GET ABOUT 1 OR 2 MILLION PEOPLE TO SIGN THIS AND SEND IT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR FINAL APPROVAL... BET HE WON'T

ALL I ASK IS THAT ALL WHO SIGH THIS BE OF LEGAL VOTING AGE... THANK YOU LETS SAVE THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS COUNTRY SOME REAL MONEY

1. DAVID J GILLETTE US ARMY VIET NAM 1968 1969

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I sent this to Larry-it is on VA Watchdog today.

http://www.vawatchdog.org/10/nf10/nfjun10/nf060510-1.htm

I sure hope all AO vets and widows will overwhelm Senator Webb with phone calls , and snail mail.

Email won't do it for most of us: Only constituents can send him email-they disregard anything that doesnt come from a potential voter

"Contact Senator Webb

Please note:

* Messages concerning requests for assistance with a federal department or agency cannot be handled through this form.

If you have a question or problem regarding any federal department or agency please visit my "Assistance" page to seek guidance and answers.

* This particular service is designed to serve constituents from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Regrettably, messages received from those writing outside of the Commonwealth will not receive a response."

I suggest you write to him C/O the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

Edited by Berta
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