Latest News:
From: PATBNAAV@aol.com
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 1999
Subject: Wellstone's amendment passes Senate
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi there guys--
Just got a fax from Washington:
ATOMIC VETS AMENDMENT PASSES SENATE
Sen. Wellstone's "Justice for Atomic Veterans" amendment was added May 25
to a larger bill authorizing spending for the Defense Department.
The Wellstone amendment will remove some frustrating obstacles that
have too often kept veterans exposed to radiation during military service
from getting the disability compensation they have earned. The amendment
would add three radiogenic diseases -- brain, lung, and colon cancer -- to
the list of presumed service-connected diseases.
Caio
Pat
Previous Message
From: PATBNAAV@aol.com
Date: Tue, 25 May 1999
Subject: NEW NEWS
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi All--
'Tis I, with some good stuff--well, mostly good. All follows (best is first):
HR 1286 106th Congress, 1st Session
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the list of diseases
presumed to be service connected with respect to radiation-exposed veterans.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 25, 1999
Mr. EVANS (FOR HIMSELF, Ms. BERKLEY, Mr. FILNER, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Ms. BROWN of
Florida, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Ms. CARSON, Mr. REYES, Mr. RODRIGUEZ, Mr.
SHOWS, Mr. OLVER, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms.
MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. KLECZKA, and Mr. FROST) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs.
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the list of diseases presumed to be service connected with respect to radiation-exposed veterans.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1, SHORT TITLE
This Act may be cited as the 'Justice for Atomic Veterans Act of 1999.'
SEC.2 EXPANSION OF LIST OF DISEASES PRESUMED TO BE SERVICE CONNECTED FOR
RADIATION-EXPOSED VETERANS.
Section 1112(c)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following:
(P) Lung cancer
(Q) Bone cancer
(R) Skin cancer
(S) Colon cancer
(T) Posterior subcapsular cataracts
(U) Non-malignant thyroid nodular disease
(V) Ovarian cancer
(W) Parathyroid adenoma
(X) Tumors of the brain and central nervous system
(Y) Rectal cancer.
END
And now from the Senate side:
WELLSTONE JUSTICE FOR ATOMIC VETERANS AMENDMENT PASSED BY SENATE
Fight now moves to conference committee.
Wellstone urges veterans to "keep up the pressure"
(Washington, D.C.) - Winning a victory in his longtime battle to win justice
for this nation's atomic veterans, Senator Paul Wellstone's "Justice for
Atomic Veterans" amendment was added today to a larger bill authorizing
spending for the Defense Department. The amendment would remove some of the
frustrating obstacles that have too often kept veterans who were exposed to
radiation during military service from getting the disability compensation
they deserve and would clear the way for compensating these veterans by
adding 3 radiogenic diseases -- brain, lung and colon cancers -- to the list
of diseases that VA presumes to be service-connected.
"Now I urge all veterans to join me in pushing to keep Justice for Atomic
Veterans in the final bill. We will be successful only if veterans' voices
are heard on Capitol Hill. Members of the conference committee need to hear
from veterans in order to make Justice for Atomic Veterans a reality. We
have to keep up the pressure," Wellstone added.
And now for the insulting bill introduced by Sen. T. Hutchinson (R-AR):
S1087
Introduced May 20, 1999, Mr. Hutchinson introduced the following bill which
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans Affairs:
A BILL to amend title 38, United States Code, to add bronchiolo-alveolar
carcinoma to the list of diseases presumed to be service-connected for
certain radiation-exposed veterans.
(I had been warned about this. The reason it was introduced is because less
than one million dollars would be expended since there are so few of these
cancers.)
They are throwing us this bone in hopes it will shut us up. GEEZ!! This
bill has been introduced in the last ten congresses by Hon. Christopher Smith
of New Jersey. I guess he got tired of it and handed it to the Senate.
Chris Smith is a Congressman from New Jersey, and one of his constituents had
convinced him to keep introducing it. This type of cancer is a lung cancer,
and the constituent absolutely refused to lobby for lung cancer per se, but
only this one type of which there are so few. Had she lobbied for lung
cancer the bron...al... would have been included because it is a type of lung
cancer; however, by specifically naming this type of cancer, it shuts out all
the other lung cancers. This is a dirty, rotten trick, and I just hope
everyone who sees this will follow Wellstone's advice and contact their
Congressional representatives to support Lane Evans bill, H.R. 1286, and Sen.
Wellstone's bill, which is an amendment to an authorization spending bill
for the Defense Department.
There is no number as yet, however it, too is called "Justice for Atomic
Veterans" as is Lane Evans bill. The larger veterans' organizations are
behind this also.
You may call Jim Farrrell or Andrew McDonald (202) 224-8440 and maybe they
can tell you if there is a number for this amendment.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AT ONCE AND KEEP ON PRESSURING
THEM. IF WE DON'T PREVAIL THIS TIME, WE MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.
PAT BROUDY
Legislative Advisor