Well, Secretary Shinseki made a comment toward the end of his testimony; he had actually made a similar comment when I met with him.

So we cannot say a Vietnam veteran is 1.4 to 2.8 more times likely to come down with ischemic heart disease than a non-veteran?

I think the biggest problem that we face which has been referred to by many of the panelists is the fact that we really do not--frequently do not have good measures of what exposure was and continues to be in the affected people.

Those studies [examined] the relationship of dioxin and IHD mortality.

Was this actual new scientific studies or was this as a result of further evaluation of studies that had already been done?

I am, at the same time, kind of curious about how much is being invested in areas where we can get a more immediate improvement.

I have pretty extensive experience with this issue, beginning as a Marine rifle platoon and company commander in one of the more war-torn areas of Vietnam.

In response to a question from Senator Webb, Dr. Birnbaum discussed the value of the dose-response findings in the Air Force Health Study...

Is there an international forum in which downstream riparian water rights could be considered with sort of decisional authority?

I do not know of any extensive study that actually has looked at Vietnam veterans as a whole.

What presumption is about is to say you, soldier, put your life on the line. We are going to give you the benefit of the doubt.

Our history on the subject as a government has not been particularly good. There has been a lot of denial.

I take your point. I am on a very short period of time here.

Also seem to be logical and understandable because of the functions that they performed.

I do not think that was an accident. I think originally, especially in the years after the war, the attitude was the less we know, the better we will be.

So basically, what you are saying--what the point is so that I can understand it--let me say it and tell me if I am wrong, is that looking at the analytical data from these studies based on dioxin exposure or TCDD exposure, you can then…

I was really gratified to see, recently, just over the past month or so, after we, in our country, began discussing this issue a little more openly, that China has been willing to share some data on the construction in Yunnan.

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask a couple questions. First of all, thank all of you for the details that you provided in your written statements and the follow-on questions.