Christopher Shays: “as a cosponsor of H.R. 3293, I am in strong support of its passage today. This legislation, introduced by Representative…”

“as a cosponsor of H.R. 3293, I am in strong support of its passage today. This legislation, introduced by Representative Gallegly of California, authorizes placement of a plaque near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to honor those Vietnam veterans who died as a direct result of their service after leaving Vietnam, including those who died of post traumatic stress disorder and of the effects of Agent Orange. The men and women who serve our country to defend freedom deserve to be treated with nothing less than the highest level of dignity and respect. All of those who died following their service in the Vietnam War--including those who died of post traumatic stress disorder and of the effects of Agent Orange--should be honored alongside those who died in combat. In the years since Vietnam, we've learned a great deal about the lingering effects of modern combat. Unfortunately, too many of those we thought were survivors had already been afflicted with conditions or exposed to chemical agents that would tragically cut short their lives. Passage of H.R. 3293 will go a long way toward honoring the men and women who lost their lives as a direct result of service to our great nation, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this important piece of legislation.”