Thomas Daschle: “Several years ago, I authored legislation that today allows Vietnam veterans to receive disability compensation for…”

“Several years ago, I authored legislation that today allows Vietnam veterans to receive disability compensation for their exposure to Agent Orange and other toxic herbicides. This legislation, known as the Agent Orange Act of 1991, called for the National Academy of Sciences to review scientific and medical information related to the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange. In addition, it provided permanent presumptions of service connection for soft-tissue sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chloracne, and any additional diseases the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, based on the Academy review and other relevant information, may determine to be associated with such exposure. For more than a decade, many in Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs [VA] debated whether there was a connection between exposure to Agent Orange and other toxic herbicides and the illnesses suffered by Vietnam veterans. There were allegations of bureaucratic attempts to thwart scientific investigations of the issue and alter, bury, or delay Government reports that did exist. Ultimately, independent scientific evidence and a long-term effort to uncover Government information convinced Congress to pass the Agent Orange Act of 1991.”