Congressman Vern Buchanan has co-sponsored legislation to expand health coverage to veterans exposed to the toxic chemical Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.
The Keeping Our Promises Act would add nine more diseases to the list of conditions presumed to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange. The conditions joining the list include:prostate cancer, bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, hypertension, stroke, early-onset peripheral neuropathy, AL amyoloidosis, ischemic heart disease and Parkinson-like syndromes.
Recent research by the National Academy of Medicine has connected these nine diseases to agent orange. “It’s time we recognize these diseases in law and make sure our veterans have the health coverage they need and deserve,” Buchanan said.
Including these diseases to the current list of conditions for presumptive coverage will allow veterans suffering from them to receive much-needed disability compensation from the VA.
Read the full Press Release on the New Bill here: https://buchanan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/buchanan-co-sponsors-agent-orange-bill
If you or someone you know is a local Veteran an needs ANY type of assistance. There are many levels of help available locally in both of our Counties. Here are links, so you reach out here, for the services you or they, have earned:
In Sarasota County: https://www.scgov.net/government/health-and-human-services/human-services/veterans-services
In Manatee County: https://www.mymanatee.org/departments/neighborhood_services/veterans_services