“Blue Water Veterans” are those who served on open sea ships off the shore of Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
WASHINGTON, DC – As a follow-up to his recent request of Secretary
David Shulkin to act in accordance with judicial directives and use his
administrative authority to extend Agent Orange presumption to Blue
Water Navy Veterans, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis has reached out to Office
of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney.
In a letter Wednesday
(Dec. 20), Bilirakis, R-Tarpon Springs, asked that Mulvaneygrant the
budgetary flexibility to speed up Shulkin’s ability to extend Agent
Orange presumption to those vets.
Blue Water Navy Veterans served in the hostile territorial waters of
Vietnam, providing mission critical direct combat support operations.
The Veterans Administration has already included presumptive status to
those who served on land and waterways close to land, but it has failed
to include this small group of Blue Water Navy Veterans, despite the
fact that they are suffering from the same diseases as those who served
closer to the origin of the toxins.
“This issue boils down to a matter of fairness and equitable
treatment of those who have bravely defended our country during war
time. They are suffering and deserve the care and benefits they have
earned. I will not stop fighting on their behalf until this injustice is
rectified,” Bilirakis said.
Bilirakis
represents Florida’s 12th Congressional District, which includes all of
Pasco and northern parts of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
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