Two years ago, then Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin
decided to add three health conditions to the list of diseases eligible for
Agent Orange benefits, but White House officials challenged his authority and
impeded enactment, according to internal documents obtained by a veteran
through the Freedom of Information Act.
Now tens of thousands of veterans are still waiting.
Shulkin decided to add three health conditions — bladder
cancer, Parkinson’s-like symptoms and hypothyroidism — to the list of diseases
eligible for Agent Orange benefits. Heavily redacted emails and briefings
released recently to former Army Spc. Jeff O’Malley, of Pearland, Texas, show
Shulkin made the decision sometime before Oct. 3, 2017 — a move that would have
given ailing veterans faster access to disability compensation and health
benefits.
But the Office of Management and Budget, including Director
Mick Mulvaney, and other White House officials objected, according to the
documents.
VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin wrote OMB Director Mick
Mulvaney March 8, 2018, requesting support for his effort to expand the list of
Agent Orange presumptive diseases.
VA Secretary Dr. David Shulkin wrote OMB Director Mick
Mulvaney March 8, 2018, requesting support for his effort to expand the list of
Agent Orange presumptive diseases.
While the specifics of OMB’s opposition were redacted,
legible portions show that that the office believed the scientific evidence
supporting the proposed additions was limited and it had concerns about the
budgetary impact of the expansion, as well as any adverse effects on the
existing disability benefits program.
According to the documents, roughly 83,000 veterans are
afflicted with one of the three proposed presumptive conditions. The estimated
cost for providing disability compensation to these former service members was
redacted.
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