The Senate overwhelmingly passed the National Defense Authorization Act in an 84-13 vote on Friday, joining the House, which passed the $741 billion bill 335-78 earlier in the week. It now heads to the president’s desk for his signature.
AUSN wrote a letter to House and Senate leadership supporting the bill due to a provision that would provide benefits to tens of thousands of Veterans suffering from Agent Orange-related ailments.
The section within the $741 billion bill dealing with toxic exposure would authorize benefits for approximately 34,000 Veterans suffering from serious and often deadly ailments such as bladder cancer, Parkinsonism, and hypothyroidism. Toxic exposure remains a chief problem facing Navy Sailors, Veterans, retirees, and their family, and it remains a core issue of focus of AUSN as an organization.
Earlier this week, AUSN wrote and submitted a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer urging that the bill be passed with the “strongest majority possible.”
You can read the text of the letter AUSN submitted in full below:
Association of the United States Navy
5904 Richmond Hwy Ste 530
Alexandria, VA 22303
Dec. 8, 2020
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
1236 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Kevin McCarthy
House Minority Leader
2468 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Senate Majority Leader
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Charles Schumer
Senate Minority Leader
322 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McCarthy, Majority Leader McConnell, and Minority Leader Schumer:
This week, the House is expected to vote on the Fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act. We at the Association of the United States Navy — an organization that represents the interests of thousands of U.S. Navy Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, Veterans, retirees, and their families — strongly urge you and your colleagues to vote in support of this bill.
The NDAA is a vital piece of legislation that is overdue for passage. This particular bill includes a section authorizing benefits for tens of thousands of our Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and have suffered serious and often deadly ailments such as bladder cancer, Parkinsonism, and hypothyroidism. The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs to begin granting fast-track disability status for approximately 34,000 Veterans suffering right now from these conditions. We cannot let them down and force them to spend who knows how many more weeks, months, or even years waiting for the nation to come to their aid and provide these benefits.
We urge you to pass this bipartisan bill that our Veterans are depending on with the strongest majority possible, to send a message that our Veterans come first. Our heroes cannot wait any longer.
Sincerely,
Daniel X. Feliz
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Association of the United States Navy
