III
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 248
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 6, 2009
Ms. Collins (for herself, Mr. Begich, Ms. Snowe, Ms. Murkowski, and Mr. Rockefeller) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Designating the month of August 2009 as
Agent Orange Awareness Month
.
Whereas between 1964 and 1973, 8,744,000 men and women bravely served our Nation in the Vietnam War;
Whereas an estimated 2,600,000 service men and women may have been exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam;
Whereas Agent Orange is an herbicide that was used during the Vietnam War to kill unwanted plant life and remove leaves from trees that provided cover for the enemy;
Whereas the United States military sprayed more than 19,000,000 gallons of herbicide throughout South Vietnam, with Agent Orange accounting for approximately 11,000,000 gallons of this amount;
Whereas Agent Orange is an extremely toxic substance that contains dioxin;
Whereas the Department of Veterans Affairs has recognized that certain cancers and other health problems are associated with exposure to Agent Orange;
Whereas
John Baldacci, the Governor of the State of Maine, has proclaimed August 2009
as Agent Orange Awareness Month
for that State;
Whereas the State of Alaska has 76,000 veterans, the highest population of veterans per capita, with 26,000 of these being veterans of the Vietnam War; and
Whereas, as a Nation, we are deeply grateful and thankful for those men and women who bravely served during the Vietnam War: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
designates the month of August 2009 as
Agent Orange Awareness Month
;
calls attention to those veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and the adverse effects that such exposure has had on their health;
recognizes the sacrifices that our veterans and servicemembers have made and continue to make on behalf of our great Nation, especially those veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange;
reaffirms its commitment to our Nation's veterans; and
does not, by this resolution, authorize, support, or settle any claim against the United States.