11 novembre, 2007 22:39

USA (Nov 6)—Some Guam legislators believe a bill before the U.S. Congress that would compensate U.S. military personnel and civilians or their survivors who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War should include civilian federal workers on Guam, the Marianas Variety reports.

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Resolution Wants Guam Included In 'Agent Orange' Bill

Tuesday: November 06, 2007

(Marianas Variety)

Some Guam legislators believe a bill before the U.S. Congress that would compensate U.S. military personnel and civilians or their survivors who were exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War should include civilian federal workers on Guam, the Marianas Variety reports.

Three Democrat senators in the territorial legislature have introduced a resolution that urges Guam's Congressional delegate to have Guam included in the legislation. The bill establishes the Agent Orange Illness Compensation Fund, which sets the compensation amount for those exposed to the herbicide at $100,000, payable either to the employee or his or her eligible survivor.

"Existing federal legislation provides compensation for those in the military service who suffered disability or death because of exposure to Agent Orange, but the law does not cover civilian employees, some of who have also been exposed," the resolution says.

"Because it has already been determined that members of the armed forces during the Vietnam war era were exposed to Agent Orange while stationed in Guam and they are being compensated for their disability or death, it is only fair and just that the civilian employees of the federal government physically present in Guam be included in HR 972 so that they can be compensated if there is service connection for illness or death due to herbicide exposure."