{"id":30804,"date":"2019-06-05T02:43:27","date_gmt":"2019-06-05T02:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/06\/05\/90000-blue-water-vietnam-veterans-in-line-for-disability-benefits-after-justice-officials-drop-appeal\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:18:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:18:17","slug":"90000-blue-water-vietnam-veterans-in-line-for-disability-benefits-after-justice-officials-drop-appeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/2019\/06\/05\/90000-blue-water-vietnam-veterans-in-line-for-disability-benefits-after-justice-officials-drop-appeal\/","title":{"rendered":"90,000 \u2018blue water\u2019 Vietnam veterans in line for disability benefits after Justice officials drop appeal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Justice will drop its appeal of a federal court decision awarding disability benefits to tens of thousands of veterans<\/a> who claim exposure to cancer-causing chemical defoliants while serving in the seas near Vietnam, handing advocates what appears to be a final legal victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a filing with the Supreme Court Tuesday, Justice Department officials said they will not argue for overturning the Procopio vs. Wilkie decision from January<\/a> which undid years of Veterans Affairs policy denying benefits to about 90,000 \u201cblue water\u201d Navy veterans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congressional Budget Office officials had estimated that awarding the benefits to the blue water veterans could total about $1.1 billion over 10 years, but VA officials in the past have estimated the total could rise to more than $5.5 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justice lawyers had twice asked for deadline extensions to file an appeal<\/a>, even as VA officials publicly said they believed the lower court decision should stand. Congressional leaders and outside advocates had also argued against an appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\t