{"id":94881,"date":"2020-12-02T23:38:08","date_gmt":"2020-12-02T23:38:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/02\/vietnam-veterans-with-high-blood-pressure-other-serious-illnesses-would-get-presumptive-benefit-status-in-final-defense-budget-bill\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:50:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:50:23","slug":"vietnam-veterans-with-high-blood-pressure-other-serious-illnesses-would-get-presumptive-benefit-status-in-final-defense-budget-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/02\/vietnam-veterans-with-high-blood-pressure-other-serious-illnesses-would-get-presumptive-benefit-status-in-final-defense-budget-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam veterans with bladder cancer, other serious illnesses would get presumptive benefit status in final defense budget bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><b>UPDATE: Due to incorrect information provided by House Armed Services Committee staff, this report originally included hypertension among the conditions covered in the defense authorization act. It is not.<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After years of fighting with federal officials, Vietnam veterans suffering from bladder cancer, Parkinsonism or hypothyroidism would be granted presumptive benefits status under language included in the final version of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.defensenews.com\/congress\/2020\/12\/02\/congress-advances-defense-bill-bucking-trumps-veto-threats\/\" target=_blank>annual defense authorization bill<\/a> unveiled Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If passed into law, the mandate would require Veterans Affairs officials to begin granting<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/11\/01\/senate-dems-blast-omb-for-delaying-va-decision-on-new-agent-orange-presumptives\/\" target=_blank> fast-track disability status<\/a> for about 34,000 veterans suffering from the three conditions. It would also represent a major victory for veterans advocates who have pushed for the change for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the policy bill still faces a veto threat from President Donald Trump on other, unrelated issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Department officials have blocked the move to grant presumptive benefits status in recent years while they conduct additional scientific research into the connection between the illnesses and exposure to chemical defoliants during the Vietnam War.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/2019\/10\/23\/white-house-responsible-for-delayed-decision-on-new-agent-orange-diseases-documents-show\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"233\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Stogner.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">White House responsible for delayed decision on new Agent Orange diseases, documents show<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Internal documents reveal the disagreements within the Trump administration over adding new Agent Orange-connected diseases.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their research comes despite past findings from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine linking the medical problems to Agent Orange exposure. In internal White House documents, Office of Management and Budget officials have questioned the validity of those past findings while lamenting the potential costs of new disability payouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The administration\u2019s resistance expanding the presumptive benefits status has drawn condemnation from veterans advocates and lawmakers for months, with both arguing that the aging Vietnam Veterans deserved better treatment for their health sacrifices on behalf of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith said the new veterans benefit was a win on \u201can extremely important issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe VA, I think, has been unfairly treating this issue for years and denying people coverage that they ought to have, saying things that can clearly be linked to Agent Orange exposure were not,\u201d he said in an interview Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis will give people the coverage that they deserve, for what happened with Agent Orange exposure, and I think that\u2019s huge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The issue of presumptive benefits status has been controversial in the veterans community for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In most cases, veterans must prove (typically through medical exams and service records) that their injuries and illnesses are connected to their time in the military in order to receive disability benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, in conflicts like Vietnam, where the chemical defoliant Agent Orange was used across the country with little clear documentation of when U.S. troops were exposed, federal officials have made exceptions to those standards of proof.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/11\/16\/new-court-ruling-could-give-thousands-of-vietnam-vets-and-survivors-overdue-disability-payouts\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635695463470389701-photo-gaveljpeg.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">New court ruling could give thousands of Vietnam vets and survivors overdue disability payouts<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Federal officials still have not decided if they will appeal the ruling.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, veterans who served in the country and later suffered a series of 14 illnesses known to be connected to the chemical exposure receive presumptive exposure status, and do not need additional documentation to apply for benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As many as 83,000 Vietnam veterans are believed to be suffering from bladder cancer, Parkinsonism or hypothyroidism related to Agent Orange exposure, but the majority of them already qualify for other VA benefits. The new legislation is expected to help about 34,000 not currently receiving full disability payouts, and cost about $8 billion over the next 10 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Advocates have also pushed for the inclusion of high blood pressure on the presumptive list, a move that would potentially benefit more than 160,000 veterans. VA officials have estimated it could cost as much as $15 billion over the next decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But hypertension was not included in the final authorization bill draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier this summer, a coalition of 33 veterans groups including Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, The American Legion and Wounded Warrior Project urged lawmakers to include the issue in the annual defense authorization bill \u2014 a massive budget policy measure which also includes military pay authorizations and equipment priorities \u2014 calling it a matter of fairness and justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTens of thousands of veterans are still suffering from the consequences of Agent Orange use in Vietnam,\u201d the group wrote. \u201cBy including (this issue) in the NDAA, Congress will care and provide benefits for those with serious illnesses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite bipartisan support in Congress for the presumptive benefits issue (and most of the rest of the defense bill), whether it will become law is still in doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2020\/12\/02\/congress-advances-defense-bill-bucking-trumps-veto-threats\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4645429.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Congress advances defense bill, bucking Trump\u2019s veto threats<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Congress is moving ahead with its annual defense policy bill without repealing a prized legal shield for social media companies, testing President Trump\u2019s threat to veto the bill.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Donald Trump for months has threatened to veto the authorization bill over language regarding the renaming of bases honoring leaders of the Confederacy, calling it an attack on U.S. military history. Lawmakers included the provision in their final draft anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In recent days, Trump has also insisted that lawmakers include language in the authorization bill repealing legal protections for social media companies, arguing their conduct has become a national security issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lawmakers working on the compromise authorization bill rejected that idea, saying the topic was not relevant to the military budget measure and noting it was not included in the separate drafts adopted in the House and Senate earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The defense authorization bill has been passed by Congress for 59 consecutive years, a streak lawmakers hope to extend later this month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hypertension, bladder cancer, Parkinsonism or hypothyroidism would all be included as presumed conditions caused by Agent Orange exposure under the plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":94365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":86,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"4":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"veterans"},"5":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"veterans"},"6":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"veterans"},"7":{"categories":["pentagon-congress","news","daily-news-roundup","newsletters","veterans","middle-column","home"],"primary_category":"veterans"}}},"categories":[29,116,15,86,25,88],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3347,3431],"class_list":["post-94881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-left-column","category-news","category-pentagon-congress","category-veterans","category-your-military"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"KHV25NQFFVEHNDGF67TF6DJHDQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/02\/vietnam-veterans-with-high-blood-pressure-other-serious-illnesses-would-get-presumptive-benefit-status-in-final-defense-budget-bill\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Vietnam veterans with bladder cancer, other serious illnesses would get presumptive benefit status in final defense budget bill - Military Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hypertension, bladder cancer, Parkinsonism or hypothyroidism would all be included as presumed conditions caused by Agent Orange exposure under the plan.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vietnam veterans with bladder cancer, other serious illnesses would get presumptive benefit status in final defense budget bill\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hypertension, bladder cancer, Parkinsonism or hypothyroidism would all be included as presumed conditions caused by Agent Orange exposure under the plan.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/12\/02\/vietnam-veterans-with-high-blood-pressure-other-serious-illnesses-would-get-presumptive-benefit-status-in-final-defense-budget-bill\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Military Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-02T23:38:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T09:50:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Leo Shane III, Joe Gould\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Leo Shane III, Joe Gould\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" 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