ARLINGTON, Va.—Concerned Veterans for America Executive Director, Dan Caldwell, released the following statement regarding the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act:
“Out of respect for all who rely on the VA today and those who may do so in the future, it is important to ensure the agency is able to provide care and benefits without burdening it to a point that delivery of services is deteriorated. Balancing the emotion of the issues facing our veterans with scientific findings and the realities of the federal budget is not easy. To that end, we commend Sens. Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Lee (R-Utah), along with Secretary Wilkie, for their approach toward the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. They have shown a willingness to ensure this issue is thoroughly studied and that sound policy is weighed against emotion and heated rhetoric. We share the intent of Congress and numerous veterans’ organizations to ensure our nation’s veterans get the benefits they deserve. But adding more uncertainty to an already-overburdened VA system is a disservice to all veterans, and we encourage Congress to revisit this issue when more data is available in the near future.”
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