Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
02/27/2024 01:00 PM House MILITARY & VETERANS' AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB158 | |
| HB232 | |
| HCR8 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HCR 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 158 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 232 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HCR 8-HONORING VIETNAM WAR VETERANS
1:47:44 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8, Honoring United States
military veterans exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam
War; and expressing gratitude for the courageous service of
those veterans to the United States.
1:48:11 PM
BUDDY WHITT, Staff, Representative Laddie Shaw, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Shaw, prime sponsor,
presented the sponsor statement for HCR 8 [included in the
committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation
provided]:
As proud Alaskans and representatives of our great
state, we stand united in honoring the brave men and
women who served our nation during the Vietnam War.
Through this Concurrent Resolution, we pay tribute to
the sacrifices made by those who were exposed to Agent
Orange, a toxic herbicide used during that conflict.
The Vietnam War was a time of immense courage and
dedication, where millions of Americans answered the
call to defend our freedoms and uphold our values.
Among them were our fellow Alaskans, who exemplified
bravery and selflessness in the face of danger.
Agent Orange, deployed as part of Operation
Ranch Hand, inflicted profound harm on both the
Vietnamese landscape and those who served in the
region. It's devastating effects continue to afflict
veterans, causing severe illnesses and genetic
abnormalities that impact not only them but also their
families for generations.
Today, we recognize and express our gratitude to
the surviving veterans who were exposed to Agent
Orange. Despite the hardships they endure, their
resilience and commitment to service remain an
inspiration to us all. While their sacrifices may not
always be fully acknowledged, we affirm their place in
our nation's history and honor their contributions to
our freedom.
Through this resolution, we affirm our unwavering
support for these veterans and their families. We
pledge to remember their sacrifices, advocate for
their well-being, and ensure that their service to our
country is never forgotten.
In passing this resolution, we reaffirm our
commitment to honoring the victims of Agent Orange and
expressing our heartfelt gratitude for their
courageous service to our country.
1:52:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LADDIE SHAW, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HCR 8 and shared a personal anecdote about
the Vietnam War. He explained what agent orange did and how it
affected so many of his fellow veterans. He explained the
known, long-term health effects of agent orange, citing a study
he participated in during his time as a graduate student at the
Alaska Pacific University that examined the effects of agent
orange on locals. He told of a moment where he and a former
Viet-Kong soldier apologized to each other and he was gifted a
book, titled Sorrow of War. Representative Shaw held up the
book to show committee members. He emphasized that veterans on
both sides of the Vietnam War have died from the effects of
agent orange.
1:57:12 PM
MR. WHITT gave his appreciation and recognition to the work of
the Orange Heart Medal Foundation (OHMF) and added that today's
invited testifiers are members of that organization. He further
elaborated about the OHMF and what work it does to support those
impacted by agent orange, and said the foundation is advocating
for long-term support to veterans affected by the chemical. He
pointed out that the United States Senate released a statement
that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has expanded
coverage for those affected by agent orange.
2:00:20 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 2:00 p.m. to 2:01 p.m.
2:01:14 PM
KEN GAMBLE, President, Orange Heart Medal Foundation, gave
invited testimony on HCR 8. He began by reading the mission
statement of the OHMF. He gave a brief history of formal
recognition of agent orange's effects, mentioning Tennessee as
the first state to approve an agent orange resolution with 11
other states that followed suit. He highlighted the emotional
impact of receiving an orange heart medal and recognizing the
impacts of agent orange. He shared that he was compelled to
create the OHMF while hospitalized with complications caused by
agent orange. He mentioned that with the recent recognition of
agent orange's impacts to all exposed, there is a memorial held
to offer respect to all affected by the chemical. He said by
the time the last Vietnam veteran passes away, there will have
been 2.6 million deaths total, in large part because of agent
orange. He said that agent orange is one of the most dangerous
chemicals ever used in warfare and is 50 times stronger than the
chemical known as "Roundup." He explained the differences
between different types of agent orange, those that were diluted
or chemically different from each other. He emphasized that
soldiers were deceived, being told that agent orange was not
dangerous. He said he blames no one, but wishes no one was lied
to about agent orange. He highlighted the shorter lifespan of
those exposed to agent orange, saying they had been robbed of 20
years of their life.
2:09:52 PM
MR. GAMBLE continued his remarks, saying that the U.S.
Department of Defense (DoD) denied him agent orange treatment
benefits and highlighted that his is a commonality among those
affected by agent orange. He spoke about a bill currently in
the United States Congress relating to agent orange, House
Concurrent Resolution 1828, but expressed skepticism as to
whether it would pass the House. He said all that the OHMF is
trying to do is seek recognition for veterans affected by agent
orange. He said because there is not a national recognition for
agent orange, the OHMF is working state by state to achieve
OHMF's goals and eventually have nation-wide recognition of
agent orange and its impacts on all who were exposed to it.
2:13:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER thanked Mr. Gamble for his testimony and
the bill sponsor for proposing the bill. He shared his own
personal experience with friends and family who have experienced
extreme health complications or died due to exposure to agent
orange.
MR. GAMBLE said to Representative Rauscher, "You're my brother,
and I want to welcome you home."
2:15:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GROH commented that he has heard countless
testimonies relating to agent orange and said that today's
testimony was very moving. He thanked Representative Shaw and
Mr. Gamble for their work and courage in bringing light to this
issue.
2:16:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW said "welcome home" to Mr. Gamble. He said
he considers himself one of the lucky ones, being a survivor.
He gave his honors to Mr. Gamble.
2:17:46 PM
MR. WHITT highlighted the work that Bobby Tyner of the OHMF has
done in bringing this issue to light in Alaska and putting this
resolution forward.
2:18:10 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 2:18 p.m. to 2:19 p.m.
2:19:18 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT opened public testimony on HCR 8. After
ascertaining that there was no one who wished to testify, he
closed public testimony.
2:19:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW moved to report HCR 8 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HCR 8 was reported out of the House
Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs.
2:20:10 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 2:20 p.m. to 2:21 p.m.
2:21:56 PM
CHAIR WRIGHT gave his honors to those who served in Vietnam and
said Representative Shaw is his role model every day.
MR. GAMBLE said, "It is a big honor for me to have Alaska on
board."
2:23:19 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SHAW thanked Chair Wright for his comments and
thanked Mr. Whitt for making the connections with the OHMF and
bringing the issue to the attention of the legislature.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB232 Fiscal Note DOA-DRB-02-13-24.pdf |
HMLV 2/27/2024 1:00:00 PM |
HB 232 |