HJR 25-VIETNAM VETS: SERVICE-RELATED DISEASES  1:52:12 PM CHAIR STEDMAN announced the consideration of HJR 25. [CSHJR 25(MLV) was before the committee.] He said it is the first hearing on the bill. The intent is to have the sponsor introduce the resolution, take public testimony, and set the resolution aside for further review. He noted a zero fiscal note. THOMAS BROWN, Staff, Representative Gabrielle LeDoux, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, presented HJR 25 on behalf of the sponsor. He provided background information on HJR 25. In 1991 Congress passed the Agent Orange Act, which forced the Veterans Administration (VA) to make a presumption of exposure for any Vietnam Veteran who displayed symptoms related to that herbicide and then to provide them with medical or financial benefits. He said in 2002, the VA redefined what made a veteran eligible for those benefits, choosing to limit them to only those veterans who had served on the ground, dismissing all the off- shore Navy and Marine personnel from coverage. This was done without any scientific, medical, or legal reasons. Over the last six years, the Institute of Medicine, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, has issued four separate reports, including one conducted at the request of the VA, all of which concluded that there are no legitimate reasons to exclude members of the Blue Water Navy from receiving benefits related to Agent Orange. He said there is currently a bill before Congress, HR-543, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2013, which would reverse this arbitrary act of bureaucracy, returning medical benefits and compensation to the veterans who have earned them. There are 174 co-sponsors from both sides of the isle for HR- 543, including Don Young. MR. BROWN concluded that HJR 25 is simply a resolution to urge Congress to honor veterans and pass the Blue Water Navy Veterans Act of 2013. Washington, D.C. has the obligation to provide veterans with medical and financial assistance they deserve. Should HJR 25 pass, copies will be delivered to the President, Vice President, Congress, and the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs. There are potentially hundreds of veterans in need of assistance due to exposure to toxins. 1:55:24 PM SENATOR MEYER asked how many veterans this would affect in Alaska. MR. BROWN said there are 609 Alaska veterans who were members of the Blue Water Navy, but it is unknown how many need this assistance. CHAIR STEDMAN opened public testimony. 1:56:30 PM JOHN ROSSIE, Executive Director, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veteran Association, Littleton, Colorado, testified in support of HJR 25. He described the association as an educational 501(c)(3), whose job it is to put together materials that would educate the general public, as well as legislators, about the issues regarding the change in the VA law. CHAIR STEDMAN closed public testimony. MR. BROWN requested that the committee pass the bill. 1:58:03 PM CHAIR STEDMAN held HJR 25 in committee.