THE LETTER

WASHINGTON – On Friday, Congressman Joaquin Castro  (TX-20) and Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) led a bipartisan group of 17 members of the House of Representatives in a letter urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand benefits and services for veterans who developed cancer and other health conditions after exposure to toxic herbicide during service in the Panama Canal Zone (PCZ).

“As the Department of Defense routed herbicide to Southeast Asia in  the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, many vessels offloaded these toxic  chemicals at U.S. bases in the Panama Canal to clear outgrowths of  vegetation in the area. Available records and veteran accounts of their  service corroborate the presence of Agent Orange and Agent Purple in the  PCZ. At least 400 veterans who served in the PCZ have now developed  cancer, heart disease, or other health issues consistent with herbicide  exposure. However, they have been consistently denied the disability compensation and recognition they desperately need and deserve. After reviewing the relevant records and veteran testimonies, we believe that a clear link exists between service in the PCZ and health conditions  consistent with herbicide exposure… We strongly urge you to use the  processes within the PACT Act to provide PCZ Veterans with the compensation they earned and need. We look forward to working together to ensure all our veterans receive the compensation they deserve,” the members wrote.

In 2022, Congress passed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson  Honoring Our PACT Act, which extended the presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with herbicide exposure to veterans who served offshore of Vietnam and near the Korean DMZ. While the PACT Act did not extend the same presumption to PCZ veterans, it did  provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with the authority and independence to expand service-connected presumption to eligible groups of veterans. In Friday’s letter, the members urged VA Secretary Denis McDonough to use his authority to extend PACT Act benefits to PCZ  veterans.

To permanently support the needs of PCZ veterans, Congressman Castro and Congresswoman Salazar have also introduced the Panama Canal Zone Veterans Act, which would establish a statutory presumption of service connection for  more than a dozen illnesses and conditions associated with exposure to  herbicide in the PCZ between 1958-1999.

Members who joined Congressman Castro and Congresswoman Salazar in  sending the letter include: Reps. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Kat Cammack  (FL-3), André Carson (IN-7), Greg Casar (TX), Danny Davis (IL-7), Brian  Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Al Green (TX-9), Thomas Kean  (NJ-7), Susie Lee (NV-3), Brian Mast (FL-18), Morgan McGarvey (KY-19),  James Moylan (GU), Eleanor Norton (DC), Jamie Raskin (MD-8), Dina Titus  (NV-1), and David Trone (MD-6).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL)  and Joaquin Castro (D-TX) led a bipartisan group of 17 members of the House of Representatives in a letter urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand benefits and services for veterans who developed  cancer and other health conditions after exposure to toxic herbicide during service in the Panama Canal Zone (PCZ).

“At least 400 veterans who served in the Panama Canal Zone (PCZ) have now developed cancer, heart disease, or other health issues consistent with herbicide  exposure. However, they have been consistently denied the disability  compensation and recognition they desperately need and deserve… We  strongly urge you to use the processes within the PACT Act to provide PCZ Veterans with the compensation they earned and need. We look forward  to working together to ensure all our veterans receive the compensation they deserve,” the members wrote.

In 2022, Congress passed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our  PACT Act, which extended the presumption of service connection for  certain diseases associated with herbicide exposure to veterans who  served offshore of Vietnam and near the Korean DMZ. While the PACT Act  did not extend the same presumption to PCZ veterans, it did provide the  Department of Veterans Affairs with the authority and independence to expand service-connected presumption to eligible groups of veterans. In  Friday’s letter, the members urged VA Secretary Denis McDonough to use his authority to extend PACT Act benefits to PCZ veterans.

To permanently support the needs of PCZ veterans, Salazar and Castro have also introduced the Panama Canal Zone Veterans Act, which would establish a statutory presumption of service connection for more than a dozen illnesses and conditions associated with exposure to  herbicide in the PCZ between 1958-1999.

Other members who signed on to the letter include Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Kat Cammack (R-FL),  André Carson (D-IN), Greg Casar (D-TX), Danny Davis (D-IL), Brian  Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Al Green (D-TX), Thomas Kean  (R-NJ), Susie Lee (D-NV), Brian Mast (R-FL), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY),  James Moylan (R-GU), Eleanor Norton (D-DC), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Dina Titus (D-NV), and David Trone (D-MD).