"When one American is not worth the effort to be found, we as Americans have lost!"
U.S. GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIVE
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has advocated and/or co-authored legislation to improve the POW/MIA issue, veterans' benefits, concerns and interests as follows:
Encourage the designation of “Hire a Veteran Week” (H.Con.Res. 125) (Bill Summary)
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. expressed support for the designation and goals of “Hire a Veteran Week” and encouraged the President to issue a proclamation supporting these goals. Passed the House under suspension of the rules by unanimous voice vote on July 24, 2006. On July 25, 2006 the bill was received by the Senate and the Senate concurred.
Respect for Fallen Heroes Act of 2006 (H.R. 5037) (Bill Summary)
Legislation to prohibit certain demonstrations at cemeteries under the control of the National Cemetery Administration at Arlington National Cemetery and for other purposes. On May 24, 2006 it passed the Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. The House agreed to suspend the rules and agreed to the Senate amendment by voice vote on that same day. On May 29, 2006 the bill was signed by the President. Public Law 109-228.
Veterans’ Housing Opportunity & Benefits Improvement Act of 2006 (S.1235)(Bill Summary)
Legislation to amend title 38, United Stated Code, to provide adaptive housing assistance to disabled veterans residing temporarily in housing owned by the family member and to make direct housing loans to Native American veterans; make modifications to the Advisory Committee on Veterans Employment and Training within the Department of Labor; provide Life and Health Insurance coverage to certain veterans and their family members; and for other purposes.
Veterans Benefits, Health Care and Information Technology Act of 2006 (S.3421-PUBLIC LAW 109-461)
Sec. 502 Department of Veterans Affairs goals for participation by small businesses owned and controlled by Veterans in procurement contracts. Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Members of the House should actively engage with employers and the American public, to encourage the hiring of members and former members of the Armed Forces who were wounded in service and facing transition to civilian life. H.R. 1070 (Bill Summary)
Veteran-Owned Small Business Promotion Act of 2005 (H.R. 3082) (Bill Summary)
Legislation to amend title 38, United States Code, to require that nine percent of procurement contracts entered into by the Department of Veterans Affairs be awarded to small business concerns owned by veterans, and for other purposes. Passed House on July 24, 2006 by unanimous voice.
Persian Gulf War POW/MIA Accountability Act of 2002 (S.1339)
First introduced by Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado) in August 2, 2001, the legislation amends the Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000 which was signed into law in November of 2001. That law provides for the granting of refugee status in the United States to nationals of certain foreign countries in which American Vietnam POW/MIAs or American Korean War POW/MIAs may be present, if those nationals assist in returning POW/MIAs alive. The new law extends the granting of refugee status in the United States to nationals of Iraq or the greater Middle East region. It provides for the International Broadcasting Bureau, which includes the Voice of America, to broadcast information about the law in the Middle East. The necessity of this legislation is demonstrated by the case of Jessica Lynch and six other POWs returned alive. SSgt. Matt Maupin (Army) captured 4/9/04, remains found, identified and returned 3/30/08, as well as Pfc. Byron W. Fouty (Army) and Sgt. Alex R. Jimenez (Army), both captured 5/12/07 remains found, identified and returned 07/10/08.
The POW/MIA Memorial Flag Act of 2001 (S-1226)
This bill was signed into legislation by President George W. Bush in part due to Rolling Thunder’s lobbying efforts. The main force behind this bill was Senator Campbell and Congressman Dan Burton. Rolling Thunder®, Inc. was highly instrumental in passing legislation to ensure that the POW/MIA flag will fly below the American Flag any day the American flag is flown in Washington, DC at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean Memorial and the WWII Memorial.
Displaying of the POW/MIA Flag over Federal Buildings and Military Facilities
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. was highly instrumental in passing legislation requiring that Federal buildings, all Post Offices, the Vietnam and Korean Memorials in Washington, D.C. and military facilities fly the POW/MIA flag on all six National holidays.
Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000
Senator Campbell sponsored and co-authored with Rolling Thunder®, Inc. the Bring Them Home Alive Act of 2000. The Act provides for the granting of refugee status in the United States to nationals of certain foreign countries in which American Vietnam War POW/MIAs or American Korean War POWs/MIAs may be present, if those nationals assist in returning POWs/MIAs alive.
Missing Service Personnel Act of 1997
Since the mid-1980's, Rolling Thunder®, Inc. has worked tirelessly on this bill that would guarantee missing servicemen or women could not be arbitrarily "killed on paper" by the U.S. government without credible proof of death. The bill was originally sponsored by Senator Campbell in 1993. Rolling Thunder's efforts helped facilitate passing of a majority of the resolutions, and efforts continue to restore the law as it was originally written.
Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs. (Introduced in House)
HRES 111 IH
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 111
Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. KING of New York (for himself, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mrs. BONO MACK, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. COBLE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. FORBES, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. GOHMERT, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. HELLER, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. ISSA, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. LINDER, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. MACK, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. PAUL, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. TERRY, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. WOLF, Mr. WU, and Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules
RESOLUTION
Establishing a Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
Resolved, That there is established in the House of Representatives a select committee to be known as the Select Committee on POW and MIA Affairs.
Sec. 2. The select committee shall conduct a full investigation of all unresolved matters relating to any United States personnel unaccounted for from the Vietnam era, the Korean conflict, World War II, Cold War Missions, Persian Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation Enduring Freedom, including MIA's and POW's missing and captured.
Sec. 3. (a) Members- The select committee shall be composed of 10 Members of the House, who shall be appointed by the Speaker. Not more than half of the members of the select committee shall be of the same political party.
(b) Vacancy- Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the select committee shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.
(c) Chairperson- The Speaker shall designate one member of the select committee to be its chairperson.
Sec. 4. (a) Authority- For purposes of carrying out this resolution, the select committee (or any subcommittee of the select committee authorized to hold hearings) may sit and act during the present Congress at any time or place within the United States (including any Commonwealth or possession of the United States, or elsewhere, whether the House is in session, has recessed, or has adjourned) and to hold such hearings as it considers necessary.
(b) Rules of Procedure- The provisions of clauses 1, 2, and 4 of rule XI of the Rules of the House shall apply to the select committee.
(c) Prohibition Against Meeting at Certain Times- Subsection (a) may not be construed to limit the applicability of clause 2(i) of rule XI of the Rules of the House to the select committee.
Sec. 5. (a) Expenses- Subject to the adoption of expense resolutions as required by clause 6 of rule X of the Rules of the House, the select committee may incur expenses in connection with its functions under this resolution.
(b) Staff and Travel- In carrying out its functions under this resolution, the select committee may--
(1) appoint, either on a permanent basis or as experts or consultants, any staff that the select committee considers necessary;
(2) prescribe the duties and responsibilities of the staff;
(3) fix the compensation of the staff at a single per annum gross rate that does not exceed the highest rate of basic pay, as in effect from time to time, of level V of the Executive Schedule in section 5316 of title 5, United States Code;
(4) terminate the employment of any such staff as the select committee considers appropriate; and
(5) reimburse members of the select committee and of its staff for travel, subsistence, and other necessary expenses incurred by them in the performance of their functions for the select committee, other than expenses in connection with any meeting of the select committee, or a subcommittee thereof, held in the District of Columbia.
(c) Expiration- The select committee and all authority granted in this resolution shall expire 30 days after the filing of the final report of the select committee with the House.
Sec. 6. (a) Final Report- As soon as practicable during the present Congress, the select committee shall submit to the House a final report setting forth its findings and recommendations as a result of its investigation.
(b) Filing of Reports- Any report made by the select committee when the House is not in session shall be filed with the Clerk of the House.
(c) Referral of Reports- Any report made by the select committee shall be referred to the committee or committees that have jurisdiction over the subject matter of the report.
(d) Records, Files, and Materials- Following the termination of the select committee, the records, files, and materials of the select committee shall be transferred to the Clerk of the House. If the final report of the select committee is referred to only one committee under the provisions of subsection (c), the records, files, and materials of the select committee shall be transferred instead to the committee to which the final report is referred.
Sec. 7. For purposes of this resolution:
(1) The term `Member of the House' means any Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
(2) The term `MIA' means any United States personnel that is unaccounted for and missing in action.
(3) The term `POW' means any United States personnel that is unaccounted for and known to be a prisoner of war.
(4) The term `select committee' means the Select Committee on MIA and POW Affairs established by this resolution.
August 2, 2008
Rolling Thunder Inc. National - Information Brief
AGENT ORANGE EQUITY: On 23 JUL House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) held a press conference to announce the introduction of H.R. 6562, the Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008. The bill restores equity to all Vietnam veterans that were exposed to Agent Orange. It would clarify the laws related to VA benefits provided to Vietnam War veterans suffering from the ravages of Agent Orange exposure. From 1991 to 2002, the VA granted hundreds, if not thousands of disability claims filed by Navy blue water veterans suffering from one of the many diseases that VA recognizes as related to Agent Orange exposure. These benefits were awarded based on VA rules providing that service in the waters offshore Vietnam qualified the veteran for the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange. In FEB 02 VA did an about face and required veterans to have actually served on land within the Republic of Vietnam ? to qualify for the presumption of exposure to Agent Orange. As a result, all pending and new disability claims filed by Navy blue water veterans for an Agent Orange-related disease were denied unless there was proof that that the veteran actually set foot on Vietnamese soil. In addition, the VA began to sever benefits that had been granted to Navy blue water veterans prior to the 2002 change in VA rules.
In order to try to gain a better military vantage point, Agent Orange, which we now know is a highly toxic cocktail of herbicide agents, was widely sprayed for defoliation and crop destruction purposes all over the Vietnam War Battlefield, as well as nearby nations. It was also stored on U.S. vessels and used for vegetation clearing purposes around U.S. bases, landing zones and lines of communication. Currently, VA requires Vietnam veterans to prove foot on land in order to qualify for the presumptions of service-connection for herbicide-exposure related illnesses afforded under current law. This issue has been the subject of much litigation and on 8 MAY, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals upheld VAs overly narrow interpretation. Congress clearly did not intend to exclude these veterans from compensation based on arbitrary geographic line drawing by VA.
If enacted every service member awarded the Vietnam Service medal, or who otherwise deployed to land, sea or air, in the Republic of Vietnam is fully covered by the comprehensive Agent Orange laws Congress passed in 1991. It will make it easier for VA to process Vietnam War veterans claims for service-connected conditions that scientists have conclusively linked to toxic exposures during the Vietnam War and that are identified in current law. Chairman John Hall who leads the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, the subcommittee with jurisdiction over these issues stated, With this legislation, Congress will leave no doubt that the Blue Water Navy and all combat veterans of Vietnam are intended to be covered and compensated; thus ensuring that these veterans will receive the disability benefits they earned and deserve for exposure to Agent Orange. This is the cost of war. We asked these brave men and women to fight for us and serve their country, and it is a grave injustice that they have had to wait this long for treatment. We must place care of our soldiers among our top priorities. This applies for all past, present, and future conflicts
February 11, 2008
Rolling Thunder Inc. National - Information Brief
NDAA 2008 UPDATE 14:
The Senate passed a $696 billion 2008 Defense Authorization Bill H.R. 4986 22 JAN and President Bush signed it into law on 28 JAN. The fiscal 2008 defense budget has been laden with challenges, from Congress' inclusion of non-defense-related earmarks to its insertion of controversial language regarding Iraq. Bush announced 28 DEC that he wouldn't sign the bill until it was revised. Instead, the president signed an executive order authorizing a 3% military pay raise. The amount was 0.5 % lower than the 3.5% rate provided for in the authorization act, but took effect 1 JAN 08. All pays and incentives included in the authorization act will be retroactive to 1 JAN, a defense official said. The bill became law just a week before the next budget cycle begins as Bush sends his fiscal 2009 request to Capitol Hill. That budget proposal, along with a requested $70 billion in emergency war spending, is expected to be delivered to Congress 4 FEB.
The NDAA contains provisions improving the transition from active duty to veterans’ status and improving VA health care for returning service members, especially those with traumatic brain injury (TBI) or mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Among the key provisions to improve care for veterans and their families, the NDAA:
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