Florida Speaker Attended Agent Orange Events in Washington DC

Updates on pending Agent Orange law suits and Institute of Medicine findings.

Washington, DC, USA – WEBWIRE – Monday, March 14, 2016

Mack Payne of Lake Placid, Florida accompanied Louisiana attorney John Wells, Executive Director, Military Veterans Advocacy, Inc. to a hearing in the Federal Court of Appeals, DC Circuit on March 10. Wells advocated on behalf of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans in a law suit filed on their behalf. That group of Vietnam Veterans is seeking assistance for Agent Orange related diseases from the Veterans Administration. They were excluded from receiving Agent Orange benefits in 2002 by the VA. Results of the hearing by the three judge panel are expected to be announced within three months. This is the same court in which Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg once served.

While in Washington, Payne also attended the Institute of Medicine’s presentation of the Tenth and final Biennial Update of the Committee to review the health effects in Vietnam Veterans of exposure to herbicides. The Institute of Medicine was charged by the VA to determine the effects of Agent Orange on Vietnam Veterans and has been studying the problem for the past ten years. The study was supported by a grant from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The Institute of Medicine is part of the National Academies of Sciences - Engineering - Medicine located in Washington DC.

Payne is a professional speaker who has been conducting speaking tours throughout Florida and Georgia on behalf of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Association. He explains the situation faced by the veterans and urges local citizens to support proposed legislation that will provide equity of Agent Orange benefits to the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans. The proposed bills are S-681in the Senate and HR-969 in the House of Representatives. Payne is a two year veteran of the Vietnam War and speaks with passion about helping this special group of Vietnam Veterans.

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