(Washington, D.C) — “Vietnam Veterans of America fully supports The Molly R. Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans Act of 2024, and thank Senators John Tester (D-MT) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) for introducing this important piece of legislation,” said VVA National President Jack McManus. “Our veterans, their children, and their grandchildren have waited far too long for answers to their health conditions believed to be a result of military toxic exposures. When enacted, this important research will provide the much-needed science regarding the generational legacy of toxicants.”
“For over 40 years, VVA has advocated for veterans whose health has been compromised because of Agent Orange exposure during their service, and we have borne witness to the long-reaching effects of these toxic wounds as they have been traced through multiple generations of veterans’ children and grandchildren,” said VVA National President Jack McManus. “It is critical to remember that the cost of war does not end with the last day of the conflict,” McManus emphasized.
“VVA has been at the forefront of a movement for a broader understanding of the toxic wounds of war since the beginning,” McManus said. “We have long championed the need to recognize the broad range of these often-invisible wounds, to research their short- and long-term health effects on veterans and their progeny, and to provide the full support and care necessitated by these wounds.”
“Despite the victory of the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2016, which we anticipated would lay the groundwork for the research needed on the health of our children and grandchildren, we have instead encountered delay after delay and it has still not been done,” McManus added. “All over this country, there are children and grandchildren who, like Molly Loomis, continue to live with the consequences of our war.
“Our veterans have sacrificed for our country, and we must ensure that they and their families receive their earned benefits and the highest quality of care and support in return. There should be no political boundaries when it comes to justice for our children. We urge Congress to collaborate across the aisle to address these concerns,” McManus concluded.
