LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION urging the New York State Congressional deleg-
ation to support the passage of the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015
(H.R. 1769/S.901)

WHEREAS, The federal legislation, the Toxic Exposure Research Act of
2015 would establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs a
national center for research on the diagnosis and treatment of health
conditions of the descendants of veterans exposed to toxic substances
during their service; an advisory board will be established to oversee
and assess the work of the center, to determine health conditions in a
veteran's offspring that likely result from the veteran's exposure and
evaluate cases of exposure; and
WHEREAS, Over the years millions have served our great nation in the
United States Armed Forces; during their service many have been exposed
to toxins with unknown consequences; most of these veterans did not know
they were exposed to harmful materials, with many of these veterans
suffering from the harmful effects of these toxins; and
WHEREAS, Many children and grandchildren of these veterans were born
with both structural and nonstructural defects; some have been accepted
by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as a result of the
exposures from their parent's military service; and
WHEREAS, Birth anomalies in the children of veterans are not tracked
as normal birth defects, so most go unreported, unexplained, and not
researched; these anomalies have some similarities but follow mostly
unreported and under researched paths; and
WHEREAS, Most states that have birth registries do not report to a
national registry; miscarriages and still births are seldom researched
for cause, these are not tracked on a national registry; even deaths and
defects at military hospitals relating to the children of dependents are
not tracked or not put into a federal registry; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the
Department of Defense have been tracking toxic exposures and possible
exposures without follow-up research on the veterans and their
offspring; this federal legislation, known as the Toxic Exposure
Research Act of 2015 would require the Secretary of Dense and Secretary
of Veterans Affairs Administration to share data regarding toxic expo-
sures; and
WHEREAS, Parents of children with birth defects carry a heavy
emotional and financial burden; veterans exposed to Agent Orange and its
dioxin contaminants have reported a variety of serious health problems
and symptoms; these include cancers, and birth defects in their chil-
dren; the number of Vietnam veterans who have children and grandchildren
with birth defects related to exposure to Agent Orange are significant;
the research will provide diagnosis, treatment, and care and focus on
dependents; and
WHEREAS, Under this federal legislation, known as the Toxic Exposure
Research Act of 2015, would create a center of excellence to test,
study, and find solutions to the illnesses and anomalies affecting the
children of veterans from all eras and duty stations; this center would
be created within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and
monitored by advisory and congressional committees to ensure transparen-
cy; and
WHEREAS, The Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015 would also create a
database of birth defects and anomalies both structural and nonstruc-
tural; and
WHEREAS, This federal legislation is supported by the Vietnam Veterans
of America; and

WHEREAS, The Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015 is not only about the
herbicide of Agent Orange and other chemicals used in South Vietnam, but
about exposures to chemical agents for all who served in our military
forces, including those exposed to toxic fumes released by the United
States Demolition Operations at the Khamisiyah Pit and those exposed to
all toxic fires from burn pits across Iraq and Afghanistan during Opera-
tion Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the New York State Congressional delegation be and
hereby is respectfully memorialized by this Legislative Body to support
the passage of the Toxic Exposure Research Act of 2015 (H.R.
1769/S.901); and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to each member of the Congressional delegation from the State of
New York; John Rowan, President, Vietnam Veterans of America and Ned D.
Foote, President, Vietnam Veterans of America New York State Council.