Bill Text: NJ SJR23 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Declares October of every year "Agent Orange Awareness Month"; encourages increased awareness about potential negative health effects of exposure on Vietnam veterans.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-06-21 - Substituted by AJR57 (1R) [SJR23 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-SJR23-Amended.html
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
No. 23
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED JANUARY 17, 2012
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Declares October of every year "Agent Orange Awareness Month"; encourages increased awareness about potential negative health effects of exposure on Vietnam veterans.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As amended by the Senate on May 31, 2012.
A Joint Resolution declaring October of every year as "Agent Orange Awareness Month" and encouraging increased awareness about potential negative health effects of exposure on Vietnam veterans.
Whereas, Our Vietnam veterans valiantly served our country in what was a difficult, unconventional war; thousands gave their lives, and thousands of others were wounded and injured in battle; and
Whereas, In the years after the war, it has been disturbing to find that many of these wounds and injuries were caused by the indiscriminate use of chemicals as weapons of war by the United States military in the heavily forested areas of Vietnam; and
Whereas, Between 1961 and 1971, the United States military sprayed more than 19 million gallons of 15 different herbicides in South Vietnam and surrounding areas with the purpose of killing the plants, crops and forests that provided food and cover for enemy troops; and
Whereas, One of the most common herbicides used was "Agent Orange" which, named after the color of the stripe on its storage drums, was a mixture containing dioxin, a chemical associated in laboratory studies 1and epidemiologic studies1 with certain skin diseases and an increased risk of both certain types of cancer and reproductive and developmental defects; and
1Whereas, In addition to the trauma of war, some veterans are experiencing adverse health effects as a result of the use of Agent Orange to defoliate the jungle areas of Vietnam by the United States military; and1
Whereas, Today, it is well known that Agent Orange is scientifically associated with a number of negative health effects on thousands of exposed Vietnam veterans, including chloracne, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, soft tissue sarcomas, peripheral neuropathy, Hodgkin's disease, porphyria cutanea tarda, diabetes, multiple myeloma, respiratory cancers, prostate cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 1Parkinson's disease, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, AL amyloidosis,1 and spina bifida and other birth defects in the children of Vietnam veterans; and
Whereas, It is estimated that 2.6 million personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam and adjacent waters, and the Department of Veterans Affairs makes the presumption that all veterans who served in Vietnam were exposed to Agent Orange; and
Whereas, Given the presumed exposure, and the many negative health effects that have been linked to service in the Vietnam war, it is essential that we raise awareness about this issue in our communities and that all Vietnam veterans who have not already done so seek proper health screening; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey hereby declares October of every year as "Agent Orange Awareness Month," encourages all citizens and residents of this State to increase their awareness about the negative health effects associated with exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam war, and especially urges all Vietnam veterans to seek proper medical screening1, and free medical care from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, when possible1.
2. The Governor is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the public officials and all citizens and residents of New Jersey to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs.
3. A duly authenticated copy of this joint resolution shall be transmitted to the New Jersey chapters of the Vietnam Veterans of America and to the Order of the Silver Rose.
4. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
