82-227 O CURRENT STATUS OF AGENT ORANGE STUDIES HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS NINETY-SEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION MAY 6, 1981 Printed for the use of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs MATERIAL SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD "Science Policy and Congress,” Science Magazine, May 15, 1981. Chronology of Events in the Congressionally Mandated Epidemiologic Study of Vietnam Veterans and Projected Dates for the Completion of Exchange of correspondence from National Veterans Law Center to Dr. Donald L. Custis, re followup activities related to Agent Orange.... 44, 45, 46, Dr. J. David Erickson, D.D.S., Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga., to Mr. Lewis Milford, National Veterans Law Center, re delineating expo- "Further Review of the Safety for Use in the United Kingdom of the Herbicide 2,4,5-T," Advisory Committee on Pesticides, December 1980.... CURRENT STATUS OF AGENT ORANGE STUDIES WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 1981 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS, COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 8:30 a.m., in room 334, Cannon House Office Building, the Honorable G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Members present were Mr. Solomon, Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Danielson, Mr. Stump, Mr. Mica, Mr. Leath, Mr. Hillis, and Mr. Jeffries. OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN MONTGOMERY Mr. MONTGOMERY. Good morning. We are meeting today to determine the current status of ongoing studies on the long-term health effects on veterans of exposure to herbicides known as agent orange, which were used as defoliants in Vietnam. As you all know, Public Law 96-151 mandated that the VA conduct a study of veterans exposed to such herbicides and that the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) approve the study protocol. We will hear from both the VA and OTA. At this point, I want to call your attention to two bills ordered reported by the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care on April 30. H.R. 2157 would include exposure to other herbicides, chemicals, medications, or environmental hazards in the agent orange study. H.R. 2953 would authorize hospital care for a Vietnam veteran if physicians employed by the VA or working under a contract fee basis VA determine that such care is necessary for a condition that may be associated with agent orange exposure. The Air Force has identified the crewmen who were most exposed to defoliants in Vietnam and has contracted for a study of such personnel, which is known as the Ranch Hand study. We will hear from the Surgeon General of the Air Force, General Myers, on the progress of their study and when we might expect this study to be completed. Our final witness will be Mr. Simon of the National Veterans Law Center. Since I know all of our members have other commitments this morning, I ask that my complete prepared statement be entered in the hearing record and ask that all witnesses try to limit themselves to 10 minutes, and I assure you that your full statement will be put in the record. This will give the members an opportunity to ask questions of all this witnesses. [The prepared statement of Chairman Montgomery appears on p. 23.1 |