By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Guam Del. James Moylan is seeking compensation for Guam's civilian residents who might have been exposed to Agent Orange.
The proposal has been incorporated into the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.
Under the language of the amendment, the assistant secretary of Defense
for Health Affairs would be required to submit to Congress a report that includes: the exact dates on which Agent Orange was used in Guam; an identification of any known or suspected site that was used to dump Agent Orange; an identification of any specific area where Agent Orange was used in Guam; and a list of diseases and disabilities that can result from exposure to Agent Orange.
The report would need to be submitted no later than a year after the enactment
of the FY 2025 NDAA.
“While the PACT Act provides care and compensation for veterans who were exposed, to begin the process of creating care and/or compensation programs through Congress for civilians who were residing in Guam when these herbicides were dumped in burn pits, adequate and reliable information is needed. This is the purpose of this amendment,” Moylan said.
“The process will certainly be lengthy, but we absolutely need to address this injustice where Agent Orange exposure has possibly infected many in our
community with diseases and disabilities. We also needed to seek out the proper legislative vehicle, and I am happy that my colleagues supported my amendment to add the language to the NDAA,” he added.
The House of Representatives will discuss, deliberate, and vote on the FY 2025 NDAA in June, while the Senate will be addressing its version of the defense authorization measure shortly after.
Both measures will be placed in the conference in September, for a vote before
the end of the 2024 fiscal year.