THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY RAPP, GRUCELA, DiGIROLAMO, KAUFFMAN, CAUSER, BAKER, BEAR, BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BEYER, BISHOP, BOBACK, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CHRISTIANA, COHEN, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, DONATUCCI, D. EVANS, FLECK, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRELL, HARHART, HELM, HENNESSEY, HESS, HORNAMAN, KORTZ, KULA, LONGIETTI, MAHER, MAHONEY, MAJOR, MANN, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, METZGAR, MILLARD, MILLER, MOUL, MUSTIO, OBERLANDER, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PAYNE, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, QUINN, READSHAW, REESE, REICHLEY, ROAE, ROCK, ROHRER, SAINATO, SANTONI, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SONNEY, STERN, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TRUE, VEREB, VULAKOVICH, WATSON AND WHITE, OCTOBER 26, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, OCTOBER 26, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing December 2, 2009, as "The Order of the Silver Rose

Day" in Pennsylvania.

WHEREAS, Agent Orange, a chemical defoliant, is a weapon of

war deployed by the United States Armed Forces against the enemy

during the Vietnam Conflict; and

WHEREAS, More than 22 million gallons of the chemical were

sprayed by hand, aircraft and by the South Vietnamese during the

war to defoliate areas of the jungle and to destroy crops; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of our own servicemen and women have

become sick or have died since the end of the war as a result of

exposure to Agent Orange dioxins; and

WHEREAS, Currently, thousands of Americans who served in

Vietnam suffer from the effects of exposure to Agent Orange,

which range from cancer to memory loss to Type II diabetes; and

WHEREAS, The Order of the Silver Rose strives to educate

Vietnam veterans of the many maladies associated with exposure

to Agent Orange and to inform them that a simple yearly physical

with CT scan and X-ray could easily save their lives by early

detection and treatment of diseases resulting from exposure to

Agent Orange; and

WHEREAS, These heroes have been sickened or, in many cases,

have given their lives for the freedom of United States citizens

and deserve recognition; and

WHEREAS, American soldiers exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam

have received no medals or recognition for the injuries

sustained from exposure to the chemical; and

WHEREAS, The Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit,

commonly called the Purple Heart, is awarded to members of the

armed forces of the United States who have been wounded or

killed in battle; and

WHEREAS, The criteria for receiving the Purple Heart includes

injury caused by chemical, biological or nuclear agents released

by the enemy, and the medal can be awarded if the injury is the

result of "friendly fire," designed to inflict damage or destroy

enemy troops or equipment; and

WHEREAS, American soldiers suffering from the effects of

exposure to Agent Orange from the Southeast Asia Theater of

Operations should receive the Purple Heart in recognition of

injuries sustained while standing in harm's way for their

country; and

WHEREAS, The Order of the Silver Rose, an informal society,

exists for the exclusive purpose of recognizing those United

States military personnel exposed to and suffering from the

effects of Agent Orange as being deserving of the Purple Heart;

and

WHEREAS, The fact that the United States Government,

especially the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,

provides medical treatment and financial compensation to Vietnam

veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange clearly demonstrates

that it is an injury deserving of recognition; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognize the courage, heroism and

contributions of American service personnel found to have been

exposed to Agent Orange dioxins and to chemical and biological

exposures; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the

President of the United States to grant the Order of the Purple

Heart to American soldiers who were injured from their exposure

to Agent Orange during the Vietnam Conflict; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize

December 2, 2009, as "Order of the Silver Rose Day" in

Pennsylvania; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

Gary J. Chenett, who serves with distinction as the National

Director of the Order of the Silver Rose; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to

the President of the United States.