PRINTER'S NO. 4288
No. 867 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY RAPP, FAIRCHILD, GRUCELA, DiGIROLAMO, KAUFFMAN,
ADOLPH, BAKER, BEYER, BOBACK, BROOKS, CALTAGIRONE, CAUSER,
COHEN, CREIGHTON, DALEY, DePASQUALE, DONATUCCI, J. EVANS,
EVERETT, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GILLESPIE,
GINGRICH, GOODMAN, HARHAI, HELM, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS,
M. KELLER, KILLION, KORTZ, KULA, LENTZ, LONGIETTI, MAHONEY,
MAJOR, MANN, MANTZ, MARSHALL, MARSICO, McILHATTAN, MELIO,
MILLARD, R. MILLER, MOUL, MUSTIO, NAILOR, PALLONE, PASHINSKI,
PAYNE, PICKETT, RAMALEY, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROCK, ROSS,
RUBLEY, SAINATO, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, SONNEY,
STABACK, STERN, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH, WATSON, WOJNAROSKI AND
GEIST, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing December 2, 2008, as "The Order of the Silver Rose
2 Day" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Agent Orange, a chemical defoliant, is a weapon of
4 war deployed by the United States Armed Forces against the enemy
5 during the Vietnam Conflict; and
6 WHEREAS, More than 22 million gallons of the chemical were
7 sprayed by hand, aircraft and by the South Vietnamese during the
8 war to defoliate areas of the jungle and to destroy crops; and
9 WHEREAS, Thousands of our own servicemen and women have
10 become sick or have died since the end of the war as a result of
11 exposure to Agent Orange dioxins; and
12 WHEREAS, Currently, thousands of Americans who served in
1 Vietnam suffer from the effects of exposure to Agent Orange,
2 which range from cancer to memory loss to Type II diabetes; and
3 WHEREAS, The Order of the Silver Rose strives to educate
4 Vietnam veterans of the many maladies associated with exposure
5 to Agent Orange and to inform them that a simple yearly physical
6 with CT scan and X-ray could easily save their lives by early
7 detection and treatment of diseases resulting from exposure to
8 Agent Orange; and
9 WHEREAS, These heroes have been sickened or, in many cases,
10 have given their lives for the freedom of United States citizens
11 and deserve recognition; and
12 WHEREAS, American soldiers exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam
13 have received no medals or recognition for the injuries
14 sustained from exposure to the chemical; and
15 WHEREAS, The Order of the Purple Heart for Military Merit,
16 commonly called the Purple Heart, is awarded to members of the
17 armed forces of the United States who have been wounded or
18 killed in battle; and
19 WHEREAS, The criteria for receiving the Purple Heart includes
20 injury caused by chemical, biological or nuclear agents released
21 by the enemy, and the medal can be awarded if the injury is the
22 result of "friendly fire," designed to inflict damage or destroy
23 enemy troops or equipment; and
24 WHEREAS, American soldiers suffering from the effects of
25 exposure to Agent Orange from the Southeast Asia Theater of
26 Operations should receive the Purple Heart in recognition of
27 injuries sustained while standing in harm's way for their
28 country; and
29 WHEREAS, The Order of the Silver Rose, an informal society,
30 exists for the exclusive purpose of recognizing those United
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1 States military personnel exposed to and suffering from the
2 effects of Agent Orange as being deserving of the Purple Heart;
3 and
4 WHEREAS, The fact that the United States Government,
5 especially the United States Department of Veterans Affairs,
6 provides medical treatment and financial compensation to Vietnam
7 veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange clearly demonstrates
8 that it is an injury deserving of recognition; therefore be it
9 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
10 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recognize the courage, heroism and
11 contributions of American service personnel found to have been
12 exposed to Agent Orange dioxins and to chemical and biological
13 exposures; and be it further
14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the
15 President of the United States to grant the Order of the Purple
16 Heart to American soldiers who were injured from their exposure
17 to Agent Orange during the Vietnam Conflict; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize
19 December 2, 2008, as "Order of the Silver Rose Day" in
20 Pennsylvania; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
22 Gary J. Chenett, who serves with distinction as the National
23 Director of the Order of the Silver Rose; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
25 the President of the United States.
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