PRINTER'S NO. 2546
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
522
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY MATZIE, SNYDER, SAINATO, BURNS, DEASY, READSHAW,
KORTZ, HENNESSEY, BIZZARRO, DiGIROLAMO, RYAN, HARKINS,
SONNEY, SCHLOSSBERG, JAMES, PICKETT, FREEMAN, BOBACK,
MILLARD, BROWN, DELLOSO, LONGIETTI, HOHENSTEIN, MENTZER,
O'MARA, CALTAGIRONE, BARRAR, BERNSTINE, GAYDOS, MURT,
MARSHALL, SCHLEGEL CULVER, HILL-EVANS AND SCHWEYER,
SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of October 2019 as "Agent Orange Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, The Vietnam War was the longest conflict in American
history in which the government of South Vietnam and its primary
ally, the United States, fought against the communist government
of North Vietnam and a South Vietnamese guerrilla force,
commonly known as the Viet Cong; and
WHEREAS, During the Vietnam War, American servicepersons
displayed heroic courage and determination under some of the
most difficult circumstances ever encountered in United States
military history; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 498,000 men and women from this
Commonwealth served during the Vietnam War era, an estimated
172,000 of whom directly participated in the war; and
WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of
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Veterans Affairs, the United States military developed Agent
Orange and other herbicide combinations for use in combat
operations to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that
provided enemy cover; and
WHEREAS, The name Agent Orange comes from the orange
identifying stripes that were used on the 55-gallon drums in
which the herbicide was stored; and
WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs, approximately 19 million gallons of Agent
Orange and other herbicides were used during the Vietnam War;
and
WHEREAS, Thousands of Vietnam War veterans have died due to
the use of Agent Orange; and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs and
Federal law provide for the presumption that certain diseases
are a direct result of exposure to Agent Orange and other
herbicides used during the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, Thousands of veterans still suffer from cancer and
other health disorders caused by exposure to Agent Orange; and
WHEREAS, Veterans with health problems caused by Agent Orange
live with the knowledge that genetic damage resulting from their
exposure to Agent Orange may be handed down through generations;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of October 2019 as "Agent Orange Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania.
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