Referred to: The Legislative Programs, Education, and Community Services

Committee (Chairman David B. Donaldson and Legislators Archer, Greene, Lopez,

and Wawro)

Chairman of the Legislative Programs, Education, and Community Services

Committee, David B. Donaldson, and Committee Members Legislators Archer,

Greene, Lopez and Wawro offer the following:

WHEREAS, Blue Water Navy Veterans that served in the Vietnam War

aboard Navy Ships docked close to the shore of Vietnam, operated in Vietnam’s

close coastal waters and/or that sent smaller vessels to shore have documented

illnesses and disease attributed to Agent Orange and other herbicides that the United

States military sprayed over Vietnam to reduce forest cover and crops used by the

enemy; and

WHEREAS, these Blue Water Navy Veterans are experiencing lengthy delays

in having their benefits claims processed due to comprehensive searches to determine

which ships are eligible for coverage under the current laws; and

WHEREAS, the Blue Water Navy Accountability Act directs the Secretary of

Defense to review the logs of each Navy ship under the authority of the Secretary of

the Navy that is known to have operated in the waters near Vietnam during the

Vietnam Era (January 9, 1962 through May 7, 1975) to determine, for each such ship,

the date(s) so operated and its closest proximity to shore during such operation; and

 WHEREAS, upon a determination that any such ship so operated, the

Secretary of Defense shall provide such documentation, together with the

information described about the ship, to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs within one

year; and

 WHEREAS, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall make publicly available

all unclassified information provided to the Secretary; and

 WHEREAS, the compiling of such information in advance will help veterans

who are currently sick or, in some cases, have died and claims are being made by

their surviving families, to access the benefits without undo delays; and

WHEREAS, the United States House of Representatives passed veterans

legislation (H.R. 2189) which included H.R.-1494 on October 28, 2013 to ensure

Vietnam Veterans get the benefits that they have earned and deserve; now, therefore

be it 

- Page 2 -

Resolution No. 34 January 30, 2014

In Support Of House of Representatives Legislation H.R. 1494, An

Act Cited As The “Blue Water Navy Ship Accountability Act”,

Which Would Direct The Secretary Of Defense To Review The

Operation Of Certain Ships During The Vietnam Era

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature urges the United States

Senate to introduce a companion bill of H.R.-543 and ensure its passage within the

113th Congressional Session; and, be it further

RESOLVED, the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature is shall forward

copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, to the President of the

Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States

Congress, United States Congressman Chris Gibson, United States Senator Kristen

Gillibrand and United States Senator Charles Schumer with a request that this

resolution be officially entered into the Congressional Record as a memorial to the

Congress of the United States of America,

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: 22 NOES: 0

(Absent: Legislator Roberts)

Passed Committee: Legislative Programs, Education, And Community Services

Committee on January 22, 2014

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

This is to certify that I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster have compared the

foregoing resolution with the original resolution now on file in the office of said clerk, and which was adopted by said

Legislature on the 30th Day of January, 2014, and that the same is a true and correct transcript of said resolution and of the

whole thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 3rd Day of February

in the year Two Thousand and Fourteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature