FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE (March 14, 2019– Hagåtña)- Senator Therese M. Terlaje introduced Legislative Resolution 71-35 (COR), which expresses the support of the 35th Guam Legislature for the passage of H.R. 1713, the “Lonnie Kilpatrick Central Pacific Herbicide Relief Act,” introduced today by Guam Delegate Michael San Nicolas and Florida Representative Gus Bilirakis.
H.R. 1713 seeks to correct injustice, clarify the eligibility of affected veterans, and expedite the processing of veteran claims of health conditions caused by Agent Orange exposure on Guam, American Samoa, Johnston Atoll or while serving in the territorial waters thereof.
Terlaje’s Resolution 71-35 (COR) further implores Congress to correct injustice by resolving the numerous health care needs of civilians exposed to Agent Orange on Guam.
“I want to thank Guam Delegate San Nicolas and Florida Representative Bilirakis for introducing this bill in Congress on behalf of the veterans who served in Guam. I am also deeply grateful for the advocacy of the Agent Orange Survivors of Guam Veterans’ group and the Military-Veteran Advocacy, Inc., who were instrumental in getting this legislation introduced. Their pursuit of justice for Mr. Kilpatrick, our Veterans and the people of Guam is admirable and greatly appreciated.
The Department of Defense continues to deny the existence of Agent Orange on Guam, despite the overwhelming testimony from veterans and residents. However the VA and the Court of Appeals have recognized in several cases, service connection associated with Agent Orange exposure on Guam,” stated Terlaje.
The late Lonnie Kilpatrick was a Navy veteran stationed on Guam in 1971-1972, who later in life, suffered from heart disease, kidney cancer and skin conditions he believed to be connected to Agent Orange exposure on Guam. Kilpatrick, who had never been stationed in Vietnam, recalled living near a jungle area on Guam that was sprayed at night and had turned brown by the next morning. For seven (7) years, the Veterans Administration denied Kilpatrick’s claim before a reversal in April 2018, granting him service connection associated with Agent Orange exposure on Guam.