HARRISBURG – A bipartisan group of PA lawmakers are introducing legislation that would create a task force on Agent Orange – a blend of herbicides used during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange was banned when evidence of the harmful and sometimes deadly results of exposure to it began to emerge. Those exposed to Agent Orange are at risk of developing cancers, neurological and psychological conditions, and other long-term effects. The task force would comprise of several members of military organizations and members of the PA House and Senate to investigate and form recommendations on how best to communicate with veterans affected by Agent Orange about treatment options available to them. As recent as 2022, there are roughly 231,500 veterans in PA who served during the Vietnam War. The lawmakers introducing the legislation said they are hopeful that taking care of veterans who are still suffering effects from a war that ended almost 50 years ago is an issue the majority of PA legislators can see eye-to-eye on. A co-sponsorship memo is being circulated for support.
