H.R. 1428, “To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs to provide wartime disability compensation for certain 
veterans with Parkinson's disease” is sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner (CA), 
Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. This bill directs the 
Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs to provide presumption of service connection for 
Parkinson’s disease for certain Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and degenerative disease with no cure. 
These Veterans with Parkinson’s disease face a less than bright future. Current 
regulations do not recognize Parkinson’s disease as one of the diseases 
presumptive to the exposure of herbicides (Agent Orange and other herbicides) 
during military service. This legislation would allow those veterans to obtain 
the medical care and disability compensation that they have earned, deserve
and so desperately need.

At a time when these Veterans’ and their families are struggling to deal with 
devastating impact of Parkinson’s disease, it is hard to find the strength to 
fight through the current VA claims process. These Veterans need help now.

Currently the VA almost exclusively denies claims for Parkinson’s disease 
related to these chemical exposures. Scientific studies provide ample evidence 
establishing that Parkinson’s disease is associated with military service in 
Vietnam and to these chemicals. The Mayo Clinic found that herbicides 
significantly increased the risk of Parkinson’s disease. The Agent Orange
herbicide 2,4-D was at the top of the list of herbicides in the study. In another 
study the Dr. L. Nelson from Stanford University found that Veterans who 
deployed to Vietnam have a 2.6 times higher incident of Parkinson’s disease 
than Veterans of the same era who did not deploy. 

In December of 2008, the VA Regional Office in Detroit Michigan approved a 
claim for Parkinson’s disease due to exposure to exposure to Agent Orange. 
This approval was the only one we are aware of that has been approved by 
the VA at this level. The approval cited the Mayo Clinic study and other 
extensive research documentation as a reason for approval. There are also
two known cases where the Board of Veterans’ Appeal ruled in favor of the 
favor of the Veteran in regard to Parkinson’s disease. 

The VA acknowledged in a January 2009 internet posting recruiting for a 
clinical trial on Parkinson’s disease that there is a higher incident of Parkinson’s
disease in Veteran than in non-Veterans.

The Vietnam Veterans in our grass roots group have already suffered with 
Parkinson’s disease for an average of almost 7 years now and some for over 25 
years. Others in the group passed away under the age of 60. These Veterans 
need help now not after they die. 

Please co-sponsor this bill. 

To become a co-sponsor please contact Jeff Burdette at 59154 or 
[log in to unmask]

U.S. Military Veterans with Parkinson’s ( USMVP) March. 2009


Here is a draft co-sponsor letter we are using to give to representatives.  Also 
Chairman Filner of the Veterans Affairs Committee in the House of 
Representative has published a Dear Colleague letter asking other 
Congressional Members to join him in Co-sponsoring this legislation.




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