Cloture Motion

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as the lead Republican on this bill, I want to thank my colleague Senator Gillibrand for her leadership on this very important issue.

I am a fiscal hawk. I look at every penny spent by the Federal Government. I respect Senator Enzi and Senator Lee and their views, especially on fiscal issues. I urge this body to pass the blue water Navy bill by unanimous consent. This is about justice. This is about a bureaucracy making a decision and really not following the intent of this Congress.

It is correct that something was done wrong in 2002, as Senator Gillibrand has already laid out so eloquently. Our U.S. Navy veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam have been denied proper care through the VA. Even though both Houses of Congress extended presumptive health coverage to all illnesses linked to Agent Orange, the VA thwarted congressional intent by choosing the narrowest possible definition of ``service in the Republic of Vietnam,'' which included the country's territorial waters.

Our veterans deserve much better. It is unacceptable that a technicality in the law and a dysfunctional Federal bureaucracy have resulted in the prolonged suffering of thousands of our Nation's heroes. This legislation will ensure that the victims of Agent Orange- related disease receive the care and compensation they have long deserved. I will continue to fight for our veterans just as they have fought for us.

Thank you.

I yield to my fellow Montanan, Senator Tester.

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