To the Journal editor:

I had read an interesting article where ( then ) VA Secretary David Shulkin had decided to add three health conditions to the list of diseases eligible for Agent Orange Benefits.

But, OMB Director and acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney — he and White House Officials impeded its enactment.

The three diseases Shulkin had decided to add on to the list were, bladder cancer, Parkinson’s – like symptoms, and hypothyroidism.

It’s been estimated that there are around 83,000 veterans afflicted with at least one of the three proposed presumptive conditions, also hundreds of thousands of Vietnam veterans also suffer from hypertension, ( or more commonly known as High Blood Pressure) if this is added to the list of 14 conditions, it has the potential to cost the VA billions in care. Now, Mr. Trump has bragged that he’s done more for veterans? Now you know who’s responsible for delaying a decision on this most important healthcare eligibility to those Vietnam veterans that went and served (Mr. Trump owes them that much!).

On October 31st, five Senators wrote Mulvaney asking him to “stop blocking” the decision on the three conditions, along with Hypertension.

And the five Senators were:

Sen. John Tester-D, Montana

Sen. Mazie Hirono-D, Hawaii

Sen. Richard Blumethal-D, Connecticut

Sen. Sherrod Brown-D, Ohio

Sen. Bernie Sanders-I, Vermont

Four Democrats and one Independent who votes with the Democrats.

Food for thought on who’s “truly veteran friendly!”( after having read this you’ll notice that none from the Republican Party “broke ranks” and voiced displeasure)

The Republicans love the Troops when you’re on active duty, but not when you’re out and a Veteran.

As one who’s a Cold War era veteran who served just after the ending of the Vietnam conflict, I always (and still do) had respect for them for answering our nation when they were called, and felt that this needed to be shared, as for many who are affected by the diseases mentioned, time is not on their side from this form of “friendly-fire.”

DAVID R. KUMPULA

Hoffman Estates, Illinois