Date: 1981-08-01
Speaker: MARTIN ANDERSON (democrat)
Chamber: S

Assistant to the President for Policy Development. The White House. Washington. D.C. DEAR MARTIN: I am writing in connection with a matter that is of great Importance to our Nations Vietnam veterans and a deep concern of mine on the Veterans Affairs CommitteeAgent Orange. As you know. Agent Orange. the defoliant used by our Armed Forces in Vietnam. was contaminated by dioxin. one of tho most toxic substance ever Identified by the scientific community. On December 11. 1079. President Carter established. through his Assistant for Domestic Affairs arid Policy. an interagency work group to assure that all Federal efforts in the area of dioxinrelated research are fully coordinated and that there Is a wide and ongoing consultattion among all the agencies involved. The President appointed the thenDepartment of Health. Education. and Welfarean agency wellequipped. In my view. to deal with the difficulties Involved and one not generally perceived as having an Interest to defend in these mattersas the work groups chair agency. On December 20. 1979. the Veterans Health Programs Extension and Improvement Act of 1979 (Public Law 96151) was enacted With provisions. in section 307(a). mandating the VA to design and conduct an epidemiological study on Agent Orange. In addition. for purposes of assuring that any dioxinrelated study conducted by the Federal Government would be scientifically valid and conducted efficiently and objectively. section 307(c) Of this law required the President to assure that the VA study is fully coordinated with all other Federal agencies studies regarding the health effects in humans of dioxin exposure and that all appropriate consultation and coordination take place among the heads of Federal agencies Involved In the design. conduct. monitoring. or evaluation of such dioxin studies. For Your reference. I have enclosed a copy Of Rection 3n17 of p..blic Law 96151. Since the Interagency work group on dioxin (formally the Interagency Work Group on Phenoxy Herbicides and Contaminants) was created. It has Issued six progress reports dealing with the many dioxinrelated activities of the Foderal agere4es. including longterm research proposals and various clinical projects of a shorter length. which may help to Provide the answers we seek about the Possible health effects of exposure to substances containing dioxin. In addition. the work group has Itself reviewed and commented on certain Of these research proposals. r believe these reports and comments have been of definite value to the agencies Involved in terms of the rapid dissemination of useful Information. to the Congress in terms of providing members with succinct. periodic updates. and finally. to the public. in terms of widespread concern that the studies be as objective and useful as possible and that no unnecessary delays occur in the Federal Governments pursuit of answers Ini this area. I also believe that the work group could appropriately serve as the means of the President carrying out his statutory responsibility under section 307(c) of Public Law 96151. In light of the immediacy of the issues involvedthe VA will. after great delay. shortly sign a contract for the design of the protocol for Its studyand their great Importance to Vietnam veterans and their families and to the health of many other segments of our population. I believe that the President should reauthorize the interagency group under the chairmanship of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. designating the group as the body responsible for assuring that the provisions of section 307(c) of Public Law 96151 are fully Implemented. Such a aesignationaccompanied by the appropriate delegation of the authoritywould enhance the authority of the group and give greater weight to its recommendations as well as provide needed assurance of full implementation of those provisions. I would very much appreciate hearing from you at your earliest convenience about these matters and learning of your response to my recommendations. With warm regards. Cordially.