The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that will make it easier for World War II veterans exposed to chemical weapon agents to receive VA benefits. The Arla Harrell Act, S. 75 addresses an unfortunate and little known chapter in American history when more than 60,000 American troops had participated in chemical weapons tests. As many as 4,000 troops were subjected to extreme, full-body exposure to chemical agents. According to some accounts, as many as 60,000 enlisted men were enrolled in this secret test program. Because these programs were classified, doctors did not record servicemembers exposure to these extremely toxic chemicals. Read the Act on Congress.gov.
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