I write in response to Roger Belanger’s letter (“Some Vietnam Navy vets must now fight for medical coverage,” April 1), regarding the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act.

In his letter, Mr. Belanger correctly notes that this bill corrected a wrong that denied Navy service members serving in the vicinity of Vietnam a presumptive coverage for ailments caused by Agent Orange and other similar chemicals commonly used during that conflict, and which passed Congress after years of advocacy by Vietnam veterans.

Respectfully, however, Mr. Belanger is mistaken in his assertion that Congress and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden weakened the bill after it was signed into law. The bill itself clearly established a 12 nautical mile area around Vietnam for the presumptive coverage.

In fact, the bill passed the United States House, with 410 members of Congress voting in favor and none opposing it.

Congress took subsequent steps, with Rep. Golden’s support, to expand the number of conditions and locations qualifying for presumptive coverage to the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act and to the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022.

While I wish Congress had acted sooner, I’m grateful that Congressman Golden advocated to provide the coverage and benefits our Vietnam veterans deserve.

E. Paul Dupuis, Poland