Sponsors (4)
The bill provides formal medals and a standardized process to recognize veterans exposed to Agent Orange (and their families) while imposing modest production costs and some risk of administrative delays.
Qualifying veterans (those with Agent Orange-related compensation or defined herbicide exposure) can request and receive a formal medal recognizing their service and exposure.
Next-of-kin of deceased qualifying veterans can receive the medal, giving families tangible recognition of a relative's service and sacrifice.
Eligible applicants and certifying offices benefit from a clear administrative process (standard application form and VA certification) to obtain the medal, reducing ad hoc procedures.
Qualifying veterans may experience administrative delays or hurdles if VA certification or application processing is slow, delaying receipt of the medal.
The Department of Defense (and ultimately taxpayers) will incur costs to design and produce the medal, though those costs are likely modest.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes the Department of Defense to create and issue an Agent Orange Veterans Service Medal to VA‑certified herbicide‑exposed Vietnam‑era veterans or their next‑of‑kin.
Official title: To establish the Agent Orange Veterans Service Medal.
Introduced April 2, 2026 by Jefferson Van Drew · Last progress April 2, 2026
Creates an "Agent Orange Veterans Service Medal" and directs the Secretary of Defense to design, produce, and issue the medal to qualifying veterans or, on request, to their next-of-kin. Eligibility is limited to veterans who receive compensation under specified VA statutes for herbicide-related conditions or who meet the definition of "Vietnam-era herbicide-exposed veterans," as certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Defense must provide an application form for recipients and next-of-kin.