Rep. Takano Statement on Senate Passage of his Korean American VALOR Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, released the following statement after the Senate unanimously passed his Korean American Vietnam Allies Long Overdue for Relief (VALOR) Act. This bill passed the House of Representatives in May and now heads to President Biden’s desk.
“I am thrilled by the overwhelming bipartisan support across both chambers for Korean American Vietnam veterans who fought alongside American forces to get the VA healthcare that they deserve,” said Rep. Takano. “This measure is long overdue, and I urge President Biden to sign my bill into law as soon as possible.”
The Korean American VALOR Act amends title 38 of the United States Code to allow the VA Secretary to enter into a reciprocal agreement with the Republic of Korea to grant access to healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs to individuals who served as allies to the U.S. in the Vietnam War under the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Ranking Member Takano introduced this bipartisan legislation in January to create a pathway for nearly 3,000 Korean American Vietnam veterans to access VA healthcare.
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