Veterans' Affairs [4]

Material in this series dates from 1980 through 1994. Files contain research and individual case records on veterans and veterans' issues and track the legislative work of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. The series contains research, studies, reports, background material, memos, bills, draft responses to constituent mail, constituent case files, and correspondence. Many of these files are directly related to the Veterans' Affairs committee, on which Senator Mitchell served throughout his senate years. The mission of this committee is to oversee veterans' compensation, benefits, and pensions; national cemeteries; readjustment to civilian life; veterans' hospitals, medical care, and treatment; and vocational rehabilitation. Significant material documents the history of illnesses and injuries that veterans suffered following wars, as well as problems with the Maine veterans' hospital and other treatment facilities. Files document the increased research and understanding during the 1980s of such important veterans' issues as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and illnesses caused by exposure to toxic substances used in warfare. Some material documents continuing discussion of post-World War II veterans' claims of illness caused by exposure to radiation during nuclear weapons testing at various sites. A large portion of the material documents veterans' claims in the 1980s of illness caused by exposure to Agent Orange, a chemical defoliant used routinely in the Vietnam Conflict. This series also contains the reports of numerous studies and data-gathering surveys, and the legislation enacted in 1988 authorizing benefits to veterans with certain conditions linked to the defoliant. Other issues include legislation enabling the Veterans' Administration to add benefits for subsequently discovered service-related illness, requiring the V.A. to continue gathering data on this issue and to establish a tissue-archiving system for study of health consequences of the Persian Gulf War. Other important issues relating to veterans are veterans' housing, employment, education programs, and services for homeless veterans. Related records concerning the 1989 elevation of Veterans' Affairs director to a cabinet-level post appear in the Governmental Affairsseries. Additional files on health care are in the Health Care series.