Bill Sponsored by Rep. Riley Passes US House – Bipartisan Bill Demands Answers For Vietnam Vets. Diagnosed With Rare Cancer

Congressman Josh Riley (NY-19) says the US House of Representatives has passed the Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study (H.R. 586). The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Riley and would commission a study to investigate the prevalence of cholangiocarcinoma. Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare cancer that has affected veterans who have served in the Vietnam theater of operations.

“Our nation’s Vietnam Veterans answered the call to serve in a conflict far from home, under extremely challenging conditions, and they’ve waited far too long to get the answers and care they deserve,” said Riley. “I proudly co-sponsored this bipartisan legislation to make sure they finally get it.”

The cancer is not only rare, but a deadly bile duct cancer which has been linked to fluke exposure. The legislation, if signed into law, would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to study the disease.

Congressman Riley says the study is a first in a series of steps necessary for the Department of Veterans Affairs to look into policy changes that would then prioritize care for veterans with the potential liver fluke exposure.

More information on the Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act may be found below.

The legislation directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to study the prevalence of cholangiocarcinoma among veterans who served in the Vietnam theater of operations during the Vietnam era.

Using the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry and the National Program of Cancer Registries, the study will identify the incidence rate of cholangiocarcinoma and provide demographic information, including age, gender, race, ethnicity, and geographic location at diagnosis.

The bill requires regular reporting to Congress and ongoing tracking of new cases, ensuring that lawmakers and veterans remain informed about the scope of this illness.