Recognizes Orange Heart Medal in NJ.

SJR71

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 71

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JANAURY 28, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� MICHAEL L. TESTA, JR.

District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)

Senator� RAJ MUKHERJI

District 32 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Amato and Greenstein

SYNOPSIS

���� Recognizes Orange Heart Medal in NJ.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

A Joint
Resolution
recognizing the Orange Heart
Medal in New Jersey.

Whereas,

The citizens of the United States have, throughout the years, chosen to serve
this great nation, risking their lives and leaving their loved ones behind to
honorably safeguard the freedoms and liberties guaranteed to all Americans and
protect against those who threaten our way of life; and

Whereas,

More than eight million citizens of this country honorably served during the
Vietnam War, where Agent Orange was widely used by the United States Armed
Forces as part of the herbicidal warfare program Operation Ranch Hand from 1961
until 1971; and

Whereas,

Nearly 20 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed over the land from
helicopters or low-flying aircraft, destroying vegetation and crops in order to
deprive enemy guerrillas of food and cover for their activities and, in turn,
exposing 2.6 million American soldiers to the herbicide and defoliant chemical;
and

Whereas,

Agent Orange is a dioxin and cancer-causing chemical that enters the body
through physical contact or ingestion and moves into the human cell nucleus
where it attacks the genes and causes a number of serious illnesses, including
leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, ischemic heart disease, soft tissue sarcoma,
amyloidosis, diabetes, and cancers of the throat, prostate, lung, and colon;
and

Whereas,

Agent Orange also causes genetic damage, and in some cases, children and
grandchildren of veterans exposed to Agent Orange have been born with spina
bifida and other birth defects; and

Whereas,

Today, only about 800,000 Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange are alive,
and approximately 390 deaths occur among them every day; and

Whereas,

While fallen comrades are memorialized on The Wall at the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial in Washington, D.C., veterans who are victims of Agent Orange are not
recognized as fatalities of the Vietnam War; and

Whereas,

In 2018, the Orange Heart Medal Project was founded as a privately funded
501(c)(3) organization to bring recognition for veterans who served in the
Vietnam War and who were affected by exposure to Agent Orange; and

Whereas,

Applications for Orange Heart Medals have been received by this organization
from across the United States, Australia, Thailand, and Puerto Rico; and

Whereas,

The Orange Heart Medal Project has provided approximately 4,000 Orange Heart
Medals to veterans or their surviving spouses as of 2024; and

Whereas,

On February 22, 2019, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed HJR0108 to recognize
and honor victims of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War; and

Whereas,

There are federal efforts to recognize the Orange Heart Medal and honor its
recipients; and

Whereas,

It is altogether fitting and proper for this State to recognize and honor the
Orange Heart Medal and its recipients, as these veterans have made untold and
innumerable sacrifices to preserve the liberties our nation enjoys today and
that future generations will continue to cherish; now, therefore,

����
Be It
Resolved
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� The State of New Jersey
recognizes the Orange Heart Medal to honor and recognize veterans who served in
the Vietnam War and who were affected by exposure to Agent Orange.� The State
of New Jersey also honors veterans who have received the medal for their
courageous service and untold and innumerable sacrifices, which have helped to
preserve the liberties our nation enjoys today and will continue to cherish for
future generations.

���� 2.� Copies of this resolution,
as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the
General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Orange Heart Medal
Foundation.

���� 3.� This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This resolution recognizes the
Orange Heart Medal in the State of New Jersey.

���� Throughout the years, many
citizens of the United States have risked their lives and left their loved ones
behind to honorably safeguard the freedoms and liberties guaranteed to all
Americans and to protect against those who threaten our way of life.� More than
eight million citizens of this country honorably served during the Vietnam War,
during which time Agent Orange was widely used.� Nearly 20 million gallons of
Agent Orange were sprayed over the land from helicopters or low-flying
aircraft, destroying vegetation and crops in order to deprive enemy guerrillas
of food and cover for their activities and, in turn, exposing 2.6 million
American soldiers to the herbicide and defoliant chemical.� Agent Orange is a
dioxin and cancer-causing chemical that enters the body through physical
contact or ingestion and causes a number of serious illnesses to those exposed
and has the potential to be passed down to children and grandchildren.

���� Today, only about 800,000
Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange are alive, and approximately 390
deaths occur among them every day.� While fallen soldiers are memorialized on
The Wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., veterans who are
victims of Agent Orange are not recognized as fatalities of the Vietnam War.

���� In 2018, the Orange Heart
Medal Project was founded as a privately funded 501(c)(3) organization to bring
recognition for veterans who served in the Vietnam War and who were affected by
exposure to Agent Orange.� Applications for Orange Heart Medals have been
received by this organization from across the United States, Australia,
Thailand, and Puerto Rico, and approximately 4,000 Orange Heart Medals have
been provided to veterans or their surviving spouses to date.

���� Tennessee has passed
legislation recognizing and honoring victims of Agent Orange during the Vietnam
War, and there have been federal efforts to do the same.� It is necessary for
this State to recognize and honor the Orange Heart Medal and veterans who earn
the medal, as they have made untold and innumerable sacrifices to preserve the
liberties our nation enjoys today and that future generations will continue to
cherish.