The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that could finally bring long-sought answers to Vietnam veterans suffering from a rare and deadly cancer linked to their service overseas.
The Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act, co-sponsored by Representative Josh Riley, cleared the House on Monday. It directs federal agencies to investigate cholangiocarcinoma—an aggressive bile duct cancer believed to be connected to liver fluke exposure during the Vietnam War. It is the first bill co-sponsored by Riley to pass the chamber.
“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,” Riley said in a statement.
The legislation mandates a detailed study by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agencies will use national cancer registries to determine how often the disease affects veterans who served in the Vietnam theater. Researchers will analyze demographic factors including age, race, and geographic location at diagnosis. The study’s findings could pave the way for critical changes in how the VA approaches treatment and benefits for veterans potentially exposed to liver flukes.
In addition to identifying the prevalence of the disease, the bill requires regular updates to Congress and ongoing monitoring of new cases, aiming to maintain accountability and transparency as research continues.
Supporters of the bill see it as a foundational step toward long-overdue recognition of the health risks Vietnam veterans faced. The data gathered may ultimately guide new VA policies to prioritize care for those impacted.
Riley, who has also backed the Protect Veterans Jobs Act to reinstate veteran federal employees and increase transparency on veteran employment within government agencies, called the cancer study bill a vital move in honoring veterans’ sacrifices.
“Fifty years after the end of the war is too long for our veterans to wait for answers from the country they risked their lives to defend,” he said.
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