Senate Joint Resolution No. 6, presented by the Committee on Veterans' and Military Affairs and reported through Senator Marx of the 20th District, seeks to recognize and honor the veterans of the Vietnam War who were exposed to Agent Orange. The resolution acknowledges the sacrifices made by servicemembers who risked their lives for the United States, specifically the over eight million citizens who served in the Vietnam War and were exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. This chemical, used as part of Operation Ranch Hand from 1961 to 1971, has been linked to a range of serious illnesses and genetic damage, affecting not only the veterans but also their descendants.

The resolution highlights the fact that less than eight hundred thousand of these veterans are alive today, with approximately three hundred deaths occurring daily among them. It also notes that while the names of those who fell in combat are listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., those who succumb to the effects of Agent Orange are not recognized as fatalities of the war. The Connecticut General Assembly aims to honor these veterans for their service and the significant, often unacknowledged, sacrifices they have made. The resolution has no fiscal impact on the state or municipal budgets, as it is a symbolic act of recognition rather than a legislative measure with financial implications.