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A JOINT MEMORIAL

URGING CONGRESS TO FULLY FUND MEDICAL CARE AND AID AND

ATTENDANT CARE SERVICES FOR HONEY SUE NEWBY AND THE OTHER

LEVEL THREE SPINA BIFIDA CHILDREN OF PARENTS WHO SERVED IN

VIETNAM AND WHO ARE TOTALLY DISABLED.

WHEREAS, the federal department of veterans affairs

acknowledges that one thousand two hundred children of Vietnam

war veterans have some degree of disability resulting from

their birth parents' exposure to agent orange during military

service in the Vietnam war; and

WHEREAS, approximately two hundred of these children of

war veterans are designated as level three spina bifida

children, who are considered to be totally disabled; and

WHEREAS, these children, designated as totally disabled

as a result of their birth parents' exposure to agent orange

during military service in Vietnam, are in a situation that is

indistinguishable from that of any one hundred percent

service-connected disabled veteran who is totally disabled as

the result of military service; and

WHEREAS, these two hundred level three spina bifida

children of Vietnam war veterans are not treated equally with

the disabled military veterans as regards compensatory medical

care and aid and attendant care; and

WHEREAS, the financial cost for families of these

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children can be crippling, and many proud American military

veterans and their families must depend on welfare or charity

to provide the vital medical care and attendant care their

children need; and

WHEREAS, at least one of these children, Honey Sue

Newby, whose birth father served three tours as a marine

infantryman in Vietnam, resides in New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the legislature seeks to honor and encourage

fair treatment of all persons who have made personal

sacrifices in the military defense of our nation;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it urge the United States congress to

provide full medical care and attendant care to Honey Sue

Newby and the other level three spina bifida children who are

totally disabled as a result of their birth parents' military

service in Vietnam; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico congressional

delegation be requested to work vigorously for adequate

funding to provide full medical care and aid and attendant

care to all level three spina bifida children who are totally

disabled because of the effects of agent orange used in

Vietnam; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to each member of the congressional delegation,

the chief clerks of the United States house of representatives

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and the United States senate and the United States department

of veterans affairs.