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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.