State of New Mexico
House of Representatives
Ben Lujan, Speaker of the House
Ken Martinez, House Majority Leader
Sheryl Williams Stapleton, House Majority Whip
For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan Tungate 505-577-8132
October 8, 2008
Rep. Cote’s Initiative Catalyst for Federal Legislation to Provide Care for Level Three Spina Bifida Children
of Parents Who Served in Vietnam and Who Are Totally Disabled Due to Agent Orange Exposure
Santa Fe, NM- House Joint Memorial 5 introduced by Representative Nathan Cote (D-Las Cruces) during the 2007 Legislative Session urged the United States Congress to provide full medicare and attendant care to Honey Sue Newby, then a resident of Las Cruces, and the other level three spina bifida children who are totally disabled as a result of their birth parents’ military service in Vietnam where they were exposed to agent orange. Thanks in large part to Representative Cote’s efforts, the United States Congress has passed Senate Bill 2162. Once signed into law by President George Bush, the new law will provide comprehensive health care to children of Vietnam Veterans born with spina bifida.
Mr, Ron Nesler, stepfather to Honey Sue Newby and former resident of Las Cruces, praised Representative Cote’s initiative, stating, “Nate got the ball rolling. I tried for ten years to get people to talk to me about this issue but no one would. After Nate introduces HJM 5 and it was signed into law, the issue received national attention. Nate was truly a catalyst for helping my step daughter Honey Sue as well as all American military veterans and their families who have struggled to provide the vital medical care and attendant care their children with level three spina bifida need..”
As stated in HJM5, the federal department of veterans affairs acknowledges that approximately two hundred children of Vietnam war veterans are designated as level three spina bifida children resulting from their birth parents’ exposure to agent orange during military service in the Vietnam war. These children are totally disabled. The financial cost for families can be crippling.
Said Representative Cote, “I am so pleased that my efforts helped to initiate this vital help for the children of our Vietnam War veterans who have given so much to their country. I hope this will make all of their lives a little easier.”
