Cord Byrd: “I am a co-sponsor of the amendment offered by the distinguished Democratic Leader, Senator Daschle. This amendment…”

“I am a co-sponsor of the amendment offered by the distinguished Democratic Leader, Senator Daschle. This amendment, which is supported by the Vietnam Veterans of America and the American Legion, attempts to address a very painful legacy of the Vietnam conflict. It provides comprehensive health care and a very modest monetary allowance to the children of Vietnam veterans who suffer from spina bifida as a result of their fathers' exposure to the chemical defoliant Agent Orange during the Vietnam conflict over twenty years ago. Mr. President, the history of Agent Orange exposure has been sad, even shameful. After the Vietnam conflict, as veterans suffered, administration after administration failed to aggressively investigate the cause of their illnesses. Now, some twenty-two years after the end of the conflict, additional medical conditions are still being linked to exposure to Agent Orange. Just this spring, prostate cancer and peripheral neuropathy were added to the list. For twenty-two years, the genetic legacy of Agent Orange exposure has been denied, although reproductive disorders and birth defects in their children have been among the Vietnam veterans' greatest Agent Orange-related health concerns.”