Dioxin Resolution Funds Approved by USG
Diane Fox (dnfox) dnfox at hamilton.edu
Fri May 25 20:58:00 PDT 2007
This note about US government approving $3 million for "environmental remediation and health activities" in Vietnam may be of interest to several people on the list.
Diane
Diane Fox
Coordinator
Agent Orange Education Project and Resource Center
War Legacies Project
Scholar in Residence
Hamilton College
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tom Leckinger <tleckinger@vi.org>
To: aowg@ngocentre.org.vn
Date: Sat, 26 May 2007 07:26:37 +0700
Subject: [aowg] Dioxin Resolution Funds Approved by USG
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Dioxin Resolution Funds Approved by USG
The much debated and controversial supplemental funding bill signed today by President Bush today contained a provision of interest to all here. The new law provides $3 million USD for “environmental remediation and health activities in Vietnam.” The language was included in the Senate bill by the office of Senator Patrick Leahy from Vermont, and retention in the final legislation was agreed to by the House/Senate reconciliation conference after extensive negotiations by the Senator’s chief of staff, and strong advocacy by VVAF and other interested organizations. While the amount is relatively small when measured against the needs in Vietnam, and the intended utilization of the funds uncertain as the law leaves that to further analysis and negotiations, this legislation does represent the first time that the US Congress has specifically authorized funding to address dioxin related issues in Vietnam. The language of the law also calls for active pursuit of matching funds from other public and private sources, a campaign which is already underway and generating significant interest. A small but very promising step forward for all of us….
Tom Leckinger, Country Representative
VVAF Vietnam
15 Dang Dung St., Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Tel: (84 4) 733-9444 x201
Fax: (84 4) 733-9445
Mobile: (84 91) 239-8620