Vietnamese people, Vietnamese-Americans, and their children. The lives of many victims are cut short and others live with disease, disabilities, and pain, often untreated or unrecognized. (6) The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes certain illnesses and diseases, including AL amyloidosis, chronic B-cell leukemia, chloracne, diabetes mellitus type 2, Hodgkin’s disease, ischemic heart disease, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Parkinson’s disease, acute and sub-acute peripheral neuropathy, porphyria cutanea tarda, prostate cancer, respiratory cancers, and soft-tissue sarcomas as associated with the spraying and use of Agent Orange by the United States Armed Forces during the Vietnam era. (7) No similar consideration has been given to affected Vietnamese or Vietnamese-Americans. (8) The Department of Veterans Affairs provides compensation for many severe birth defects among the children of American women veterans who served in Vietnam. The list of birth defects covered includes but is not limited to: Achondroplasia, cleft lip, cleft palate, congenital heart disease, congenital talipes equinovarus (clubfoot), esophageal and intestinal atresia, Hallerman-Streiff syndrome, hip dysplasia, Hirschsprung's disease (congenital megacolon), hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis, hypospadias, imperforate anus, neural tube defects, Poland syndrome, pyloric stenosis, syndactyly (fused digits), tracheoesophageal fistula, undescended testes, and Williams syndrome. Affected children of these women veterans receive medical care and other benefits. (9) The only birth defect recognized for the children of male American veterans is spina bifida (but not occulta), resulting in most affected children receiving no benefits. (10) No assistance has been given to the children of male or female Vietnamese or Vietnamese-Americans connected with their exposure, or their parent’s or grandparent’s exposure. (11) The Institute of Medicine for the past several years has noted that it is considerably more plausible than previously