The third hearing will be convened by congressman Eni F.H. Faleomaveaga, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment. He initiated and chaired the first two hearings on AO-related issues in Vietnam in May 2008 and June 2009.

Present at the third hearing will be Matthew Palmer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs; John Wilson, director of the Technical Support Office for Asia and Middle East Affairs under the US Agency for International Development; doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, member of the US-Vietnam Dialogue Group on AO/dioxin and Tran Thi Hoan, AO victim.

According to the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief and Responsibility Campaign (VAORRC) in New York, Tran Thi Hoan, 24, living in Duc Linh district, Binh Thuan province is a second generation victim while Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong is Vietnam’s leading scientist researching the impact of dioxin on Vietnamese people’s health. She is also vice chairwoman of the Vietnamese Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin.

During their July 12-16 visit to the US sponsored by the VAORRC, Hoan and Ms Phuong together with some US veterans will meet with members of the House of Representatives and some senators.

Source: VOV