[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 11, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                COMPENSATE DISABLED PERSIAN GULF VETERNS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Montgomery] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. MONTGOMERY. Mr. Speaker, later today I and my colleagues, Jim 
Slattery of Kansas, J. Roy Rowland of Georgia, Joe Kennedy of 
Massachusetts, and Bob Clement of Tennessee, will introduce legislation 
to pay compensation to veterans who served in the Persian Gulf and who 
have chronic disabilities resulting from undiagnosed illnesses. Until 
we have the scientific informaiton we need, we must assume that these 
disabilities are related to their military service. It is time to give 
disabled Persian Gulf veterans the benefit of the doubt.
  Some of our Persian Gulf veterans are very sick; some cannot even 
work. The Veterans Affairs Committee has held nine hearings on these 
illnesses, sometimes referred to as Persian Gulf syndrome. We have 
directed VA to provide priority care for Persian Gulf veterans and a 
good deal of research has been authorized.
  The bottom line is that we don't have the answers we need for 
effective medical treatment. Veterans can't prove that these symptoms 
are service-connected. We may not have answers for some time. We cannot 
always wait on science. These veterans need our help now.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this legislaiton to compensate our 
disabled Persian Gulf veterans

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