[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 49 (Wednesday, April 17, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S3426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           GULF WAR SYMPTOMS

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, ever since the conclusion of the gulf 
war, returning veterans have complained about a variety of symptoms 
including dizziness, nausea, loss of equilibrium, and depression.
  All of us have visited veterans in our States. And through a series 
of hearings, those of us on the Veterans' Affairs Committee have been 
dismayed by the steadfast denial on the part of the Pentagon and the 
Department of Defense to acknowledge these brave men and women are 
suffering the after effects of all airborne or waterborne agent or 
agents that have caused their sickness.
  As late as this week, Mr. President, the Pentagon issued a statement 
saying that after spending $80 million of taxpayer money, they found no 
evidence of sickness-inducing agents during the gulf war. Kind of 
sounds like Vietnam and agent orange all over again.
  Well, lo and behold, Mr. President, thanks to an extensive study done 
by the University of Texas through a grant given by Ross Perot, those 
complaints from our men and women in uniform appear to be true, and the 
culprit was a combination of three agents acting in concert with each 
other. One agent was a common pesticide. Last night the Pentagon, 
somewhat sheepishly admitted their mistake.
  My only questions are these, Mr. President. One, what the heck did 
they study with the $80 million? And two, if they are that incompetent 
they must be in an unmendable state of denial in helping our returning 
veterans.
  Hooray for the University of Texas--boo on the Pentagon.

                          ____________________