[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 105 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1304-E1305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         EXTENDING BENEFITS TO VETERANS EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. JACK QUINN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 16, 1996

  Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3643 and to 
commend my fellow members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee for 
their hard work this year. I am pleased to be a member of a committee 
that has put forth many beneficial revisions for our Nation's veterans. 
I especially want to thank Chairman Bob Stump for his tenacious 
advocacy for servicemen and women and his fine ability to expedite 
veterans' legislation.
  H.R. 3643 improves health care delivery to minority groups within our 
Nation's veterans population such as women veterans and those who 
served the country in the Persian Gulf war.
  The bill also includes provisions which I introduced earlier this 
year. For one, the bill extends priority healthcare to those service 
men and women who were stationed in Israel and Turkey during the 
Persian Gulf war from August 2, 1990 to July 31, 1991.
  Currently, veterans of these regions are experiencing undiagnosed 
medical problems similar to those who served in the theater of 
operations. Israel experienced repeated SCUD attacks. Military members 
stationed in Turkey supported aircraft missions into the Persian Gulf, 
served as a transportation point for returning personnel and equipment 
and rendered assistance to the Kurds.
  Thus, the possibility for contamination or exposure by military 
members stationed in Turkey and Israel was extremely high. Medical 
records of many veterans stationed in and around the Persian Gulf fail 
to accurately identify medications distributed and inoculations 
administered.
  Since no definitive diagnosis has been determined in the cases of 
Persian Gulf illness, these veterans stationed in Turkey and Israel 
exhibiting similar medical problems should also be granted health care 
from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  This provision is a technical correction, since these countries 
should have been included in the original bill.

[[Page E1305]]

  The bill also includes a provision to set mammography quality 
standards. Women make up 5 percent of the veterans' population. While 
the veterans' population is decreasing, female representation is 
increasing. As a society, we must quickly adapt to this change and 
better serve women veterans.
  I am pleased to see that we were able to work in a bipartisan fashion 
to make improvements in women's health care services.

                          ____________________