[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 37 (Friday, March 27, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   PERSIAN GULF VETERANS HEALTH CARE EXTENSION ACT OF 1998 H.R. 3571

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                            HON. LANE EVANS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 27, 1998

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing legislation to extend 
the period that Gulf War veterans with undiagnosed illnesses will be 
able to receive Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care. This 
measure will extend the authority for VA to provide treatment from 
December 31, 1998 until December 31, 2001. This extension makes the 
timeline for health care eligibility consistent with the presumptive 
period the Secretary of Veterans Affairs defined for compensation for 
disabilities due to undiagnosed illnesses.
  More than a year ago, I encouraged VA to extend the presumptive 
period for compensation because no one could explain why so many 
veterans had health care problems following their military service in 
the Persian Gulf. Former VA Secretary Jesse Brown justified the 
extension of the presumptive period by stating that no one knows why so 
many veterans are still sick--seven years after serving in the 
Southwest Asian theater. Of the almost 700,000 individuals who served 
in the Persian Gulf, about 65,000 veterans have signed onto the VA's 
Persian Gulf Registry and about 19,000 have registered for DOD's 
Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Program. VA's latest Gulf War 
Veteran's Statistics indicate that, of those veterans on VA's registry, 
about 11% have undiagnosed illnesses. In response to the continuing 
health care problems reported by these veterans, Congress enacted 
legislation last year to require VA to develop innovative treatment 
programs for these veterans and to document the effectiveness of these 
programs in treating veterans. I believe the large number of veterans 
still suffering demonstrates the need for continuing to provide VA 
health care services for undiagnosed illnesses.
  The Persian Gulf Veterans Health Care Extension Act of 1998 follows 
my introduction of H.R. 3279, the Persian Gulf Veterans Act of 1998. 
H.R. 3279 establishes a permanent process for awarding compensation for 
conditions presumed to be service-connected by virtue of Gulf War 
service. It also addresses the need for research in many areas, 
including defining effective health care treatments for those who have 
vague or undiagnosed symptoms and investigating emerging technologies 
to asses exposure to various hazards and agents. The legislation would 
also require VA and DOD to develop information resources, and mandate 
VA and DOD to document their outreach programs for veterans and active 
duty military members.
  Our nation must continued to respond to Persian Gulf veterans' need 
for a complete range of benefits. Veterans still want to know why they 
are sick, but also need health care that can alleviate their pain and 
compensation to ensure that the effects of their illnesses do not 
impoverish them and their families. Continuing VA's authority to 
deliver health care benefits for conditions resulting from undiagnosed 
illnesses is critical to ensuring that Persian Gulf veterans get the 
services they still need. It is essential to continue to provide health 
care treatment to veterans as we continue to seek answers about the 
cause of their conditions.

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