[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 107 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H6891-H6898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS HEALTH CARE AND RESEARCH ACT OF 1998

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3980) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the 
authority for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to treat illnesses of 
Persian Gulf War veterans, to provide authority to treat illnesses of 
veterans which may be attributable to future combat service, and to 
revise the process for determining priorities for research relative to 
the health consequences of service in the Persian Gulf War, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3980

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Persian Gulf War Veterans 
     Health Care and Research Act of 1998''.

     SEC. 2. HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS OF WAR.

       (a) Authority To Provide Priority Care.--Section 1710(e) of 
     title 38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by adding at the end of paragraph (1) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(D) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), a veteran who 
     served on active duty in a theater of combat operations (as 
     determined by

[[Page H6892]]

     the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Defense) 
     during a period of war after the Vietnam era, or in combat 
     against a hostile force during a period of hostilities (as 
     defined in section 1712A(a)(2)(B) of this title) after the 
     date of the enactment of this subparagraph, is eligible for 
     hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care under 
     subsection (a)(2)(F) for any illness, notwithstanding that 
     there is insufficient medical evidence to conclude that such 
     condition is attributable to such service.'';
       (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``or (1)(D)'' after 
     ``paragraph (1)(C)'';
       (3) in paragraph (3)--
       (A) by striking out ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (A);
       (B) by striking out ``December 31, 1998.'' in subparagraph 
     (B) and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 2001; and''; 
     and
       (C) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(C) in the case of care for a veteran described in 
     paragraph (1)(D), after a period of five years beginning on 
     the date of the veteran's discharge or release from active 
     military, naval, or air service.''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(5) When the Secretary first provides care for veterans 
     using the authority provided in paragraph (1)(D), the 
     Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the experience 
     under that authority. The report shall cover the period of 
     the first three years during which that authority is used and 
     shall be submitted not later than nine months after the end 
     of that three-year period. The Secretary shall include in the 
     report any recommendations of the Secretary for extension of 
     that authority.''.
       (b) Enrollment Priority.--Section 1705(a)(4) of such title 
     is amended--
       (1) by striking out ``and'' after ``permanently 
     housebound'' and inserting in lieu thereof a comma; and
       (2) by inserting ``, and veterans described in subparagraph 
     (F) of section 1710(a)(2) of this title'' after ``disabled''.

      SEC. 3. NATIONAL CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF WAR-RELATED 
                   ILLNESSES.

       (a) In General.--(1) Chapter 73 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 7322 the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 7323. National Center for the Study of War-Related 
       Illnesses

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, acting through the 
     Under Secretary for Health, shall establish and operate in 
     the Veterans Health Administration a National Center for the 
     Study of War-Related Illnesses (hereinafter in this section 
     referred to as the `Center'). The Center shall, as 
     appropriate, coordinate its activities with those of the 
     National Center on Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder established 
     pursuant to section 110(c) of the Veterans' Health Care Act 
     of 1984 (Public Law 98-528).
       ``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Center shall be to 
     promote improvement of clinical, research, and educational 
     activities of the Veterans Health Administration with respect 
     to war-related illnesses, including medically unexplained 
     illnesses.
       ``(c) Functions.--In carrying out the purposes of the 
     Center, the Under Secretary shall ensure that the Center--
       ``(1) promotes the training of health care and related 
     personnel in, and research into, the causes, mechanisms, and 
     treatment of war-related illnesses;
       ``(2) serves as a resource center for, and promotes and 
     seeks to coordinate the exchange of information regarding, 
     research and training activities carried out by the 
     Department, the Department of Defense, and other Federal and 
     non-Federal entities; and
       ``(3) coordinates with the Department of Defense and other 
     interested Federal departments and agencies in the conduct of 
     research, training, and treatment and the dissemination of 
     information pertaining to war-related illnesses.
       ``(d) Staff.--The Under Secretary shall ensure that the 
     staff of the Center has an appropriate range and breadth of 
     expertise so as to enable the Center to bring an 
     interdisciplinary approach to the study and treatment of war-
     related illnesses.
       ``(e) Coordination Between Departments.--(1) In order to 
     ensure needed coordination between the Department and the 
     Department of Defense in carrying out the mission of the 
     Center, the officials identified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
     of section 8111(b)(2) of this title shall--
       ``(A) meet regularly to review pertinent policies, 
     procedures, and practices of their respective departments 
     relating to such coordination and to identify actions that 
     could be taken to change policies, procedures, and practices 
     to improve such coordination; and
       ``(B) take all appropriate steps to carry out those actions 
     identified under paragraph (1).
       ``(2) The Secretary and the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an annual 
     joint report, not later than April 1 each year, on the 
     activities under paragraph (1) during the preceding year.''.
       (2) The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter 
     is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
     7322 the following new item:

``7323. National Center for the Study of War-Related Illnesses.''.

       (b) Effective Date.--The National Center for the Study of 
     War-Related Illnesses required to be established by section 
     7323 of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection 
     (a), shall be established not later than October 1, 1999.

     SEC. 4. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF CARE OF PERSIAN GULF 
                   WAR VETERANS.

       (a) Assessment by National Academy of Sciences.--Not later 
     than November 1, 1998, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     shall enter into a contract with the National Academy of 
     Sciences for the conduct of a review of a methodology which 
     could be used by the Department of Veterans Affairs for 
     determining the efficacy of treatments furnished to, and 
     health outcomes (to include functional status) of, Persian 
     Gulf War veterans who have been treated for illnesses which 
     may be associated with their service in the Persian Gulf War.
       (b) Action on Report.--Not later than 180 days after 
     receiving the final report of the National Academy of 
     Sciences under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
       (1) if scientifically feasible, develop an appropriate 
     mechanism to monitor and study the effectiveness of 
     treatments furnished to, and health outcomes of, Persian Gulf 
     War veterans who suffer from diagnosed and undiagnosed 
     illnesses which may be associated with their service in the 
     Persian Gulf War; and
       (2) submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the 
     Senate and House of Representatives a report on the 
     implementation of this subsection.

     SEC. 5. CONTRACT FOR INDEPENDENT RECOMMENDATIONS ON RESEARCH 
                   AND FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULUM ON CARE OF 
                   PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS.

       Section 706 of the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Health Status 
     Act (title VII of Public Law 102-585; 38 U.S.C. 527 note) is 
     amended by adding at the end thereof the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(d) Research Review and Development of Medical Education 
     Curriculum.--(1) In order to further understanding of the 
     health consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf 
     theater of operations and of new research findings with 
     implications for improving the provision of care for veterans 
     of such service, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
     Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement 
     with the National Academy of Sciences under which the 
     Institute of Medicine of the Academy would--
       ``(A) develop a curriculum pertaining to the care and 
     treatment of veterans of such service who have ill-defined or 
     undiagnosed illnesses for use in the continuing medical 
     education of both general and specialty physicians who 
     provide care for such veterans; and
       ``(B) periodically review and provide recommendations 
     regarding the research plans and research strategies of the 
     Departments relating to the health consequences of military 
     service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations during the 
     Persian Gulf War, including recommendations that the Academy 
     considers appropriate for additional scientific studies to 
     resolve areas of continuing scientific uncertainty relating 
     to the health consequences of any aspects of such military 
     service.
       ``(2) Not later than six months after the Institute of 
     Medicine provides the Secretaries the curriculum developed 
     under paragraph (1), the Secretaries shall provide for the 
     conduct of continuing education programs using the curriculum 
     developed under paragraph (1). Such programs shall include 
     instruction which seeks to emphasize use of appropriate 
     protocols of diagnosis, referral, and treatment of such 
     veterans.''.

     SEC. 6. REVISION TO PROCESS FOR DETERMINING PRIORITIES FOR 
                   HEALTH-RELATED RESEARCH ON THE PERSIAN GULF 
                   WAR.

       Section 707 of the Persian Gulf War Veterans' Health Status 
     Act (title VII of Public Law 102-585; 38 U.S.C. 527 note) is 
     amended by striking out subsection (b) and inserting in lieu 
     thereof the following:
       ``(b) Public Advisory Committee.--Not later than January 1, 
     1999, the head of the department or agency designated under 
     subsection (a) shall establish an advisory committee 
     consisting of members of the general public, to include 
     Persian Gulf War veterans and representatives of such 
     veterans, to provide advice to the head of that department or 
     agency on proposed research studies, research plans, or 
     research strategies relating to the health consequences of 
     military service in the Persian Gulf theater of operations 
     during the Persian Gulf War. The department or agency head 
     shall consult with such advisory committee on a regular 
     basis.
       ``(c) Reports.--(1) Not later than March 1 of each year, 
     the head of the department or agency designated under 
     subsection (a) shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' 
     Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives a report 
     on--
       ``(A) the status and results of all such research 
     activities undertaken by the executive branch during the 
     previous year;
       ``(B) research priorities identified during that year; and
       ``(C) recommendations of the public advisory committee 
     established under subsection (b) that were not adopted during 
     that year and the reasons for not adopting each such 
     recommendation.
       ``(2)(A) Not later than 120 days after submission of the 
     epidemiological research study conducted by the Department of 
     Veterans Affairs entitled `VA National Survey of Persian Gulf 
     Veterans--Phase III', the head of the department or agency 
     designated

[[Page H6893]]

     under subsection (a) shall submit to the congressional 
     committees specified in paragraph (1) a report on the 
     findings under that study.
       ``(B) With respect to any findings of that study which 
     identify scientific evidence of a greater relative risk of 
     illness or illnesses in family members of veterans who served 
     in the Persian Gulf War theater of operations than in family 
     members of veterans who did not so serve, the head of the 
     department or agency designated under subsection (a) shall 
     seek to ensure that appropriate research studies are designed 
     to follow up on such findings.
       ``(d) Public Availability of Research Findings.--The head 
     of the department or agency designated under subsection (a) 
     shall ensure that the findings of all research conducted by 
     or for the executive branch relating to the health 
     consequences of military service in the Persian Gulf theater 
     of operations during the Persian Gulf War (including 
     information pertinent to improving provision of care for 
     veterans of such service) are made available to the public 
     through peer-reviewed medical journals, the Internet World 
     Wide Web, and other appropriate media.''.

     SEC. 7. DESIGNATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
                   CENTER IN ASPINWALL, PENNSYLVANIA.

       The Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in 
     Aspinwall, Pennsylvania, is hereby designated as the ``H. 
     John Heinz III Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center''. Any reference to that medical center in any law, 
     regulation, map, document, record, or other paper of the 
     United States shall be considered to be a reference to the 
     ``H. John Heinz III Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
     Center''.

     SEC. 8. DESIGNATION OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL 
                   CENTER IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA.

       The Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in 
     Gainesville, Florida, is hereby designated as the ``Malcom 
     Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''. Any 
     reference to that medical center in any law, regulation, map, 
     document, record, or other paper of the United States shall 
     be considered to be a reference to the ``Malcom Randall 
     Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center''.

     SEC. 9. MANAGEMENT OF SPECIALIZED TREATMENT AND 
                   REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMS.

       (a) Standards of Job Performance.--Section 1706(b) of title 
     38, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2), by striking out ``April 1, 1997, 
     April 1, 1998, and April 1, 1999'', and inserting in lieu 
     thereof ``April 1, 1999, April 1, 2000, and April 1, 2001''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3)(A) To ensure compliance with paragraph (1), the Under 
     Secretary for Health shall prescribe objective standards of 
     job performance for employees in positions described in 
     subparagraph (B) with respect to the job performance of those 
     employees in carrying out the requirements of paragraph (1). 
     Those job performance standards shall include measures of 
     workload, allocation of resources, and quality-of-care 
     indicators.
       ``(B) Positions described in this subparagraph are 
     positions in the Veterans Health Administration that have 
     responsibility for allocating and managing resources 
     applicable to the requirements of paragraph (1).
       ``(C) The Under Secretary shall develop the job performance 
     standards under subparagraph (A) in consultation with the 
     Advisory Committee on Prosthetics and Special Disabilities 
     Programs and the Committee on Care of Severely Chronically 
     Mentally Ill Veterans.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The standards of job performance 
     required by paragraph (3) of section 1706(b) of title 38, 
     United States Code, as added by subsection (a), shall be 
     prescribed not later than January 1, 1999.

     SEC. 10. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO COUNSEL AND TREAT VETERANS 
                   FOR SEXUAL TRAUMA.

       Section 1720D(a) of title 38, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking out ``December 31, 1998'' in paragraphs 
     (1) and (3) and inserting in lieu thereof ``December 31, 
     2001''.

     SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF CONSTRUCTION OF A SPINAL CORD 
                   INJURY CENTER AT THE TAMPA, FLORIDA, VAMC.

       (a) Authorization.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 
     carry out a major medical facility project for construction 
     of a spinal cord injury center at the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Medical Center, Tampa, Florida, in an amount not to 
     exceed $46,300,000.
       (b) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 1999 for 
     the Construction, Major Projects, account $20,000,000 to be 
     available for the project authorized in subsection (a).
       (c) Source of Funds.--The project authorized in subsection 
     (a) may be carried out using --
       (A) funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization of 
     appropriations in subsection (b);
       (B) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
     for a fiscal year before fiscal year 1999 that remain 
     available for obligation; and
       (C) funds appropriated for Construction, Major Projects, 
     for a fiscal year before fiscal year 1999 for a category of 
     activity not specific to a project.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Arizona (Mr. Stump) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump).
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. STUMP asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)


                             General Leave

  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3980.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arizona?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3980 is the Persian Gulf War Veterans 
Health Care and Research Act of 1998. H.R. 3980 addresses the most 
pressing concerns facing our Persian Gulf War veterans today. It does 
so by extending and expanding the VA's treatment authority for Persian 
Gulf veterans; by taking major steps to improve the effectiveness of 
that treatment; and by strengthening the process by which the 
government sets its Persian Gulf research agenda.
  This legislation is also forward looking in providing broad treatment 
authority for veterans of any future combat situations, and requiring 
the VA to establish a center for the study of war-related illnesses.
  The bill also extends VA's authority to provide counseling for sexual 
trauma to the year 2001.
  I would like to thank and acknowledge the leadership and work of the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), our subcommittee chairman, and 
also commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking 
member of the full committee, and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. 
Kennedy) for initiating legislation of their own and for their work on 
this bill.
  H.R. 3980 addresses the concerns that many have raised, including the 
General Accounting Office, the Presidential Advisory Committee on 
Persian Gulf Illnesses, and the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight, as well as many members of the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs. In my view, the solutions that H.R. 3980 proposes are 
responsible and offer the promise of improved care for Persian Gulf 
veterans, and greater confidence in the agenda for research on Persian 
Gulf illnesses.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3980. I want to thank 
the chairman, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), and the chairman 
and ranking Democratic member of the Subcommittee on Health, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) and the gentleman from Illinois 
(Mr. Gutierrez), for their work on this important legislation. I join 
the chairman in voicing my strong support for this far-reaching 
legislation.
  The bill offers the VA a better means of assuring the quality of care 
provided to veterans of the Persian Gulf War and lays a foundation for 
understanding health care needs of veterans of future conflicts.
  I am particularly pleased that this bill incorporates H.R. 3571 that 
I introduced in March to extend VA's authority to provide health care 
treatment for Persian Gulf veterans. In addition, I am pleased that 
provisions of another measure, H.R. 3279, which I introduced to provide 
compensation for veterans with Persian Gulf illnesses and to improve 
their health care treatment, was also included in H.R. 3980.
  More than a year ago, I requested that the GAO determine whether VA 
is maintaining its capacity in certain special emphasis programs as 
required by law. Preliminary findings from this report and other 
sources indicate that the expensive specialized services, those once 
considered the crown jewels of the system, have indeed become 
increasingly vulnerable to programmatic shifts and funding cuts that 
now threaten their integrity. These programs serve veterans with 
catastrophic disabilities, conditions such as spinal cord injury, 
blindness, severe mental illness, amputations, traumatic brain injury 
and posttraumatic stress disorder, conditions that I believe most

[[Page H6894]]

Americans would agree the VA system exists to treat.
  H.R. 3980, as amended, will require the VA to assess its resource 
managers' performance and, in part, base merit pay on ensuring that 
special programs receive programmatic and resource support veterans 
served by them deserve. This will better ensure that VA managers are 
not rewarded for dumping their patients who are most difficult and most 
costly to treat.
  There are a number of other important provisions in this bill, Mr. 
Speaker, which my longer statement for the record addresses. I want to 
thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), the chairman, again for 
his work on this important legislation. I encourage my colleagues to 
support H.R. 3980, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3980. I want to thank Chairman 
Stump and the Chairman and Ranking Democratic Member of the Health 
Subcommittee, Cliff Stearns and Luis Gutierrez, for their work on this 
legislation. As a result of their efforts and the efforts of others, 
H.R. 3980, as now before the House, deserves the support of every 
member of this body. I join the Chairman in voicing my strong support 
for this far-reaching health care legislation. The bill offers VA a 
better means of assuring the quality of care provided to veterans who 
served in the Persian Gulf War and lays the foundation for 
understanding health care needs of veterans of future conflicts. In so 
doing, the legislation will undoubtedly benefit not only Gulf War 
veterans, but also those combat veterans that follow in their 
footsteps.
  I am particularly pleased that this bill incorporates the measure I 
introduced this past March, H.R. 3571, to extend VA's authority to 
provide health care treatment for Persian Gulf veterans. H.R. 3980 also 
includes provisions from a bill I introduced, H.R. 3279 (Persian Gulf 
War Veterans Act of 1998), to provide compensation for veterans with 
illnesses attributable to service in the Persian Gulf. For example, the 
bill requires VA to commission a study from the National Academy of 
Sciences to identify associations between exposures service members 
likely encountered as a result of Gulf War service and their health 
outcomes.
  VA has, on its own initiative, entered into a two-year contract with 
the Institute to review and evaluate the research and medical 
literature available to assess associations between exposures and 
health effects on Gulf War veterans. While the contract is not as 
expansive as that which is required in the Persian Gulf War Veterans 
Act of 1998, it lays the groundwork for research that could identify 
probable clinical associations and areas where more work is needed. I 
commend VA for taking the initiative to respond to the recommendation 
made by the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Illnesses and 
reaffirm my commitment to making this a longer-term partnership in the 
future.
  This measure further ensures that the federal government is 
accountable for its research agenda by establishing a Veterans Advisory 
Panel. The Advisory Panel will recommend areas where VA should do 
additional research, advise on strategies for research, and suggest 
improvements in study designs. This measure further ensures that the 
Research Working Group is accountable to Persian Gulf Veterans by 
requiring the Working Group to either implement the Panel's 
recommendations or to justify not incorporating their recommendations.

  The Committee has built on the relationship VA has already 
established with the Institute of Medicine. Assessing health care 
effectiveness was a concern of many of our members, so this measure 
asks VA to work with the Institute of Medicine to identify the outcome 
measures that would be useful in helping us understand which treatments 
are most beneficial to veterans. Outcomes would include measures of 
both health and functional status. Having both types of measures would 
allow us not only to assess if veterans' physical symptoms are 
improving, but if the veteran is also better able to engage in 
productive activities and social relationships.
  Mr. Kennedy's original Persian Gulf bill supported a measure for 
training VA clinicians to provide better health care to those with 
poorly defined symptoms or undiagnosed illnesses. I recognized the 
value in such a proposal immediately and I support the measure included 
in the legislation before us today to ask the Institute of Medicine to 
develop a recommended curriculum for VA primary and specialty 
physicians involved with Gulf War veterans' care.
  H.R. 3980 also establishes a new plan for addressing the spouses and 
children of Gulf War veterans. The current program is expiring but is 
clearly not meeting the needs of veterans' dependents. It offers a 
medical examination at only 18 sites around the country with no follow-
up treatment if a problem is found. VA is now in the third phase of an 
important epidemiological study to identify prevalence of symptoms or 
conditions in veterans and their families. As the findings of this 
study become available, this legislation will require VA to engage in 
additional studies of those conditions veterans' families exhibit more 
than their peers. I will pledge that to the degree there are clinically 
significant associations found in this study, I will offer legislation 
to assure veterans' families have access to treatment for the 
conditions they suffer.
  My friends, Karen Thurman of Florida and Mike Doyle of Pennsylvania 
have each introduced bills to rename VA facilities in their states. 
These bills have been incorporated into H.R. 3980 and just last week, 
companion bills were reported favorably by the Senate Veterans' Affairs 
Committee. Representative Thurman's measure will rename the Gainesville 
VA Medical Center after a long-time public servant, Malcom Randall, who 
served as the facility's director for more than 30 years. Congressman 
Doyle's provision will rename the Aspinwall VA Medical Center in 
Pittsburgh after the late Senator, H. John Heinz III. I thank the 
Members for their commitment to ensuring enactment of these two 
provisions and thank my colleagues on the Committee for favorably 
considering the renaming measures on behalf of these two worthy 
individuals.

  Recently, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the record of 
the Veterans' Health Administration's special programs meeting the 
treatment and rehabilitation needs of disabled veterans. Specifically, 
the Committee wanted to ensure that the VHA was obeying a provision of 
the law Congress enacted as part of its comprehensive Eligibility 
Reform Act in 1994. The Act, along with the sweeping administrative 
changes being made, transformed the delivery of VA medical care. At the 
time the law was enacted, Congress realized there would be far reaching 
changes, many of which would be positive, but was prescient enough to 
recognize that authorizing VA to become a more efficient provider could 
adversely affect some successful programs. Our concerns were based, at 
least in part, upon watching the experience of private sector medicine, 
as it became more cost-effective. Specialty care for people with 
chronic conditions was more adversely affected than care in other 
areas, largely because it cost more to deliver. Accordingly, Congress 
required VA to maintain its capacity to meet veterans' health care and 
rehabilitation needs in the special programs.
  More than a year ago, I requested the General Accounting Office to 
determine whether VA is maintaining its capacity in certain special 
emphasis programs as required by law. The Veterans' Health 
Administration developed these special programs to treat combat 
injuries or other conditions disproportionately experienced by 
veterans. These programs treat and rehabilitate veterans with 
catastrophic illnesses or disabilities--conditions such as Spinal Cord 
Injury, blindness, severe mental illness, amputations, traumatic brain 
injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder--conditions I believe most 
Americans would agree the VA medical system exists to treat.
  It appears the expensive specialized services--the crowned jewels of 
the system--have indeed become increasingly vulnerable to programmatic 
shifts and funding cuts which threaten their integrity. I must sadly 
report that the hearing elicited some of the most disturbing testimony 
our Committee has heard this year. Witnesses made it clear that 
Congress must continue to collect data from VA to assess these programs 
and to improve the data VA collects. It is apparent that too many 
psychiatric inpatient settings are discharging veterans with severe 
mental illness onto the streets without community resources to support 
them; too many spinal cord injury centers lack the resources they need 
to operate and have no medical leadership for months on end; and the 
increasing demands on the prosthetics programs are not being met with 
new resources to support them. Worst of all, witnesses allege that VA 
officials are encouraging employees to underreport important measures 
designed to help Congress understand how well the programs are 
operating! Without these important measures or with faulty and 
inaccurate measures, which are required by law, we are unable to 
provide effective oversight of these critical programs.

  To address this concern, H.R. 3980, as amended, will require VA to 
assess its resource managers' performance in ensuring that special 
programs receive the programmatic and resource support veterans served 
by them deserve. Any merit pay managers receive based on their 
performance must assess how well these important programs are 
maintained. This will better ensure VA managers are not rewarded for 
``dumping'' their patients who are the hardest and most costly to treat 
and is an important test in further protecting the programs which make 
VA a unique and essential provider.
  Also in the interest of special programs, for the third time, this 
Committee will put forward a measure to authorize a major construction 
project to replace the Spinal Cord Injury center

[[Page H6895]]

in Tampa, Florida. There are major deficiencies in the current 
structure and the new wards this project will create are absolutely 
essential. My good friend, Mike Bilirakis, has been a tireless champion 
of this project for more than 10 years--neither the need, nor his 
devotion, to fulfilling it has diminished over this time.
  I am pleased H.R. 3980 is reauthorizing the sexual trauma counseling 
program that is helping so many of our women service members move on 
with their lives after being subject to traumatic physical or verbal 
abuse during military service. During a recent Committee hearing, we 
received unequivocal testimony from VA and veterans' service 
organizations about the value of this important program. In a perfect 
world we would hope that the problem of sexual harassment and abuse in 
our armed forces would diminish and, in time, be eliminated, but, in 
fact, all signs point to just the opposite happening. In this not so 
perfect world, it is essential that we maintain this program.
  I, again, want to thank Chairman Stump for working with me and others 
on this important legislation. I recommend and encourage our colleagues 
to support this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Health.
  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the recognition from the 
distinguished chairman of the full committee. I also want to thank the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member, and the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), the ranking member on the 
Subcommittee on Health. Mr. Speaker, I am going to take a few moments 
just to outline some of the broad understanding of this Gulf War 
syndrome for the record.
  Mr. Speaker, in January and early February of 1991, the United States 
stood on the brink of what many people anticipated would be a 
protracted military campaign against the forces of an aggressor nation. 
Many lawmakers, some in this Chamber, opposed military action, of 
course, fearing heavy losses.
  Thankfully our armed forces proved vastly superior to Saddam 
Hussein's army, and in a matter of days the conflict was over.
  Appropriately, much of the credit for our swift, decisive action went 
to the approximately 700,000 American men and women who served in the 
Gulf War during that operation. As a Nation, of course, we salute their 
heroism.
  In one month after the war's close, however, it became apparent that 
many Persian Gulf veterans who had escaped the hazards of enemy 
rockets, tanks, mines and gunfire were not left untouched. Increasingly 
veterans who returned home uninjured began to experience illnesses with 
multiple symptoms which their doctors really could not explain.
  Almost as soon as the reports of these problems reached Congress, our 
committee, the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, began 
investigating. We held two hearings in 1992 exploring the possible link 
between these illnesses and the troops' exposure to the chemical soot 
of Iraqi-set oil well fires. With continued reports of veterans' health 
problems, the committee continued its review, seeking to explore the 
possible effects of an ever-growing number of risk factors. In all, the 
committee has held 17 hearings relating to the health effects of 
service in the Persian Gulf War. While answers to these many questions 
remained elusive, the committee over the years has nevertheless 
initiated the passage of unprecedented legislation to address health 
care problems experienced by Persian Gulf veterans, research on risk 
factors associated with such service, and provision of compensation for 
veterans with unexplained or undiagnosed conditions.
  In the course of its oversight, the committee has heard from 
individual veterans and their dependents and representatives, as well 
as clinicians, researchers and auditors.

                              {time}  1230

  We have met with and taken testimony from officials of numerous 
government agencies and representatives of each of the expert panels 
which have studied Persian Gulf War veterans' health problems, 
including scientists from the Institute of Medicine and the 
Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Illnesses. The committee 
has led efforts to ensure that lack of definitive answers not be a 
barrier to provision of health care and compensation for health 
problems which appear to have their origin in service. At the same time 
we have pushed and pursued funding for research to ascertain the nature 
of these illnesses and determine the most effective means of treatment.
  Mr. Speaker, numbers and statistics do not adequately explain the 
problems that have led us to develop the bill we bring to the floor 
today. However, the plain-spoken words of a former Marine, Carl 
Wickline, who testified at one of our hearings, graphically convey the 
kind of health problems veterans have encountered:

       Multiple symptoms began to become noticeable shortly after 
     I returned to the United States. Symptoms have included 
     severe headaches, chronic fatigue, recurring neuromuscular 
     back pain, short-term memory loss, lapses in concentration, 
     severe rash, depression which medication has not successfully 
     treated, night sweats, insomnia, severe gastrointestinal 
     problems, blurred vision, photosensitivity, bleeding gums, 
     immune system inefficiencies and multiple chemical 
     sensitivities.

  Describing VA attempts to treat him as having been unsuccessful, he 
stated that,

       I end up in the same place each time I attempt to contact 
     the VA concerning my illnesses. Mental health must be the 
     dead end for all cases which the VA has no knowledge or 
     interest in treating.

  Mr. Speaker, his experiences echo those of many veterans. In fact, in 
my district Michael Adcock of Ocala, Florida, who had many of the 
symptoms Mr. Wickline reported, he died at the age of 22, shortly after 
returning home to Ocala from the Gulf.
  Another spouse, Deborah Smith, testified as to how little trust these 
veterans have.

       For 5 years veterans questioned the likelihood that they 
     had been exposed to chemical weapons during the Gulf War. For 
     5 years the Pentagon denied that possibility. When 
     indisputable evidence was presented in 1996, those denials 
     were turned to affirmation. Sensitivity is needed to grasp 
     the betrayal these soldiers experienced due to this incident.

  What has become clear, Mr. Speaker, is that scientists do not believe 
there is any one single illness or any single exposure which would 
explain all these problems. It seems equally clear that many veterans 
who have undergone VA or DOD clinical examinations or participated in 
the research programs have very real illnesses which are likely 
connected to the service in the Gulf.
  Well, we have reviewed these, and that is why this bill is presented 
today.
  In a June of 1997 report on Gulf War illness and testimony before our 
Subcommittee on Health, the General Accounting Office criticized the 
Federal research effort as, quote, lacking a coherent approach, and 
questioned the emphasis Federal departments have given on 
epidemiological research rather than research on diagnosis, treatment 
and prevention of Gulf War veterans' illnesses. Our committee initiated 
legislation last year to foster more clinical research in this area.
  It is clear that many Persian Gulf veterans are unsatisfied. They are 
frustrated that research has not provided the full answers, and they 
perhaps have lost confidence in departments managing that research, and 
I share their concern. That is why this committee, in developing the 
legislation we are bringing to the floor today, has sought to bring to 
attention these concerns to the public and pass legislation that will 
solve these problems.
  H.R. 3980 would address all these concerns directly. It would provide 
both for independent expert oversight of the Federal research program 
relating to the Gulf War illnesses and a mechanism for, quote, consumer 
participation in Persian Gulf research agenda-setting. It is not all 
the military, it is not all the Veterans Affairs. For the first time we 
bring the consumer in. An independent voice is now available.
  H.R. 3980 would effectively carry out the recommendation that 
Congress provide for independent oversight. It would do so by requiring 
the VA and DOD to enter into contract with the National Academy of 
Sciences, under which the Academy Institute of Medicine would 
periodically review and provide recommendations to the departments on 
their plans and strategies for Persian Gulf research. Such review

[[Page H6896]]

would involve both assessing and making recommendations on the DOD and 
other departments' research plan.
  While the research agenda is the key to resolving long simmering 
questions, many veterans continue to experience disabling health 
problems. To that end this bill today would extend VA special treatment 
authority for Persian Gulf War veterans and to assure that the promise 
of ``priority health care'' is not compromised.
  The bill would also elevate the ``enrollment priority'' of the 
veterans. At the same time the committee recognized that health care 
issues for Persian Gulf veterans are not just issues of access. Lack of 
understanding of these issues and lack of tools available to resolve 
these symptoms have certainly been the perception out there that many 
veterans have, and we seek to change that in this bill. Evaluations of 
VA care for the veterans has not been altogether good.
  The American Legion, for example, testified that, quote, there is 
little evidence that VA's overall approach provides effective medical 
treatment for Gulf War veterans with difficult-to-diagnose and ill-
defined conditions. The structure of VA's medical system, the lack of 
treatment protocols to guide physicians in the treatment of this 
illness, the nature of the illness and the site visit conducted by the 
American Legion suggests that on the whole VA does not effectively 
treat these illnesses. Our bill attempts to correct that.
  There remains questions, I understand, regarding the effectiveness, 
but the important concerns we have are addressed in this bill. In H.R. 
3980 there is a provision to require VA to enter into a contract with 
the National Academy of Sciences to remedy these problems.
  We have, Mr. Speaker, to apply the lessons that we have learned from 
the Persian Gulf War experience and not just continue to hearken on the 
past. Just as our committee has worked to resolve the health problems, 
we believe it is critical to apply the lessons in the future.
  Early this year, for example, the country again faced the possibility 
of committing our armed forces to military intervention in Iraq with 
the potential for renewed combat in the Persian Gulf theater we have to 
be prepared, and we have to have in place legislation to care for these 
soldiers that might go to fight again.
  The findings that we provided in our hearings underscores the 
importance both of increasing understanding of war-related illness 
generally and of ensuring that the Department of Veterans Affairs is 
better prepared to treat veterans in future wars or military combat.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I think this bill takes a long step forward, and let 
me again say that H.R. 3980 is an important bill, not just for Persian 
Gulf veterans, but for those now in military service and in the future. 
I believe the American Legion has best described the significance of 
these provisions in this bill when they talk about it by saying, ``The 
best contribution that Congress can make in the search for the cause 
and medical treatment of Gulf War illnesses, they refer to this bill.''
  So, Mr. Speaker, I believe that H.R. 3980 is an important bill that 
all Members should support, and I urge all my colleagues to do so.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner).
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this time 
to me, and I rise today to speak about two bills, H.R. 3980, the 
Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Care and Research Act of 1998, the 
measure that is before us today, and H.R. 4036, the Persian Gulf War 
Veterans Health Act of 1998 that I hope will be before us at a later 
date. I certainly appreciate the work of the Committee on Veterans' 
Affairs' Subcommittee on Health as well as our full committee on this 
issue. I think we have heard the eloquent statement of the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Stearns), the chairman, that he is attempting to get 
at the root of our problems with the Persian Gulf War illness. The 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), his ranking member, and the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), chairman of the full committee, and 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member, have spent 
countless hours in crafting this legislation, and as the gentleman from 
Florida said, I think this will address many of the concerns of our 
Persian Gulf War veterans.
  I will be voting for this bill. But I think the statement that the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) so eloquently gave and the 
compassion which he feels for our veterans should logically lead to a 
bill which would go a little further, and let me make my concerns clear 
about that by spending a few minutes on a bill that was later 
introduced, H.R. 4036, introduced by the gentleman from Connecticut 
(Mr. Shays), who was chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources 
for the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of our House. That 
is a bill which also enjoys bipartisan support in Congress, widespread 
support in both the Gulf War veterans' community and the veterans' 
community at large. The Shays bill does three things more than the bill 
before us:
  Number 1, it assumes that our fighting men and women were indeed 
exposed to toxins found in the Gulf War, including chemical warfare 
agents, experimental drugs and depleted uranium. Thus this legislation 
provides researchers with a blueprint of where to begin. It creates a 
definitive toxic exposure list, one that can be added to with new 
information. Given dramatic failures at the Department of Defense and 
the Department of Veterans' Affairs to begin, even begin, research on 
oil well fire pollution, depleted uranium or combinations of exposures 
creating this sort of list is a clear step in the right direction, and 
passage of such a bill has strong precedent. The Agent Orange Act of 
1991, for example, contained a listing of herbicide toxic exposures. If 
we never actually list the toxins, as H.R. 4036 does, then the 
suspected causes are left open for endless future debate with little 
possibility of action or treatment for our veterans.
  Secondly, what I find most disturbing about the bill before us is 
that the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense remain 
basically in charge of the medical research, research the Committee on 
Government Reform and Oversight of this House has found, and I quote, 
irreparably flawed, hobbled by institutional inertia, plagued by 
arrogant incuriosity and a pervasive myopia. In my view, these 
agencies, condemned by their own stonewalling and lack of 
forthrightness to the American people, have forfeited the right to 
direct this research effort.
  H.R. 4036, the bill that I hope will come before us, would establish 
an independent research body to investigate toxic exposures and true, 
true independent oversight of government research. With this kind of 
expanded research scientists would have a better chance of discovering 
treatment programs that Gulf War veterans desperately need, contrasted 
with most of the research done by the VA and DOD up to this point. The 
General Accounting Office, as already pointed out by the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Stearns), characterized those efforts as lacking focus and 
putting little or no emphasis on developing treatment programs. It is 
time for a radical change in the structure by which we carry out this 
research.
  Thirdly, under H.R. 4036, when scientists find an association between 
the exposure and illness, the ill Gulf War veteran becomes classified 
as service connected; that is, eligible for not only health care but 
compensation and other benefits. This is a health crisis, Mr. Speaker, 
not a political football to be decided by the public relations and 
turf-conscious referees in those departments. This issue should be in 
the hands of scientists.
  As I said earlier, I will vote in favor of H.R. 3980. The gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Stearns) has made an excellent case for how it will 
make improvements in our treatment of Persian Gulf War veterans. But I 
do not believe that this should be the final vote on this issue. It 
gets us closer to the goal, but it does not score the goal. Why I ask, 
Mr. Speaker, after 7 years should Gulf War veterans settle for anything 
less than a full accountability and full responsibility from their 
government? H.R. 4036 goes all the way and addresses the core problems 
at issue. Congress can do no less than to support those who have 
allowed this great Nation to remain free and prosperous.

[[Page H6897]]

  All Gulf War veterans want to know is how they got sick, how they are 
going to get better and how this country is going to prevent future 
comrades from getting the same sickness. This is the essence of the 
written as well as the unwritten contracts between those who lay their 
lives on the line for our people. Our Persian Gulf War veterans gave 
their best, they deserve the best from their country: the best in 
research, the best in treatments. We should be doing nothing less.

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman).
  Mrs. THURMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Persian Gulf Veterans Health 
Care and Research Act of 1998. Seven years and hundreds of billions of 
dollars later, our Nation's Gulf War veterans still do not have the 
answer to their most pressing question, what is causing Persian Gulf 
War syndrome.
  While I continue to find this troubling, I believe that Congress is 
on the right track by continuing to elevate the priority for access to 
VA health care for Persian Gulf War veterans. The symptoms associated 
with Gulf War syndrome are often so complex and obscured that it can be 
difficult to continuously prove service-connected disability. 
Furthermore, Congress should be encouraging early intervention and 
treating these illnesses, often made difficult by current eligibility 
requirements. This legislation would provide priority health care to 
treat illness that may be attributable to a veteran's service in 
combat.
  Unfortunately, our Nation's troops may be needed again in a region 
where chemical warfare is a possibility. When they put their lives on 
the line to protect our freedoms, we should hold nothing back to ensure 
their safety. We owe our veterans, present and future, this investment.
  I would also like to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman 
Stump) for all of his help over the last couple of months, and the 
ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) and the entire 
Florida delegation, including the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) 
and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), for including in this 
comprehensive bill my legislation, H.R. 3336, renaming the VA Medical 
Center in Gainesville, Florida, the Malcolm Randall VA Medical Center.
  After 32 years of service, on April 27 of this year Mr. Malcolm 
Randall retired as director of the Gainesville VA Medical Center. Mr. 
Randall has devoted his life to serving our country bravely and 
meritoriously. His long and honorable career is recognized worldwide.
  Not only did Mr. Randall serve on PT boats and battleships in the 
South Pacific in World War II, he was formerly Air Staff Commander of 
the Naval Air Reserve Unit in Jacksonville, Florida, and holds the rank 
of Captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve.
  In addition, he was awarded the two highest awards the VA offers, the 
Meritorious Service Award and Exceptional Service Award. Throughout 
Florida, Mr. Randall is regarded as a leader in introducing medical 
technology and techniques that have resulted in higher quality medical 
care being delivered to greater numbers of veterans.
  It is altogether fitting that one of the premier VA medical centers 
in this country, one that symbolizes innovation and excellence in 
medical care, should bear his name. With passage of this bill, not only 
the entire Florida delegation but the Nation can take pride in Mr. 
Randall's achievements.
  Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Arizona (Chairman Stump) 
for all of his help.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Stearns).
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I just want to echo the comments of my 
colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman). We did indeed 
recognize Malcolm Randall for his efforts, the 40 years of hard work he 
has done at that hospital. I had the privilege to represent that 
hospital for 4 years in Congress, and I wanted to echo the sentiments 
of my colleague.
  Mr. Randall has been an outstanding administrator, and, more 
importantly, he has been there for 40 years. He developed this hospital 
from a very small facility to a very prestigious institution. I have 
toured that facility many times and I have spoken at their dedications 
and veterans' ceremonies, so I feel a special akin to that institution.
  So I am pleased to recognize the naming of the institution, as the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman) has mentioned. I am glad we 
included this initiative as part of our bill. I wanted to thank the 
gentlewoman for her efforts, because she is the one that spearheaded 
this effort and got it going in the early stages. She also got the 
Florida delegation to all sign on. The gentlewoman is to be recognized, 
and that is another reason I stand. I stand also to recognize the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman) for her efforts.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to again commend the gentle man from 
Florida (Mr. Stearns), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member on the 
committee, and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), for their 
work in drafting this bill. I am pleased to be able to accommodate the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman), and I thank her.
  Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3980, the 
Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Care and Research Act. Incorporated as 
part of H.R. 3980, is legislation I introduced, H.R. 2775, which 
designates the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in 
Aspinwall, Pennsylvania as the H. John Heinz, III Veterans Affairs 
Medical Center.
  As the Chairman of the Senate VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, the 
late Senator Heinz made a top priority of ensuring that the federal 
government maintained its commitment to our nation's veterans. In 
keeping with this legacy, I am confident Senator Heinz would be honored 
to have his name associated with legislation that reinforces our 
commitment to those who served in the Persian Gulf War.
  In the area of southwestern Pennsylvania where both Senator Heinz and 
I were born and raised, young men and women have served in our nation's 
armed forces at a greater rate than almost anywhere in our country. 
Because of this, the VA has been a major part of life in our 
communities for generations, and the benefits and services provided by 
the VA have improved the lives of countless families in our area. As 
the son of a fully disabled World War II veteran, I can personally 
attest to this fact.
  Without question, the Aspinwall facility was constructed as a direct 
result of Senator Heinz' recognition of the critical need for increased 
VA health care services in Pittsburgh. Thus, it is fitting and 
appropriate that the Aspinwall facility be renamed to acknowledge his 
dedication to all those who have benefited from the hospital's medical 
care. I can assure all members of the House that renaming the Aspinwall 
VA facility is no small tribute.
  The tragic death of Senator Heinz in 1991 was, and continues to be, a 
heartfelt loss for not only the veterans of Pennsylvania, but for all 
of its residents. The gratitude that Pennsylvanians have for Senator 
Heinz is evident in the overwhelming support my bill has received from 
members of the Pennsylvania delegation and veterans organizations from 
across the Commonwealth.
  I am pleased that the House is considering H.R. 2775 as part of the 
Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Care and Research Act. I want to 
extend my sincere thanks to Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Stump 
and Ranking Member Evans for their support of my efforts to rename the 
Aspinwall VA facility in honor of the life and achievements of Senator 
John Heinz. I urge support for H.R. 3980.
  Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3980. 
Eight years after 700,000 American troops were deployed to the Persian 
Gulf, many disturbing questions remain unanswered about their residual 
medical conditions. As I said at our joint Subcommittee on Health and 
Oversight Hearings on Persian Gulf War Veterans' Health Concerns in 
April 1997, ``It is clearly evident that our government was aware of 
the presence of chemical weapons in Iraq since at least 1986. The CIA 
and the Defense Department's long denial of the possibility of chemical 
weapons exposure was a great disservice to thousands of Gulf War 
veterans who believe their tour of duty in the Persian Gulf has 
adversely affected their health.''
  While DoD and the VA have improved their research, a more disciplined 
approach is required to address the unresolved questions regarding 
Persian Gulf veterans health problems

[[Page H6898]]

as well as applying these lessons learned from the Persian Gulf 
experience to assist veterans who may deploy in future conflicts.
  As my colleagues have mentioned before me, this legislation would 
authorize the VA to provide priority health care to treat illnesses 
that may be attributable to a veteran's service in combat during any 
period of war after the Vietnam War or during any other future period 
of hostilities.
  This legislation would require the VA to establish a multi-
disciplinary National Center for the Study of War-Related Illnesses to 
carry out and foster research, education and improved clinical care of 
war-related illnesses.
  This bill contains many requirements for accountability and openness, 
so I have chosen to address only a few. I fully support all provisions 
of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Chairman Stump of the full Committee, 
Mr. Evans, the Ranking Minority Member, Chairman Stearns of the 
Subcommittee on Health, and Mr. Gutierrez, the Subcommittee's Ranking 
Minority Member, for their hard work and bipartisan approach on the 
bill. I am pleased to join them in cosponsoring the bill.
  And finally, Mr. Speaker, when we send American troops into the 
hostile physical and military environment of war and they come back 
wounded or ill, we need to do all we can to heal the wounds of war. I 
urge all of my colleagues to approve this bill.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in strong support 
of H.R. 3980, the Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Care and Research 
Act.
  HR. 3980 establishes priority VA health care enrollment to treat 
illnesses that may have been caused by a veterans service in any combat 
period after the Vietnam war or for any future combat service. This 
treatment will be available for five years after a veterans discharge 
from service.
  This legislation also directs the VA to establish a multi-
disciplinary center to support research, education and improved 
treatment of war-related illnesses. Furthermore, the VA must establish 
a joint research project with the national academy of sciences to study 
the efficacy of treatments given to Gulf war veterans for possible 
service-connected illness. Finally, the emphasis of public input on 
gulf war illness efforts is increased.
  Mr. Speaker, in my view this legislation is long overdue. As we all 
know, the track record of the Department of Defense and the Pentagon 
regarding Gulf War illness research is sorely lacking. For years, the 
VA was all too happy to accept the overly optimistic findings of DOD 
that no veterans had been exposed to toxic chemicals or other 
materials. Consequently, research on Gulf-war illness did not truly 
begin until 1995, four years after the war ended.
  Moreover, Mr. Speaker, this research effort has been slow to get off 
the ground and lacks, a uniform approach. The General Accounting Office 
has been sharply critical of the VA research efforts, and the VA has 
chosen to contest GAO findings, rather than adopt more of them.
  In the interim, our Gulf-war veterans, have not been getting any 
healthier, their symptoms are real, they are debilitating, and they are 
most definitely not products of the veterans' imaginations, I hope that 
this legislation will continue to make their lives, and their coping 
with their symptoms, a somewhat easier.
  According, I urge my colleagues to support this worthwhile 
legislation.
  Mr. STUMP. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Barrett of Nebraska). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3980, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________