[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 111 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     PERSIAN GULF WAR VETERANS HEALTH CARE AND RESEARCH ACT OF 1998

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                               speech of

                       HON. JOSEPH P. KENNEDY II

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 3, 1998

  Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, for the past seven years, 
since the Persian Gulf War ended, our veterans have suffered from a 
myriad of symptoms with no end in sight--dizziness, severe headaches, 
chest pain, shortness of breath, aching joints and depression, to cite 
just a few examples of what they are going through.
  Seven years ago, when the Persian Gulf War ended, a hearing was held 
here in Washington to investigate reports that Persian Gulf Veterans 
were suffering a series of mysterious symptoms. But there were no 
veterans at the witness table in the Committee room. So in 1992, I held 
a hearing in Boston to gather testimony from sick veterans who could 
tell me about their health problems. At that time, sick veterans were 
being called malingerers or worse, by the Defense Department. People 
didn't believe they were really sick.
  But by early 1993, it was clear that there was a problem. Literally 
hundreds of veterans were calling my office to report of symptoms 
ranging from skin rashes and respiratory problems to kidney failure and 
cancer that they believed were linked to service in the Gulf conflict. 
The Pentagon continued to deny any link but was forced to take a closer 
look at the facts once countries that were members of the Persian Gulf 
Coalition began reporting exposures of their own troops to chemical and 
biological weapons.
  Finally, in April 1996, the CIA released a report showing solid 
evidence that thousands of chemical weapons had been stored at 
Khamisiyah and that our troops may have been exposed to those deadly 
agents after the allied forces bombed the storage facilities.
  Now here we are, seven years after the war. We've financed 103 
research projects, at a cost of $49 million dollars, and we've had a 
presidential panel study the veterans health problems. But DoD and VA 
have not answered the veterans' questions about what caused them to get 
sick and when they will get effective treatment.
  The veterans are frustrated, and rightly so. They still suffer from a 
myriad of illnesses like stomach disorders and painful muscles and 
joints, to name just a few of them. The veterans don't want to hear the 
argument that their illnesses are caused by stress.
  When I talk to the veterans, they tell me they do want to know what 
caused them to get sick, but they also want research to be done to find 
effective treatment into exposure to biological and chemical agents. 
That is what they believe is the key to the problem.
  These are brave men and women who answered their country's call at a 
time of need. They deserve a full accounting of how their service might 
be linked to these horrible illnesses that have so devastated their 
family lives and careers.
  So based on the discussions I've had with Persian Gulf veterans over 
these seven years, I am pleased to have participated in negotiations to 
create a bi-partisan bill, HR 3980, ``The Persian Gulf War Veterans 
Health Care and Research Act of 1998'' with Chairman Bob Stump, Ranking 
Member Lane Evans, Health Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns, and 
Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Luis Gutierrez.
  I don't believe we have had a focused, coherent federal research 
strategy. HR 3980 will give the Persian Gulf Veterans confidence that 
priority is being given to researching their exposure to biological or 
chemical weapons, and the resulting effects on their health, so that 
effective treatment can be found and administered, to fight the 
detrimental effects of this exposure on the veterans' health.
  Through this bill, we will ensure priority is given to exposure to 
biological and chemical weapons by setting up a Public Advisory 
Committee to advise the Persian Gulf Veterans Coordinating Board on 
what kind of research to target. I am pleased that members of this 
Advisory Committee will represent groups that were formed specifically 
to help Persian Gulf Veterans. Their active participation on the 
Committee will ensure that adequate, targeted research into exposure to 
biological and chemical agents will be done.
  Physicians at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and at the 
Pentagon, don't have a training program to become updated on how to 
administer the latest treatment protocols as they become available from 
research findings. This is essential, and is badly needed. I am pleased 
that HR 3980 includes provisions to provide training to physicians at 
VA and the Pentagon, so they can give the best possible care to our 
Persian Gulf veterans.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, this bill provides a provision I sought to 
publish treatment protocols on the Internet and in peer-reviewed 
medical journals because many Persian Gulf veterans receive health care 
in the private sector. If we publish the research findings, private 
sector physicians who treat Persian Gulf Veterans will have access to 
those treatment protocols.
  It is my hope that HR 3980, ``The Persian Gulf War Veterans Health 
Care and Research Act of 1998'' will restore the veterans' confidence 
in our government's efforts to make them well again, will give them a 
fresh start, and will take the needed steps to finally solve the 
Persian Gulf veterans' health problems.

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