[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15151]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                H.R. 2540, VETERANS BENEFITS ACT OF 2001

  (Mr. SHOWS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHOWS. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be here as a member of the 
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs to share my strong support of H.R. 
2540, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2001.
  These men and women, uprooted from their families and communities, 
served our country with honor and dignity. Yet when it was time for the 
VA to serve them, thousands were categorically denied.
  Earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 612, the Persian Gulf War 
Illness Compensation Act of 2001 with two other outstanding advocates 
for veterans, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) and the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly). This legislation garnered 
strong bipartisan support from over 225 Members of the House.
  The Veterans Benefits Act of 2001 will now clarify VA standards for 
compensation by recognizing fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, 
multiple chemical sensitivity, and other ailments as key symptoms of 
undiagnosed or poorly defined illnesses associated with Gulf War 
service. Additionally, this bill extends the presumptive period for 
undiagnosed illnesses to December 31, 2003. This is a true victory for 
veterans.
  Mr. Speaker, these veterans put their lives on the land to protect, 
defend and advance the ideals of democracy.
  Vote for this bill. It is the right thing to do.

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