    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [June 21, 1996]
    [Page 954]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 954]]

    Statement on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses
    June 21, 1996

        In March 1995, I announced my intention to leave no stone unturned
    in our efforts to determine the causes of the illnesses being
    experienced by veterans of the Gulf war and to provide effective medical
    care to those who are ill. Since that time, we have been pursuing a wide
    range of initiatives on Gulf war illnesses, including re-examining
    intelligence and operational records for evidence of possible exposure
    to chemical or biological weapons.
        As part of this ongoing effort, the Department of Defense, based
    partly on information brought to its attention by the United Nations
    Special Commission, has confirmed that, shortly after the war, U.S.
    troops destroyed an Iraqi ammunition bunker that contained chemical
    weapons. Chemical detectors were used by U.S. troops both before and
    during the destruction operation. While we have no evidence today that
    Americans were exposed to chemical weapons during the operation, this is
    a very important issue which we will continue to investigate thoroughly.
        The release of this new information reflects my commitment to
    unraveling the Gulf war illnesses problem. We will continue to work
    closely with the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans'
    Illnesses to ensure that we are doing everything possible to address the
    health consequences of service in the Persian Gulf. We will also
    continue to make new information on this important issue available to
    veterans and their families.