[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.