As a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I participated in the congressional hearings regarding the health problems some of our Gulf War veterans have experienced in the years since coming home from the war.

Veterans have reported a variety of symptoms, such as cognitive difficulties, trouble sleeping, loss of balance, numbness in the hands and feet, and joint and muscle pain. As of yet, researchers have been unable to pin down a cause for this mysterious illness, commonly referred to as the Gulf War Syndrome. During past sessions and in the 105th, however, Congress has worked legislatively and with the medical community to find some answers and assist our veterans in getting medical help.

For example, Congress enacted legislation which requires VA medical centers to provide care to veterans who may have been exposed to toxic materials during service in the Gulf, regardless of whether the veterans' health problems have been determined to be directly connected to that service. Congress also authorized compensation on a presumptive basis to Gulf War veterans suffering chronic disability from undiagnosed illnesses.

In order to make progress in our efforts to find what lies behind these illnesses, the various branches of government must cooperate to provide all relevant information. During last week's hearing, the 11th held by the House VA Committee since the illness emerged, we heard testimony from members of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses, which is made up of a panel of scientists, veterans and health-care professionals.

I was disturbed by the committee's discovery that efforts by the Department of Defense to assess possible exposure of U.S. troops to chemical warfare agents in the Gulf were superficial and "unlikely to provide credible answers to veterans' and the public's questions." The committee noted that the lack of data made available by the DOD has partly undermined the public's faith in the government's commitment to find solutions to the problems of our veterans.

As the president has pointed out, caring for our veterans is not a partisan issue. It is a national commitment. I hope that as we hold further investigations into the illnesses that have plagued the men and women who served this country, we can expect full cooperation from all levels of government to find some answers.

I welcome your views and comments.

Transmitted: 10/06/97 15:49 (gulfsynd)