Robert Stump: “H.R. 3980 is the Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Care and Research Act of 1998. H.R. 3980 addresses the most pressing…”

“H.R. 3980 is the Persian Gulf War Veterans Health Care and Research Act of 1998. H.R. 3980 addresses the most pressing concerns facing our Persian Gulf War veterans today. It does so by extending and expanding the VA's treatment authority for Persian Gulf veterans; by taking major steps to improve the effectiveness of that treatment; and by strengthening the process by which the government sets its Persian Gulf research agenda. This legislation is also forward looking in providing broad treatment authority for veterans of any future combat situations, and requiring the VA to establish a center for the study of war-related illnesses. The bill also extends VA's authority to provide counseling for sexual trauma to the year 2001. I would like to thank and acknowledge the leadership and work of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), our subcommittee chairman, and also commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), the ranking member of the full committee, and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Kennedy) for initiating legislation of their own and for their work on this bill.”