Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1672, a measure I have introduced to commemorate the Persian Gulf War and reaffirm our Nation's commitment to the veterans who served in it. A cease-fire was declared by President George Bush on February 28, 1991, 100 hours after the ground campaign began. Yet, this war is far from over for the veterans who served so courageously in the gulf. In fact, an estimated 174,000 still suffer from Gulf War illness, including Gulf War syndrome. These veterans and their families must now wage a campaign of a different sort within the VA system. This includes my constituent, Michelle Comeau, of Dixfield, Maine, who was exposed to toxic sarin gas as a member of the Army National Guard. This led to unbearable migraines that have since rendered her 100 percent disabled. In addition, her two daughters were subsequently born with rare birth defects, and have since developed symptoms similar to their mother. Sadly, Michelle and many other veterans and their families across the country continue to suffer. Not enough is known about these illnesses, including whether or not it can be passed from one generation to the next. Because of this, it is critical that VA continues its research efforts on illnesses of Gulf War veterans.”