(Washington, DC) -- The nation's largets post-Cold War veteran and servicemember advocacy organization today praised the introduction of HR 612, the Persian Gulf War Illness Compensation Act of 2001, co-sponsored by Representative's Donald Manzullo (R-Il) and Ronnie Shows (D-MS). "This legislation will help make it easier for Gulf War veterans to get compensated for undiagnosed illnesses, and it extends the presumptive period another full decade," said Patrick G. Eddington, executive director of the National Gulf War Resource Center. "If enacted, this legislation will have a major positive impact on the lives of ill Desert Storm veterans."

The bill tightens the language defining "undiagnosed illnesses," the catch phrase used to describe what is commonly referred to as Gulf War illness, in an effort to overturn the Department of Veterans Affairs nearly 75% rejection rate for such claims. The bill also extends the presumptive period for developing illnesses through the 2011, while giving the Secretary of Veterans Affairs the leeway to extend the presumptive period further.

Eddington also praised the bipartisan approach taken by the bill's co-sponsors.

"In a Congress so closely divided politically, it's reassuring to see that bipartisan cooperation on veterans issues is still the norm. We look forward to seeing a similar measure introduced in the Senate in the very near future."

Eddington noted that then-presidential candidate George W. Bush had promised in the fall of 1999 to make the concerns of Gulf War veterans a major priority for his administration.

Addressing a crowd in Manchester, New Hampshire just before Veterans Day, Bush said that the "skeptical looks and paper-shuffling excuses for withholding coverage" would end if he became president. Eddington expressed NGWRC's hope that Bush would remember Gulf War veterans in his State of the Union address.

"Given that he'll deliver the speech on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Gulf War ceasefire, it would only be appropriate for him to reiterate his campaign commitment to help sick Gulf War veterans. We certainly hope he does."

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