Very Specific Action that all can take to help gulf war veterans right now!
During the August Recess all should contact their Senators to get support on
this particular step!
Write your Senator an email, call the local and DC office of your Senators
let them know that the veteran community is watching and wants this done!
It is now in the Senator’s court and then to the conference committee for
Defense Appropriations and Authorizations! All of this will happen quickly in
September when they return so we have thirty days to let them hear us loud
and clear!
Let’s be sure and get more Senators supporting this effort!
Sincerely, Denise DSNurse@aol.
S.AMDT.2060
Amends: _H.R.1585_ (http://thomas.
Sponsor: _Sen Sanders, Bernard_
(http://thomas.
(submitted 7/10/2007)
AMENDMENT PURPOSE: Purpose will be available when the amendment is proposed
for consideration. See Congressional Record for text.
TEXT OF AMENDMENT AS SUBMITTED: CR _S8960_
(http://thomas.
COSPONSORS(4)
_Sen Byrd, Robert C._
(http://thomas.
_Sen Feingold, Russell D._
(http://thomas.
7/10/2007
_Sen Kerry, John F._
(http://thomas.
_Sen Hutchison, Kay Bailey_
(http://thomas.
7/16/2007
SA 2060. Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. Byrd, and Mr. Feingold) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 1585, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department
of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the
Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as
follows:
At the end of title VII, add the following:
SEC. 703. PROGRAM OF RESEARCH ON DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF ILLNESSES
INCURRED IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR.
(a) Program Required.–
(1) IN GENERAL.–The Army Medical Research and Materiel Command shall carry
out, as part of its Medical Research Program, a program of research on the
diagnosis and treatment of illnesses incurred by members of the Armed Forces
during service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations in the early 1990s
during the Persian Gulf War.
(2) DESIGNATION.
“Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Research Program”.
(3) PURPOSE.–The purpose of the program shall be to develop diagnostic
markers and treatments for the complex of symptoms commonly known as “Gulf War
Illnesses (GWI)”, including widespread pain, cognitive impairment, and
persistent fatigue in conjunction with diverse other symptoms and abnormalities,
that are associated with service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations in
the early 1990s during the Persian Gulf War.
(b) Program Activities.-
section shall include the following:
(1) Research activities on the chronic effects of exposures to neurotoxins
associated with service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations in the
early 1990s during the Persian Gulf War, body functions underlying illnesses
associated with exposure to such neurotoxins, and the identification of
treatments for such illnesses.
(2) Pilot studies of treatments for the complex of symptoms described in
subsection (a)(3) and comprehensive clinical trials of such treatments that have
demonstrated effectiveness in previous past pilot studies, in the conduct of
which treatments and trials–
(A) highest priority shall be afforded to studies and trials to identify and
develop effective biological markers and treatments for such complex of
symptoms;
(B) secondary priority shall be afforded to studies and trials that identify
biological mechanisms underlying such complex of symptoms and can lead to
the identification and development of such markers; and treatments; and
(C) no study shall be conducted on a psychiatric or psychological basis for
such complex of symptoms (as is consistent with current research findings).
(c) Solicitation and Evaluation of Program Activities.-
(1) SOLICITATION.
program required by this section, the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
shall distribute broad solicitations and announcements of requests for
proposals for such activities among governmental and non-governmental entities.
(2) PEER REVIEW.–In selecting activities to be conducted under the program,
the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command shall utilize a peer review
process for the identification of activities having the most substantial
scientific merit.
(3) UTILIZATION OF EXPERT SERVICES.–In preparing solicitations and
announcements under paragraph (1), and in conducting peer review under paragraph (2),
the Army Medical Research and Materiel Command shall, to the extent
practicable, utilize the services of individuals with recognized expertise in the
complex of symptoms described in subsection (a)(3).
(d) Consultation.
carry out the program required by this section in close consultation with the
advisory committee established under section 707(b) of the Persian Gulf War
Veterans’ Health Status Act (title VII of Public Law 102-585; 38 U.S.C. 527
note).
(e) Funding.–
(1) ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM.–The amount authorized to
be appropriated by section 1403 for Defense Health Program is hereby
increased by $30,000,000.
(2) AVAILABILITY.
1403 for Defense Health Program, as increased by paragraph (1), $30,000,000 may
be available for the program required by this section.