[Peace-discuss] in prepration for war

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

VA witholding Crucial Gulf War Statistics as we approach war with Iraq
The VA is in violation of public law
    

 

The National Gulf War Resource Center (NGWRC) is requesting that the 
Department of Veterans Affairs release up-to-date Gulf War veteran death and 
disability statistics. The NGWRC has made this request informally and now 
formally with a letter to Secretary Principi. 

Public Law 102-585 Sections 701 and 702 state that every three months, as 
required by law, the VA must publish the "Gulf War Veterans Information 
System" report.

The last Gulf War statistics were released in February 2002. The next release 
was due in May 2002. VA is now four months delinquent in distributing these 
critical statistics.

As we approach the possibility of returning to IRAQ to fight a second Gulf 
War these statistics will provide key evidence about the last Gulf War and 
the illnesses those veterans face as a result of fighting on a toxic 
battlefield. This report also has political implications on the VA's ability 
to handle additional casualties from what is already proven to be a 
Chemical/Biologically dirty battlefield.

Based on current US policy toward Iraq it appears that a confrontation is 
inevitable. The NGWRC is concerned that offensive chemical and biological 
agents may be used by Iraq against our forces. The VA is ill prepared to 
handle large amounts of veterans returning from a Chemical/ Biological 
battlefield.

The NGWRC routinely assist Gulf War veterans who have had claims on file with 
the VA for over 5 years. Some Gulf War veterans cannot obtain treatment or 
compensation because of the “Burden of Proof” required by the VA for claims 
approval. We simply want the VA to abide by Public Law 102-585 Sections 701 
and 702. The VA should not be in the business of considering the political 
implications of this report on current events. 

America is strong enough to hear bad news. If this report makes us pause and 
rethink our position on the VA’s ability to care for veterans returning from 
a Chemical/Biological war then so be it. The NGWRC understands that the VA is 
under funded and we object strongly to President Bush's recent refusal to 
spend $275 million for much-needed healthcare. As a result of this budget 
cut, VA services to all veterans will suffer; let alone the VA’s ability to 
handle a new generation of Gulf War veterans.

Posted to the NGWRC Web 8/28/2002 5:53:12 PM
 
 
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Reference: <http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml>.