The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Nathan White (202)225-5871

Kucinich Wins $8 Million Dollars for Gulf War Illnesses Research

Efforts by Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) to continue to help ailing veterans of the first Gulf War paid off yesterday when he won the inclusion of $8,000,000 for the Gulf War Veterans' Illness Research Program (GWVIRP) in H.R. 1437, the Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 2011.

"One in four veterans of the first Gulf War suffers from Gulf War Veterans Illnesses. We absolutely cannot allow the research into ways to provide relief to be stopped. We owe it to our veterans," said Kucinich

WASHINGTON

Efforts by Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) to continue to help ailing veterans of the first Gulf War paid off yesterday when he won the inclusion of $8,000,000 for the Gulf War Veterans' Illness Research Program (GWVIRP) in H.R. 1437, the Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 2011.

"One in four veterans of the first Gulf War suffers from Gulf War Veterans Illnesses. We absolutely cannot allow the research into ways to provide relief to be stopped. We owe it to our veterans," said Kucinich

Congressman Kucinich has consistently led the bipartisan Congressional effort to maintain this critical research. Last year, Congressman Kucinich led a bipartisan letter signed by 21 members to the Defense Appropriations Committee urging full funding for GWVIRP. Research has shown that Gulf War veterans suffer from ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, at double the rate of their non-deployed peers. The landmark 2008 report from the Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans Illnesses stated that "Gulf War illness is real, that it is the result of neurotoxic exposures during Gulf War deployment, and that few veterans have recovered or substantially improved with time."

"We have a responsibility to find treatments for the soldiers who continue to pay a heavy price for their service over 15 years later," added Kucinich

In fiscal year 2010, $8 million was appropriated for Gulf War Illness research.

Dennis Kucinich is an American politician. A U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013, he was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008.