FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 10, 1997
CONTACT: Dana Hagerty 202/225-2165
WASHINGTON, DC -- Congressman Collin C. Peterson (DFL-7th District) today applauded President Clinton's decision to extend the eligibility period for compensation for Persian Gulf War veterans with undiagnosed illnesses. Peterson and other Members of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee wrote a letter to Department of Veterans' Affairs Secretary Jesse Brown requesting this extension.
"This is good news for Gulf War veterans," Peterson said. "There could be up to 5,000 people who were denied benefits because they didn't meet the original two-year deadline."
The period in which Gulf War veterans with undiagnosed illnesses presumed related to their service in the Gulf which can qualify them for VA compensation benefits has been extended through December 31, 2001.
"The men and women who served in the Persian Gulf who now are suffering from undiagnosed illnesses deserve this," Peterson said.
The Department of Veterans' Affairs will be developing implementing regulations which will be printed in the Federal Register. There will also be a public comment period before these regulations are finalized.