FOR RELEASE: December 14, 2001

Evans Introduces Legislation to Provide a Statutory Presumption
of Service-Connection for Gulf Veterans Diagnosed
With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

Washington, DC – Congressman Lane Evans of Illinois, the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, and Congresswoman Lois Capps have joined together as the primary authors of legislation, H.R. 3461, to provide a statutory presumption of service-connection for veterans who served in Southwest Asia and now suffer from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).  A determination of service-connection entitles veterans to receive service-connected compensation, medical care and other benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Gulf War veterans have long contended that they suffer from a higher rate of ALS than would be expected.  ALS is a rapidly progressive fatal neurological disease characterized by loss of motor function.  The disease usually affects men in their late fifties and women in their sixties, but an unexpectedly high number of younger Gulf War veterans have been diagnosed with this condition.  According to VA officials, at least 36 Gulf War veterans who were deployed to Southwest Asia have had ALS claims for service-connection granted while an additional 16 veterans have had their claims denied.

Evans has strongly advocated that research involving Gulf War veterans should focus on the prevalence of illnesses among veterans who served in Southwest Asia as compared to peers not deployed in the Gulf War theatre.  Evans noted that “unfortunately, research utilizing the ‘Agent Orange’ model which sought to link exposure to herbicides to specific medical conditions, has not served Gulf veterans well.  Because of the multitude of environmental and other exposures experienced by veterans in the Gulf, it has proven virtually impossible to associate specific illnesses with specific exposures.”  VA’s recent research, confirming earlier findings of an excess occurrence of ALS in younger veterans is an example of the importance of using prevalence data to support service-connection of disabilities.

Evans was encouraged by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi’s decision to move quickly to provide compensation to affected veterans.  “I hope these findings will encourage VA and the Department of Defense to conduct further studies focusing on higher than expected rates of other illnesses in Gulf veterans.”  

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