Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2009 -- (House of Representatives - July 31, 2008)

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Mr. THOMPSON of California. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for all your work on this bill and all that you have done over the years for both veterans and those currently serving in the military. I value greatly all the work that you have done. But as Mr. Rehberg said, 45 years ago, the Department of Defense began more than 50 chemical and biological weapons tests on U.S. servicemen without their knowledge. The government called these top secret tests Project SHAD. For the next 40 years, the Department of Defense denied Project SHAD even took place.

Ten years ago, I was able to prove that in fact they did take place, and the DOD said they only used simulants and at no time were these veterans exposed to anything harmful. Finally, after 3 more years of work, the DOD admitted they used live and extremely dangerous agents, such as Vx nerve gas and sarin.

More alarming than the lies and the coverup, we are not giving these veterans the care they need and deserve today. A recent Associated Press article revealed that only 6 percent of claims made by Project SHAD veterans and other veterans involved in these secret government tests have been accepted by the VA. That is only 39 out of 641 claims. These brave men served our country and they served it with distinction, and in return they were unknowingly used as human guinea pigs by their own government. Now they are denied care.

The extension of treatment authority would go a long way towards increasing the VA's dismal record in helping our veterans exposed to these harmful agents, a record that the veterans service associations in this country have called shocking, disgraceful and disappointing.

I hope that the chairman can assure me that he will work together with us to find the appropriate vehicle to extend this important provision.

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