Continuing his fight to better provide for West Virginia's troops and veterans, U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) urged members of Congress, Thursday, to support increased funding for the Gulf War Veterans’ Illness Research Program (GWVIRP) to ensure the continuation of important studies seeking treatment for the thousands of American Veterans suffering from Gulf War-related illnesses.

“As our Nation commemorates the fifth anniversary of the current war in Iraq next week, we must not forget the sacrifices made by our brave men and women in uniform during the first Gulf War, over seventeen years ago,” said Rahall. “This funding will greatly expand treatment options and, hopefully, provide much-needed relief for the 175,000 veterans who suffer from Gulf War Veterans’ Illness, for which there is currently no known cure.”

In letters to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House Armed Services Committee and House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Rahall requested the committees include $30 million for the Gulf War Veterans’ Illness Research Program (GWVIRP) in the 2009 Defense Authorization Bill, a $20 million increase from 2008 levels. The increased funding would allow researchers to expand on existing clinical trials and studies of Gulf War illnesses that have provided promising results in earlier studies.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), approximately 175,000 veterans of the first Gulf War—one in four of those who served—suffer from Gulf War Veterans’ Illness, often called Gulf War Syndrome. There are currently no effective treatments available for this chronic multi-symptom illness, which has been linked to neurotoxic chemical exposure during the first Gulf War. Gulf War veterans also suffer from ALS, or Lou Gehrig ’s Disease, at double the rate of their non-deployed peers.

“Providing quality heatlthcare and medical services to America’s veterans has always been one of my top priorities,” said Rahall. “With more and more troops being deployed to Iraq and the Gulf each day, it is imperative we work together to fund research and find a cure for this tragic disease.”