WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Congressman Chris Smith (NJ- 4), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, today applauded the decision by Secretary Anthony Prinicipi to establish two new Centers for the Study of War-Related Illness in East Orange, New Jersey and Washington, DC.
"The establishment of two National Centers for the Study of War- Related Illnesses, one in East Orange, New Jersey, and the other in Washington, DC, is a significant step forward in addressing the many illnesses, injuries and other conditions that uniquely effect men and women who have served in our armed forces during times of peace and war," said Smith. "It is an historic opportunity to carefully study war, its obvious and not so obvious effects on combat veterans, and to help identify new and effective therapies for all who have put their lives on the line for freedom and democracy," he said.
"The selection of the East Orange facility is a credit to New Jersey's VA healthcare system and their entire team of medical professionals who work on behalf of veterans," said Smith, who represents New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District.
The VA will provide $2 million for the start of costs of the Center with an annual operating budget of $1.5 million per year with another $250,000 available per year for specific research studies based at the center.
"The lessons learned from the Vietnam and Gulf wars are that many of our veterans return from front line duty with health problems and complications not readily or easily diagnosed," Smith said. "Congress passed legislation (P.L. 105-368) to establish the Centers for the Study of War-Related Illnesses so that we can pull together medical, scientific, and academic expertise and channel it towards helping veterans with conditions that are debilitating but not easily treated."
Chairman Smith said the new National Centers "will promote the training of health care personnel in research on causes, mechanisms and treatment of war- related illnesses; serve as a resource center and clearinghouse for exchanging information from the Defense Department and other federal and non-federal entities; and coordinate with the Defense Department, Public Health Service and other research and treatment centers in dissemination of information about war-related illnesses."
"The establishment of these two National Centers is a victory for all veterans who have struggled for years with medical problems that are hard to prove," Smith said. "The mission is to help those veterans whose curative therapies are difficult to identify, provide effective treatment, and if appropriate, compensate them for their service," he said.
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