Washington, D.C. - Gulf War Veterans will receive five years of free health care benefits under a measure approved in the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

 

According to U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-The Woodlands), the House also approved measures to increase research and treatment for brain injuries, directed that chiropractic care be available for veterans in the future, and increased the number of veterans eligible for vocational rehabilitation through the Veterans Administration.

 

“We have an obligation to make sure that those who have served and sacrificed on behalf of our nation are not forgotten when it comes to their health needs," said Brady, who spearheaded the creation of a new veterans health care clinic earlier this year. 

 

Servicemen and women who served in combat during the 1991 Gulf War will be eligible for an extended term of free health benefits, from two to five years. According to Brady, this will help veterans whose health difficulties don't become apparent until long after their discharge. 

 

Traumatic brain injuries have been one of the most common injuries suffered by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The House also directed that chiropractic care be provided to veterans at each of the VA medical centers no later than 2011.